Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-12-26

II think it is too bad you cannot |
stay at home with Boy and lhe to-day |
of all days in the year, Christmas
Day."
"But, little woman, trains must be |
run Christmas Day rs well as other |
days aud must run my train CHRIST
mas Day ms we'll rs the rest OF the boys.
Mustn't /? You see that that's fair,
don't youPh
"Ye.es; butt
but me no butts, as that actor-chap
said that night at the Opera-House in
Atlanta. Do you remember? You
have n good time, Boy and you; eat
your turkey and mince pie. but mind
YOU save me a whackl Aud look out
for the light. for III trim that lantern
of mine so it will shine as 1t never
shone before. I'll give it regular
Christmas trimming"
And so, taking wife and Boy" in
one large loving embrace, with a push
TO his lantern TO settle it well into the
bend of his arm. Tom Lansing went
swinging up the road on his way to the
Cutting at the mouth of which he would
Jump on his train when, in few min
utes, it would pass.
He was fireman on that train on tho
Chattahoochie and Upton Railroad.
Everybody on the road, from the Super
intendent TO the boy who sold the
newspapers and brokeu-candy, knew
and loved Tom Lansing.
And when, two years before he had
brought his little brown-haired wife
from his New England home. and had
set up his modest roof-trec at Sunset
Cutting, in the little cabin. half-log
half-shingle. with its adobe chimney
bending aud swaying up its side like
rough miniature of the leaning tower
Of Pisa, everybody on the road rejoiccd
in Toms happiness aud wished him
luck.
Aud when, in year, boy" came,
that boy was almost from the mo-
meut of his arriyal---the most import
ant parsonage in circuit OF twenty
| miles.
1t was not often that Tom swung off
| his train at the depot, two miles above
the Cutting aud trudged that couple
of miles over rough, stony road for
| the sake of enjoying just eight min
utes with his little wife aud boy"
Usually he contented himself with
swinging his lantern from his train,
aud gladdening his eyes with the an-
sweriug CLEAN which always flashed
back to him from the little cottage
porch.
But this was Christmas time, aud the
little brown-haired wife had got n box
from home, away of in New England,
and how could she and the 'boy" en-
Joy mothers miuce pie" without
Tom.
But duty was duty, and Tom Lau-
sings duty took him down that rough
bit of road to his train.
Christmas beamed warm and bright
at Sunset Crossing and notwithstand'
ing Toms absence, which would be q
sad drawback to the enjoyment. to be
sure, Margery.s Toms brown-haired
little wife, Intended to make little
feast with the goodies" which had
been sent to her from her home in the
New Hampshire hills.
So she had hung out the latch-strine
and called in some Of her neighbors TO
help her to do honor TO her mother:
Cttistmos oheoc.
But all day long, as she went a5ou
her little home, making her hospitabl'
preparations. "A something's presence
seemed to be beside her.
She saw nothing, she heard nothing
but surely she was not alone.
A footstep seemed 20 fall beside her path,
She knew not whence.
And all day long she was consciou
of hushed. eXpectant air about her
In the midst of some bustling house
hold task she would find herself stand
ing quite still, and listening. she coult
not tell for what.
But Margery prided herself on bein
eminently practical. She had littl
imagination and less superstition; an
she dismissed these new impression
with scant ceremony.
She just brushed them from heI
mind with the curt thought that sh
felt so queer, she hoped she was no
going to get homesick over mother
mince pie"
In due time the neighbors came
They enjoyed the pleasant Christina
feast, petted Boy" drank Tom
health iu egg-nog. and then went t
their several homes well contente
with their hearty. homely entertain
ment, and left Margery aud boy
alone.
boy" was tired and sleepy, and SC
too, was Margery. She quietly envie
Boy" as she sat in her comfortabl
Boston" rocker aud crooned him (
sleep and she could not help wishin
she had somebody's somebody
meaning Tonic do likewise TO her.
But she had laid her baby in his cos
cradle she left her sleepy mood besid
him and what with washing up tn
best china and putting away the silve
all wedding presents and only to b
used OH holdays-and setting the littl
home ITO rights" it was almost tim
, for Toms train before Margcry kne
! what she was about.
Exclaiming against her own tardi
ness Margery hustled about. trimming
her lantern To be in readiness to Civ
Tom a rousing bright swing for Chris
mas night.
With the lighted lantern iu her han
Margery took her place in the pore
and listened for her husbands trail
, ing.