Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-24
Written for The EVENING" srAn
OLD GRIZZLY GRUMBLE.

thropist, as strangers said. but his neighbors
retorted that it was the flesh Of pig. His
eyes were small and close together, and his
hands were always clinched, all of which
looked bad for him and helped along his evil
reputation. A few Of the very poorest people in
the place we're strong in his defense, but they
were few indeed. and very uninfiuential When
asked to cite some instance of his generosity
they were forced 10 blush and bow their heads
amid the derisive laughter of the gossips at
the grocery corner, who whitfield at the bar
reIs and boxes they sat on and told stories Of
the meanness Of ''Old Grizzly Grumble," as
they called him II said that he starved
his wife and beat his sons, and there were sew
eral who declared they had seen him cheat in
weight while selling sugar to an old widow
woman who did the tailoring for the town
A strong evidence of the truth Of these re-
ports was that "Old Grizzly" never dared deny
them. He was so mean that he did not care
what the gossips said or thought Of him.
IF had old Grizzly's money" one Of the
gossips said. as he drew close into the inner
circle about the tavern fire and squirted Q
stream Of tobacco spit into the hot ashes. If
had old Grizzly's money wouldn't mind this
weather." man who was cutting away at the
back Of pine chair looked up slowly.
What be you guessin' you would do with old
GriZzly's money? bet il you had it you'd be
hugging it to keep warm, as cal'late he be q
doin' now by the sparks of half a stick Of beech
money-bar'in' it's this 'ef weather." Then he
drew closer to the fire and continued carving
away Al the back Of his chair.
You'll need that FER chair fer fire wood fore
We get through with this 'er snow-up. There
amt chair in the place you amt cut the back
often, Hank Doolittle," broke in the inn
keeper, as he put his own jack knife away after
having cut away one-half his own seat.
Pottsville was snow-bound. 1t was little
northwestern town, settled down between six
high hills that failed to protect it from the
winters blast. The snow had been falling for
four days before it stopped. and now they were
In their seventh day of siege by the silent
forces Of the north. No horse nor wagon had
broken through the drifts, the town was cut off
from all its sources of supplies-fuel was nearly
all ont. the school supply being now drawn
on-and food, even, was scarce. GRIZZLY
0rumble alone was comfortably supplied with
both, and he declared that he had barely
enough for his own use. The snow In the
streets Of the town was untracked by horse or
man, and with difficulty deep, narrow cuts had
been made for foot-paths along some of the
principal sidewalks to the stores and the inn.
which was also a store and post-office Some
OF the villagers had got that far. and sat close
TO the public fire to be more comfortable than
were their wives and children at home
It'll be three or four days yet" said the
latest arrival, before them drifts are broke
through, and jus as like a. not therell be some
one dead of starvin' fore then. The snow is
drlfte d IN thirty feet deep for quarter of |
mile at the cut by Swans hill. They are try
ing to break through to big beech woods. but
there amt no getting through until thaw
comes, and there's packin' you can sleigh
over"
The rest of the company was silent for |
while, and Hank Doolittle Clipped away at the
back of his chair.
1T must be gosh darned hard on 'em COM
in from the south" ne broke out directly. |
shutting his knife with snap and showing il |
down in his pocket
Who be you talkin' OFF, asked the inn
keeper
The rebel wider and her voune ms. 7
guess they amt got neither food nor wood, and |
no men folks to help EN-"
'.Pshawr' |
None of US be overstocked, be we?,
''She's johnny. They made il hot for us |
sometimes We give ii to 'em cold Each
'cordin to his climate See the pintY'
So each of the company passed some remark |
and they all laughed at the last sally. and from
that got to talking Of the war and recounting |
suffering of that time
They thought no more about the rebels /
widow. Even Hank Doolittle who had called 1
her to mind, had done so without any especial /
interest in the subject
There was much suffering in that snow
bound village. and each had enough to do to
think Of himself Seven tisys showed in and
on the oath of December, with scarcely food in
tine town.
The rebels widow, to whom Hank had re-
ferred, was a middle-aged woman. who had |
recently come from the south, with two or /
three very small children. No one knew why |
she had chosen Pottsville for her home, but |
she was poor, they knew, and had to sew and |
teach for living, though they saw she was |
frail and were sure she had not been used to |
self-dependence. But she was a rebel Her
husband had been shot, fighting against the |
Union. and there was little sympathy she could |
expect but five years after the war from these |
uneducated people, many Of whom had lost |
dear irlends on the other side. and most of |
whom were fanatics in their LOYALTY The |
small degree of the responsibility that could |
rest on the shoulders of this frail woman was |
not calculated She was a rebel and the widow
on the other side. who worked in the fields. |
chopped wood. and carried planks on her own |
shoulder to build shelter for her pigs might /
&c excused for not feeling friendly to her.
moreover, they did not know how much she |
needed their sympathy. They were rudely |
kind at bottom.
Then she was proud and strange and seemed |
70 shun these people, so different from herself.
She was pitied principally because she rented /
a cottage from ''Old Grizzly Grumble" IL
was a Little exposed frame dwelling. not far
from that occupied by Old Grizzly himself and. |
as was known he was too mean to keep it in /
repair The snow drifted in the window
ehinks and through the cracks under the door.
and lay In little white drifts on the bare floors.
Ii even ventured close up to the stove. A little |
white drift piled itself up within two feet of |
VIZ Dub TIE HedTtn was as cold the 4
snow No fire had been there that day.
santa Claus will find it very cold here to-
night, said the little four-year old bow as his |
mother Rugged him close to her bosom in an |
EFFORT TO keep the warmth of life in him. Her
head bent low over him and something eIis-
tened like frost upon her pale cheek.
DO you think he will come IL it's So cold2 /
Won't he think we don't live here? On. mamma
80 cold; so cold! And hungry, mamma, hun,
grier than colderr'
And the child chung closer to his mother and |
shlyered and sobbed, while tempest of agony
passed over the poor woman's face.
Close by her side sat an older bow. He MIGHT |
have been ten years old. He was pale, bag |
gard, and trembling, but he said not word. |
nor moved. except to smooth his hand across |
ms mothers brow caressingly. Tears came to |
his eyes when his little brother spoke of Santa
Claus. butthey got not over the border of the |
transparent lids. He Strengthened himself M
and tried 70 smile into his mothers face.
III go TO the saE-mil tomorrow" he said
brayely. Il know where there are some slabs
to burn"
The mother smiled family. She knew that
there were many feet Of snow between her
brave boy and the fuel he would get. She knew
he could never face the Storm but she smiled
an encouragement, called him brave bow and
said: We shall see what the good Lord has in
store for US tomorrow"
But the three were freezing to death, and no
food had passed their mouths in all that day
Would not the Christmas morning find them
Tar on on their journey to where there shall be