The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1886-12-30
Poor Moses Happy Thought.
4 Christmas Tale.

There were four children in our log
cabin; Eph and /, the twins, twelve
years old; Nose, who was not bright,
just ten; and last but not least, Mehi.
liable. The latter was only eight
months old, but she ruled the family
and W all loved her sweet tyranny.
No queen upon her throne could have
been more loved or admired. We con-
sidered her the most beautiful baby in
the world, with her dimpled cheeks as
delicate in hue as the fairest rose
petal, with eyes as blue as the loveliest
summer skies, and little short rings
Of gold, covering her round head.
No one manifested more love for the
baby than poor Nose. Mother trust
ed him with the care OF her with per-
fect confidence. For poor Nose, who
went about with a perpetual smile on
his thin, homely face, was invariably
gentle, and cared for the 'little queen'
as tenderly as if she was some rare
bric-a-brac that a rough shake would
utterly demolish.
Those were troub1ous times, then,
away back over a hundred years ago,
and though we had as much fun then
IN our way as boys do nowadays we
had more excitement of a certain kind;
an anxious, blood-curdling kind, that.
often made our hearts beat like trip
hammers while our hands grasped
oar muskets.
The day before Christmas was a
busy n in u ~log-cabin. The big
Fireplace glowed, and the hugh iron
kettles sputtered away as they cook
ed savory messes for the morrow's
dinner. Eph and I picked chickens
and ducks, while mother baked huge
loaves of white and brown bread,
doughnuts and pumpkin pies. Nose,
meanwhile, watching dear little Mehi-
table. The little witch would persist
in creeping towardthe andirons on an
exploring expedition, to get a nearer
view of the sizzling tea-kettle or of our
pals of hot water in which we dipped
III ducks, or in attempting other
venturesome journeys. Poor Nose,
how patient he was. how untiring!
I'm the middle of the afternoon,
mother said, "Now, boys, take the
basket of provisions to old Eben Har-
ter's. You must hurry, too, so that
you can gst back before night"
We did hurry, but such q basket,
packed full to the brim, with bread,
cakes, roast chicken, spare-rib, and
who knows what else! Didn't our arms
ache when, at last, after wading
through snow-drifts and climbing over
ice-barriers, we reached the little hut
tof Eben Harter and delivered up our
burden! Eben Harter was an old
man, so helpless that it was with diff
tfcnlty that he could hobblo around his
one small cabin room. The other men,
bers of the family were his feeble, aged
wife and a young granddaughter.
"Your folks are SO kind, and you
boys so good to, come to us through
the singing cold that 'twould be
selfish to ask more, butt
"What is it, Mrs. Harter7" asked
Eph, quickly. eff there's anything
we can do for you, we'll do it."
"Bless your dear hearth" was the
fervent response, ~ feel dreadful fear
some tonight, somehow; s'pose on
account of the doin's of them savages
at the corner. 'Twould be somethin'
to be forever grateful for if we could
have n of you stout lads here all
night"
''We'll get mothers consent, then"
Eph said, and in another minute we
were on our way 'homeward. Mother
willingly gave permission, so we trudg-
ed back to the Harter's, carrying APP
pies and corn which We roasted and
popped while the old man told stories
Of our childhood. In the morning we
hurried homeward, wondering if there
were any gifts for us; but when we
reached the place where there had
been a little unused hut hallway be.
tween the Harters' and our house, all
thoughts of gifts was lost in fear, for
only the ashes remained of the hut.
30, Eph, the Indians must have
been here. ;s;posing they've been to
our house."
Eph's face iblanched. but he said re-.
sasuringly, :If;they've been there faith
.ar,s managed them"
We raced on toward home, upon
reaching which, father said, ina voice
heavy with emotion, "Mehitable's
gone"
s.sMy baby,s killed" sobbed mother.
Nose lifted;his terrified eyes to our
faces, his hands working convulsively.
''Tell US, quick, what do you meant"
begged Eph, dropping on his knees be-
side mother. In broken words moth
.er told us the narrowing tale, how she
and father had been called away in
the night to 60 to Uncle Hiram's,
whom they thought dying. There
was,no other way but to leave Mehit-
able in Moses care, and so they did,
with many injunctions to .".let no
harm, come to the precious baby" At
four o'clock, Uncle Hiram being con-
sidered out Of danger, our folks had
returned. When they saw the ruins
,ofthe old. cabin they were greatly dis.
tressed, and,upon reaching home they
found that an attempt had.been made
TO fine that. Moses greeting to them