Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-12-24
A MINERS CHRISTMAS.
NOW rHI yuLe TIDE IS ctlf'
BRATEp UP m rHE ROCKIES

stag D-se>s-ts the tsssiy cshs.s
whsr. I've ''rsrds- Are shat In 80
Meath. ny the s..v-ris-srs fre~ lev
Ina I~,,s--"us.,s. sweet us~s.-
Imagine n point In midair about two
miles above New York city. and you
have the elevation nj which over 1000
miner In Colorado spend the holiday
season They are shut In by snow and
ice, and for months 10 come they viii
know A. little about what Ia going on In
the busy world as though they were sail.
ors on some vessel frozen up for the win
ter amid the ioebergs % the Arctic re-
giona Fairly In the fall. before the
snow fie.. they are housed In on some
% the lofty peaks % the Rocky mount
aims. aud no, until May OF June viii they
again mingle with their fellow men.
Its often the case that some one u the
boys IL a good fiddler. and Christmas
night be will rosin the bow. tune up the
old fiddle. and with alternate ''paris" for
girls the boys will dance and make
merry
Hut there are those who are not a. for.
tunaie as the miners who are shui up In
the big mine for the winter. There are
the lonely cabins. far up on the mountain
aide. many miles distant from hui 'n
habiiaiion. Here threc or four men are
snowbOund together for the winter
Often there are just two "pards. and
"pard" In the mining camp. means al
most the same NJ "comrade" does In the
army Their Christmas meal i frugal
one. and with eager longings their hearts
will reach cut from that deep gorge
OF lofty PEAK 10 eastern homes. and
wonder what the loved one. there are
doing II u at thc-e holiday timcs that
the pru~pcctor and wandercr longs for
the Old associations Of homo and the
dear faces he has not sccn for years
For months they have undergone many
hariships and privations, bccn through
hairbr,adih escapcs and thrilling Adven.
iurcs. and yet In the Christmas time all
the tenderness and love that CONES with
thoughts ~ homo IL In their hearts. In
the mining camp. % the Rocky noun.
,Ains I have heard little group. sing
Home sweet Home on Christmas eve
How each felt iti II was not sung -
much. A. 10 vas the melody each felt In
heart a. be- thought 81 home IL va
sung In lha, dreamy Kind u way, show
ing that tie thoughts Of all we're FAR
away. and each one wa thinking a.
veil a. singing. and that n a tear did
steal down -ome grim yisaged face. there
was nothing unmanly In Il. was thcr'
was writing about the lonely cabin.
The -crne there u not Always one OF
merry making at Christmas VI those
two who dwell thcrc alone. Tar away
from all contact with the world-gnld
hunter ascctics-onc may H. sick II
you could fore. your way through that
wilderness ~ snow. lifi the latch gently.
Cor IL l. never bolisd. YOU will lind one
nursing and Keeping faithful watch by
biz sick 'pard II may b. son watch.
ing by the cot ~ father Why Il that
oil man bnving all thcse hardship-'
Ave. there IL the mortgage on the eastern
home II they ind the precious vein by
spring. neat Christmas viii find that old
home free frum Debt Mf. Banker. could
you witnc-. such scenes A. these, ~ ]
have done. you would tell tho old man
that you would h. a little eAsy about the
Interest on that AZ mortgigo. that has
troubled him 80 long
One Christmas ] spent up ca the
mountain side with two or thrcc othcrN
and there ne had cur holiday dinner.
and IL was a Wholesome meal. but want
INK In tho.e delicAcio. that mother OF
wife can b.si prepare A snow storm
was mgtns along the mountains. tat
with our chcsrful lire and warm cabin.
80 carvd nothing Tor IL
III wc bad some tioWer. for the wish
tAble. aid one % the toys
We all wished the same