Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-20
spring fer water or out to the timber Ton
faggots for his culinary operations

il over to the widows cabin. and as hC
was quite creditable performer, many ar
evening which would otherwise have beer
spent in drinking and dice playing was
whiled away in listening to the soueaky
fiddle and the Widows really fine voice, as
she sang church music and the Gospel
| hymns which had been sung in lvr Illinois
home until they were old and threadbare,
but which were entirely Few in the mount
| aims.
81 tell you, boys, that air tears me all tel
pieces" said Dick Gowdy. as Mrs. Newell
sang THE Ninety and Nine" to her audi
ence; ther haint no shepherd goin' ter
do very much huntin' fer US eff we don't
take better keer of ourselves" and it was
noticeable that he left off swearing for
nearly week, and in many ways the pres
ence of the little family, so helpless in
their bereavement was refining and soft
eDing influence.
"Sho, now, feliahs, Christmas am comm
in about fo' weeks" said Wash jackson,
as he was lighting the evening lamps.
''rd clean done fo'got till dat ar little
Katie war tellin' whatter fine Christmas
tree dey had las yeah Tell you it mus
be mighty dull fo' dem chillens up heah,
wild nottin' but US grown folkses ter muse
en-"
"That's So" and Dick Gowdy drummed
on the table thoug ghtfully. 'Taint one wom-
an in a thousand that'd come up here an
be as pleased an clipper as that little
wilder is with her trouble to bear, an
move that" and the speakers voice was
lowered, and consultation followed which
was strictly confidential.
There were none of these men who did
not have memory of innocent pleasures
at Christmas time in their childhood, yet
the sweetest and best of holidays had
been spent the year previous in unusual
conviviality, which had ended in the
nearest approach to rough and tumble
fight that the camp had ever known.
There was something in the presence Of
the widow, the touch of the innocent
childish hands which had met theirs with
confiding trust, which made such cele-
bration of the day repugnant to them, and
Sam Coll rs brought his fist down on the
table with a whack as he said: II tell
you, boys, moneys no objic, an eff the
things did at all it's got to be did up
brown, an them little kids an rner ma
shell hev Christmas worth hevin', eff they
air up in the mountingsi" slapping fifty
dollars worth of gold dust upon the table
as he spoke.
A stingy miner is an anomaly seldom
seen, and the pile rapidly increased as
each added his contribution.
There were sounds of hammering and
saving going on in spot far enough from
the camp to be sheltered from its rudeness,
yet near enough for purposes of protec-
tion, and some one was evidently going to
have new cabin, and built in style NO.
ticeably superior to the rest Of the shan
ties in size and convenience.
Nelly Newell stitched away at her scanty
preparations for the fast-coming winter
with scarcely thought of the matter, and
if she had speculated upon the subject at
all she would have thought that Dan Voor-
hees was replacing the one he had so gen.
erously given up to her.
As the miners had said, she had borne her
troubles with patience and sweetness, and
she fully appreciated the kindness, rough
and uncouth though it was, which these
men had shown her, but she would prob
ably never know what her presence and
that OF her innocent children was doing
toward making the camp as quiet and or
derly as it was.
There was town twenty miles away.
and a week before Christmas Sam Collins
and Burt Macomber drove off in big
wagon drawn by four mules in its direc-
tion. Burt had been chosen for this ex-
cursion because, as they all agreed, he
"knew more about wimmin's chicken fix
ins' than airy man in the camp
Don't We spar the money" was Dick
GowdY's parting admonition. "Ef that
pile don't hold out, run yer face, an the
rest kin foller arterward."
The wagon came back the next even
ing heavily laden, and the men unlOaded
it at the door of the new cabin, which was
now completed and there were busy hands
at work putting it in order for occupancy.
Nellie Newell was putting away the re-
mains of her little supper on Christmas
Eve when smart rap sounded at her door,
She had been unusually Respondent all
day, as she contrasted this Christmas with
previous ones spent IN the Illinois home.
Dan Voorhees, was at the door as she
went to open it, and his honest face wore
a curious expression as he said: 1.-The
boys wanted ye to step over N see the new
mouse we've been putin up. Tll take the
babby an the kids kin foller."
Glad of any change in her monotonous
life Nelly put on her hood, wrapped up the
little ones and went out with him.
The house was lighted, and the sound Of
Burt's violin saving away on "Home,
Sweet Homo" greeted her ear as she
stepped in at the door.
"Wish ye merry Christmas, ma'am,"
called out Sam Collins as she was ushered
into the room which answered for a par
lor. There was real "store carpet upon
the floor, set of cane-seat chairs, a table
and couch, and through Burt's taste the
windows had been curtained with white
lace, all cheap, but absolutely luxurious
for that region, and giving the room a
really home-like appearance, with possi-
bilities for future Improvement from her
woman's touch.
They had decorated the walls with ever
greens and in one corner a small Christ
mas tree bore acceptable fruit for the
children, wooden toys, cheap picture
books, such as the primitive mountain
store afforded, and bag of real candy,
which had been distributed so as to make
all the show possible.
Mrs Newell looked about her in the
most perfect establishment as Sam Collins,
who had appointed himself spokesman for
the occasion. called out heartily: This is
a Christmas present for We, ma'am, from
Camp Nogood, an we hopes ye'n take as
much comfort livin' int as we hev in a
fixin' it for ye."
1t was most surprising state of affairs,
and Mrs. Newell could hardly find her
voice to thank them, and especially when
Burt threw open the lid of a small melo-
deon and invited her to accompany him
with his violin upon it
True, it was ricketty in the joints and
i In4ght= 555l III