The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-30

had been planning a trip 10 town, Tour
teen miles distant, to obtain family sup
plies, was obliged to abandon the idea,
as no vehicle or team could breast the
huge drifts.
began to worry about the arrival Of
est. Nicholas" / believed that he
journeyed about in sleigh drawn by
RENDERS, and ] feared the blockade
might inconvenience him. To my con-
sternation my mother expressed similar
doubts when I mentioned the matter
She said she feared he would find the
roads impossible, and hoped / would be
reasonable if such proved to be the case.
But found it impossible to be reason
able even in contemplation of such a
disaster. talked of nothing else.
watched the still falling snow through
tears, and questioned each grown mem
Der of the family concerning the proba-
bility Of st. Nicholas detention score
of times day. The morning preceding
Christmas the weather cleared, but
came of sharp and cold. The drifts
were above the window sills on the
west and north sides of the house.
/ stood in chair and gazed over wide
eEpanses Of snow, stretching away and
away, like white seas OF drift pillows.
Here and there, widely scattered, dis
tant chimney lifted itself like the mast
of a ship. Not team passed the whole
day. One or two neighbors climbed
over the crest1ng tops of the drifts and
hailed each other like shipwrecked
mariners, saying how impossible the
roads were. My disappointment in
creased with the hours. AS night fell
I pressed my face against the window
pane and peered into the darkness and
listened I hoped, against reason, to
hear the jangle of approaching bells.
With the falling of night my mother
had grown hopeful and encouraging.
She said it might be possible that St.
Nicholas would come on foot She had
heard of his doing so in few instances.
Of course, in such cases he brought very
few gifts, but he was expected to keep
his yearly engagement by leaving some
small token.
retired to my bed, cheered by this
faint hope. Ihung up my stocking as
usual, and tried to keep my eyes and
ears open to listen for the sound of st.
Nicholas footsteps, but l was soon
sound asleep.
awoke early, and, sitting up in bed,
glanced eagerly at nay stocking. 1t
hung on the nail seemingly as limp as
when l placed it there. Ny heart sank
in my breast. There was no array of
parcels on the floor as IN former years.
st. Nicholas had not come.
l arose with tears in my eyes and a
lump in my throat and began to make
my toilet. The day doomed before me,
long and lonely. ] had drawn on one
stocking and reached to take the other
from the nail, when lol something hard
lay within it. and there was brilliant
y illustrated copy of "John Gilpin's
Ride rolled about stick Of candy
the barber pole candy that to-day looks
more inviting to me than all the tempt
ing boxes of Huyler or Tenny.
st. Nicholas came after all! Then. as
I continued with my toilet, light
hearted and joyous, found that the old
out shoes had been replaced by
shining copper toed new ones, and my
Christmas day was very bright and glad. |
Later in life learned that my keen
sorrow and disappointment 30 worked |
upon my brothers heart that he had
ridden 2 horse through and over knee |
deep drifts TO the nearest store, seven |
miles distant, and brought home such |
trifies as his pockets-already burdened
with necessities for the house-would /
contain. ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.