The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-03-26


swelled until it seemed bursting from
his bosom. He heard the patter Of
little bare feet on the cabin floor, as
Totty ran about hunting for hers
and Benny's stockings, and, after
she had hung them up, heard
her sweet voice again as she wondered
over and oyer if Santa Claus really
would forget them. He heard the
mother i'll q choking voice, tell her
treasures to get ready for bed; heard
them lisp their childish prayers, the
little girl concluding:
and oh, Lord, please tellgood San
"a Claus that we are very poor, but
that we love him as much as rich chill
dren do, for dear Jesus sake, Amen"
After they were in bed, through a
small rent in the plain white curtain,
he say the widow sitting before the
fire, her face buried i'll her hands,
and weeping bitterly. On a peg, just
over the fireplace, hung two little
patched and faded stockings; and then
he could stand it no longer.
He softly moved away from the
window to the e "a OF the cabin, where
gome objects fluttering in the air met
his eyes. Among these he searched I'M
til he found a little blue stocking which
he removed from the line, folded ten
derby and placed in his overcoat peck
et,and then set out for the main street
ofthe camp.
He entered Henry Hawks gambling
hell, the largest in the place, where a
host OF miners and gamblers were at
play. Jack was we'll known in the
camp, and when he got upon a chair
and called for attention, the hum of
voices, and the clicking Of ivory checks
suddenly ceased. Then in al earnest
voice he told them what he had seen
and heard, repeatingevery word ofthe
conversation between the mother and
her two little children. In conclusion
he said:
Boys, l think l know you. every
one OF you, and | know what kind o.
metal yer made of. I've an Idee that
Sanity Claus knows Jist whar that
cabins sitiwated, an I've an idee he'll
find it afore morning. Hyar's one O.
the little gals stockings that | hooked
off the line whar l heard the wilder
say she'd hung EN- up with the wash
in. The daddy O. them little ones
was a good, hard-workin' miner, and
he crossed the range in the line O. du-
y, just as any of us is liable to do in
our dangerous business. Hyar goes a
twenty-dollar piece right down in the
toe, and hyar | lay the stocking on the
card table. Now chip i'll, much or lit
tie, as We kin afford"
"Hold them chips of mine on the
aee-jack, said Brocky Clark, a gam
bier, and leaving the faro table he
picked the little stocking up carefully,
looked al it tenderly, and when he
laid it down another twenty had gone
down into the toe to keep company
with the one placed there by Jack
Dawson.
Another and another came up until
the foot of the stocking was we'll filled,
and then came the cry from the gam
bling tables.
pass her around, Jack"
At the word he lifted it from the
table and started around the hall. Be
fore he had circulated it at halfa dozen
tables, it showed signs Of bursting be-
meath the weight OF gold and silver
coin; and a strong coin bag, such as is
used for sending treasure by express,
was procured, and the stocking placed
inside of it. The round of the large
hall was made, and in the meantime
the story had spread all over the
camp. From various saloons came
messengers, saying:
"Send the stockin' round the camp;
fha hove q ~ q .,axtir5 fN~ 1NEy
With a party at his heels Jack went
from saloon to saloon. Games
ceased, and tipplers left the bar as
they entered each place, and miners,
gamblers, spectators, everybody,
crowded up to tender their Christmas
gift to the miners widow and orphans.
Anyone who has lived in the far
western camps, and is acquainted
with the generosity of western men,
will feel no surprises or doubt my
truthfulness when | say that, after
| 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 a party
dispatched to . large town down on
the Consumes, from which they return
ed lear daybreak with toys, clothing,
provisions, etc, IN endless variety.
Arranging their gifts in proper shape
and securely tying the mouth Of the
bag OF coin, the party noisesessly re-
| paired to the widows humble cabin,
The bag was first laid on the step and
the other articles piled up in a heap
over it, On the top was laid the lid
Of q large pasteboard box, on which
was written with q piece of charcoal:
SANITY Claus doesn't always Give
| pore foxes the Shake in this camp
$3.50 x*sH s*%s
Christmas morning dawned bright
and beautiful. The night had been d