Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
NO, mamma; am going to try, any

about hunting fer hers and Rennys stock
incs, and, after she had hung them up,
heard her sweet voice again as she Won
dercd over and over if Santa laus really
would forget them. He heard tie moth
or, in a choking voice. tell her treasures
to get ready for ] ed; heard them lisp
their childish prayers, the little girl con-
Guiding:
"And oh, Lord, please tell good Santa
Claus that we are very poor, but that we
love him a, much as the itch children
DO. for dear ,'esns' sake Amen"
After they were In bed, through small
rent in the plain white curtain, he saw
the widow sitting before the fire, her fact
buried in her hands. and weeping bitter
ly. On peg, just over the fireplace
hung two little patched and faded stock
ings; and then he could stand 1t ne
longer.
He softly moved away from the win
dow to the rear of the cabin, where some
OBJ Gets futtering in the wind met hH
eyes Among these he searched until be
found Little blue stocking which he re
moved from the line, folded tenderly anc
placed in his overcoat pocket, and ther
set out for the main street OF the camp.
He entered Henry Hawks gambling
he'll, the llrgest in the place, where 8
host of miners and gamblers were al
play Jack was well known in the camp
and when lie got upon chair and called
for attention, the hum of voices and the
clicking of ivory chez ks suddenly ceased
Then in an earnest voice, he told them
La l. rH rnnpotlnC
every word of the conversation between
the mother and her two children. II
conclusion he said
"BoJs. think know you, every one
of you. and know what kind o metal
yer made of. I've an idee that SANITY
Claus knows list whar that cabins sitl-
waited, ar I've an Idee be II find it a!ore
morning. Hyar's one O. the little gals
stockings that l hooked otf'n the line
whar l heard the wilder say she'd hung
'em with the wa>hin'. The daddy O.
them little 'uns was good, hard workln
miner, an he crossed the range in the
line O. duty, just as any of us is liable to
do in our dangerous business. Hyar
goes twenty-dolar piece right down IN
the toe, an hyar lay the stocking on this
card table. Now chip in, much or lit
tie, as We kin afford"
"liold them CHI cks of mine on the ace
Jack" said Brocky Clark, a gambler,
and, leaving the faro table, he picked the
lit lie stocking up carefully, looked at 1t
tcnderly, ID, when he laid it down, an
other twenty had gone down into the
toe, to keep company with the one placed
there by Dawson. -,
Another and another CANT up, until
the foot of the stocking was well filled,
and then came the cry from the gambling
tables:
"Pass her around, Jack"
At the word he lifted it from the table,
and started around the hall. Before he
circulated it at half a do. en- tables, 1t
showed signs of bursting beneath the
weight of gold and silver coini and a
strong coin bag, such as is used for senc-
ing treasure by express, was procured,
and the stocking placed inside OF 1t.
The round of the large hall was made,
and in the meantime the story had
spread all over the camp. From varl'
GUS saloons came messengers, saying
"Send the sto kim round the camp;
the boys are a-waitin' for it,"'
With a party ;at his heels, Jack went
from saloon to saloon. Games ceased,
and tipplers left the bars as they entered
each place, and miners, gamblers, specu-
lators, everybody, crowded up to tender
their Christmas gift to the miner widow
and orphans. Anyone who has llved IN
the far Western camps, and is acquainted
with The generosity of Western men, Will
feel no surprise or doubt my truthfulness
when 1 say that, alter the round had
been made, the little blue stocking and
the heavy canvas bag contained over
eight thousand dollars in gold and silver
coin.
Horses were procured, and party
despatched to large town down on the
Consummes, from which they returned
near day break with toys, clothing, pro
visions, ETC., in almost endless variety.
Arranging their gifts in proper shape,
and securely tying the mouth of the bag
of coin, the party noiselcssly repaired to
the widows humble cabin. The bag
was first laid on the step, and the other
articles piled up in heap over it. On
the top was LAID the lid of IL large paste
board boz, on which was written with
piece of charcoal:
"Santy Cl,us doesn't always Give poor
foxes the Shake in tn S camp
Christmas morning dawned bright and
beautiful. The night had been sting
ing cold one, and when the rising sur
peeped over the chain of mountains tc
the east, and shot its beams upon the
western range, the sparkling frost flashed
from the snow clad peaks as though thell
towering heads were sprinkled with pure
diamonds.
Mr.. Stewart arose, and shade oil
pain crossed her handsome face as the
empty little stockings caught hel
maternal eye. She cast hurried glance
toward the bed where her darlings lay
sleep ng, and whispered: -,
ooh. Co |? how dreadful is poverty!'
She built glowing fire, and set about
preparing the frugal breakfast. W her
1t was almost ready she approached the
bed, kissed the little ones till they were
awake. and lifted them to the floor,
With eager haste lofty ran to the
stockings only to turn away, sobbng as
though her heart would break. Tears
blinded the mother, and clasping hei
little girl to her heart, she said in a chok'
Ing voice:
'sNe, err mind, my darling next Christ
mas. am sure, mammt will be richer
and then Santa Claus will bring us lots o,
nice thugs"