The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-12-25
VOL. VII.
THE MOUNTAINEER'S CHRISTMAS


WINDOW. Ihe ventilation came
through the stack chimney made OF
mud and sticks, or the poorly chink-
ed walls # the house, No door
filed the doorway, which was on
the sunny side of the house. The
blanket was drawn therefrom, and
the man and woman standing, one
in the doorway, one without, had a
wan, woe ,begone look. They were
unkempt and disheveled as though
their neglect of person was habitual.
The scene over which they gazed
was one of the fairest. All the
rugged mountains were covered
with mantle of snow. Pines
were loaded with wet snow. lust
now the sun, just arising, made
glitter almost unbearable. Splitting
his quid from his mouth, she also
removed a snuff stick and expector.
ated. Then he said:
Bacon all done gone Sallief"
"The onlest lit is in the skillet"
"Corn meal too?"
"Yon's the last.
"Laws, what next?"
"Lor' Almighty knows, I don't"
and they glanced back in the cabin
where little faxen and red heads
lay side by side on rude trundle
bed. The mans hair and long
beard were fast silvering. The
woman's, of genuine red, was yet
ofits early color, except that it was
faded and split. She had, evident.
ly, once been slender, pretty, will
lowy girl, but now she was faded,
gaunt and chalky looking. There
was no mea! and no bacon; their
slender stock Of provision was
nearly gone, and it was but the
opening of winter; their one OK
had died of old age and hard usage;
the cart was dropping down; the
man stepped and you saw that he
was crippled; exposure had done
its work, and he had succumbed to
rheumatism. "Hush up honey"
he said, as she went to speak, and
turning two little heads appear by
her side Not the dainty white
embroidered robes of the darlings
of wealth were they-only the soil
ed clothes of the day before to keep
them warm. Unwashcd and un-
combed they sat dow to the bacon
and hoe cake, no butter, no any
thing else; hungry and hearty, the
table was soon cleared Old shoes
were pulled on their little bare feet,
and old wraps thrown around them
and they went out to play, happy
in their innocence and ign. rance.
"Not yet Christmas" groaned
the mother, "what shall we do this
winter If we were in the village
| might wash"
Not you'uns, Sallie, don't say it,"
and a world of love shone in his
eyes as he remembered the pretty
girl who had run away from COM
Portable home with him. Even her
speech at times betrayed that she
had not always been as now. A
dream came DER him of the sunny
Christmas when they had been
married, and to this had he brought
her. "Pore GAL" said he.
"Nay, John, ! can bear what you
can; you have tried, now let me.
Neighbor Simonds has an OK he
will loan you, and it shall haul us
to the village, and there me and the
older chiiluns shall find work"
For the sake of kindness done
by Sallie when they had been i'll
with fever, the neighbor told them
that he himself would take them in
to town, but suggested that he
should first rent room for them
somewhere, Carefully had they
thought they had kept their secret,
bu, how do secrets come outi
Enough, he knew that the rich old
man living with his servants in the
comfortable home was father to
John Grants woman He knew
that there was enough and to spare
and that his little children would
siarve while heir grandfather had
plenty. AS he logged a ong the
road on his gated horse, his saddle
bags strung across him to be filled
with Santa Claus in the town, hG
said aloud, "I'll do it" He dis
mounted at the door of comforta
bic old fashioned southern brick
house, strobe up to the door ant
asked for Mr.. Cooper; being tolc
that he was out he asked il Mrs
CooDpr was i'm and uettino as al