The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-25

reality. He had never been munificently
liberal with me, but he had brought me
each year many necessities in the way of
new dress. apron, hood and mittens,
with one or two luxuries like bright col
ored picture book, toy, doll or stick
of candy.
As many as possible of these gifts were
stuffed into my expectant stocking, and
the remainder were arranged about it, usu-
ally presenting quite an array.
l do not recollect that l ever received a
gift at any other time of year. and my an
ticipations of Christmas were naturally
large ones. On this particular winter
there had been an unusual fall of snow.
A few days before Christmas heavy storm
set In and the snow fell incessantly, rem
dering the Wisconsin prairie roads fmpass-
able. My brother, who had been planning
trip to town, fourteen miles distant, to
obtain family supplies, was obliged to
abandon the idea, as no vehicle or team
could breast the huge drifts.
| began to worry about the arrival of
''St. Nicholas" ! believed that he Jour-
neyed about in his sleigh drawn by rein
deers, and feared the blockade might in
convenience him. To my CONSERVATION
my mother expressed similar doubts when
] mentioned the matter. She said she
and hoped | would be reasonable if such
proved to be the case. But found it i'm
possible to be reasonable even IN contem-
plation of such disaster l talked of
nothing else. / watched the still falling
snow through tears and | questioned each
grown member OF the family concerning
the probability of ST. Nicholas detention
score of times day. The morning pre-
ceding Christmas the weather cleared, but
came off 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
expanses OF snow, stretching away and
away, like white seas with drift pillows.
Here and there. widely scattered. distant
chimney lifted itself like the mast of a
ship. Not team passed the whole day.
One or two neighbors climbed over the
cresting tops of the drifts and hailed each
other like shipwrecked mariners, saving
how impossible the roads were. My dis
appointment increased with the hours. As
night fell | pressed my face against the
window pane and peered into the darkness
hear the Jangle OF approaching bells. With
the failing 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. l hung up my stocking. as usual,
and tried to keep my eyes and ears open
to listen for the sound Of ST. Nicholas foot
steps, mt | was soon sound asleep.
| awoke early, ard, sitting up in bed.
glanced eagerly at my stocking. 1t hung
on the nail. seemingly as limp as when
placed it there. My heart sank in my
breast. There was no array of parcels on
the floor as in former years. St. Nicholas
had not come.
arose with tears in my eyes and lump
in my throat and began to make nv toilet.
The day doomed before me, long and
lonely. / had drawn on one stocking and
reached to take the other from the nail
when 10! something hard lay within 1t /
and there was brilliantly illustrated copy
of John Gilpin's Ride" rolled about 8
stick of candy-the barber pole candy that
today looks more inviting to me than all
the tempting boxes of Huyler or Tenny.
st. Nicholas came after all! Then, as
continued with my toilet, light hearted
and joyous, found that the old stubbed
out shoes had been replaced by shining
copper toed new ones, and my Christmas
dav was very bright and glad.
Later in life i learned that nv keen sor-
row and disappointment so worked upon
my brothers heart that he had ridden a
horse through and over knee deep drifts
10 the nearest store, seven miles distant
and brought home such trifes as his pock-
ets-aIready burdened with the necessities
for the houSe-wou!d contain.
ELLA WHEELER WuCoX.