The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-12-27
Mrs. Smiley's Christmas Gift.

4
Papa always did when he was alive.
This little scene was enacted in
rude log cabin in the prosperou
mining town of r., situated in on,
OF the widest looking camps in tn,
mountains of Idaho, long befor,
the refining cruelties of our NOR,
advanced civilization had begun te
fold its humanity in that impene
trable armor of selfshness which il
the curse of matured social life
Hank Smiley, who, like all of the
hardy and adventurous pioneer
band who were first to penetrate the
then trackless mountain wilds Of
our beloved state, had arrived at R
SIX or eight months before the event
mentioned above, from somewhere
IN the Atlantic States, bringing his
family, consisting of his wife and
little daughter Nellie with him, and
had settled down in a little gulch a
quarter of a mile out of town to try
his luck at mining. Spring and sum-
ner had passed by and, although
poor Smiley had toiled early and
late, he had accumulated nothing
but debts. So it was that when Octo-
Der cameround he sought and found
a place as a day laborer in an ad-
jacent mining claim, and as wages
were good, he would doubtless have
been able to get through the winter
and pay off his Indebtedness be-
sides but having a not over strong
constitution, he was attacked by
pneumonia, brought on by exposure
and over-exertion, and although
every effort was made to save him,
the malady increased in virulence
until the evening of the fifth day
after the attack, when the final ca
tastrophe came, leaving Mrs. Sni-
ley widow, penniless and, what
her heart told her was still worse
among strangers.
Realizing the full import of her
sad and terrible bereavement, Mrs.
Smiley was thrown into a delirium
of fever and for nearly a month
fingered on the vortex of the insa-
table maelstrom, death. Anon,
gentle hands nursed her back to life
and, emaciated, pale and haggard-
looking as the dead, she arose
from her bed and ordering her child,
whom the rough but kind-hearted
people about her had been caring
for, restored to her she resumed,
the slavish rou-
tine of her household duties and
cares. Merchants gave her a credit
at their stores, little expecting pay
ment for their goods; the miners
her with wood for the win
ter, cut up and corded away in a
woodshed built by them for the
purpose. Occasionally a sack of
-four, ham or some article of cloth
ing mysteriously appeared at her
door, serving to relieve the dreary
monotony of her weary and hope
less days of toll. But further than
his, Notwithstanding the frequent
and no doubt well-meant importu-
mites of the few who met her to do |
30, she would accept neither money |
lor other aid, saying she would |
soon be able to support herself and
'hild by taking in washing.
But Christmas had come and |
Door Mrs. Smiley was little stronger
han when she left her bed three
weeks before. It is little wonder,
hen, that poor Nellie's childish
question had failed to elicit reply
rom her mother. Indeed she had
ound it impossible to frame an
nswer. She loved her child, and
he words papa always did when
le was alive" sounded to her in
Ter utter helplessness like rebuke.
'ut what could she do? Rising
rom her seat, she tottered to the
oor Of her cabin and throwing it
pen looked out, with saddened
yes and hopeless face, upon the
'intry scene. The snow was already
hree feet deep on the ground, and
was still falling noiselessly down,
IS white fakes, soft as the touch
f a baby's hand, were piling up
igher and higher, hiding still more
the ever-hallowed fea-
ares of mother earth from her
hildren's gaze. AS she opened the
oor a miner, known in the camp
8 "Stant," went by, merely turn
lg his head to say good evening"
3 he passed, for he was always In
hurry. Slant was dressed in the
ough garb of his class, and was
either prepossessing nor pictur- !
sque, as he strobe nonchalantly
way from the widows cabin. Nor ,
as his reputation calculated to j
aspire Mrs. Smiley with hope, for {
tant gambled inveterately. He {
so drank to the verge of excess;
evertheless the widow watched his I
'treating form until it disappeared !
/ the falling snow. K
Night drew nearer; the darkness t
ithout increased. Knowing not +
by, perhaps without realizing that {
le did so, Mrs. Smiley continued t
~ r1oo,o ;o%o opA 6