The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1893-12-22
A 1rarxp: RYM. A Rrnp,

mime. IltTt tllt 'hsss
each day from morn TO night TO feed,
even scantily, his wife and children
At last came season of great dearth.
The miner fell sick. Sadly his wife
hung out of sight his leather work
suit
The cold winter with its cruel grasp
stole down from the mountain tops
still the miner lay sick: still the dearth
Of food throughout the little town; no.
where mouthful to spare. The birds
In the trees lived and were merry.
Must the little children starvc? Who
had done it? ~ tell you. it's the
Gubich. king of dwarfs, who spoiled
the crops last year. know his pranks,
curse him. said the oldest of the min
ers. 'sWho In summer steals all
the raspberrics and Strawberries?
He never eats nught else, and
has lived like n prince, in his rocky
cavern up there among the holy frs,
ever since the old giant threw these
mountains out Of his shoe because the
bit Of sand hurt him. ! tell You, the
Gubich can make us sick with n
glance. touch or breath. Save me
from going near his home! Yet they
say the cones off his trees are good to
eat, and can be made into wondrous
pretty things which sell well in the
town below us. Starve or touch them?
Starve, ! sny3'
Dear husband" said the pcnitent
wife, "thou knowcst the holy frs; 20
TO gather their cones. will sell them
and buy thee food which will mike
thee well. Children, care for thy
father while am gone"
Quickly throwing shawl over her
head and taking basket ON her arm,
out into the gathering GOODNESS Of the
coming night stepped the mother. The
wind shook the aldcrs ut the cottage
door until they nodded and pccpcd Mt
dried foliage of the stately oaks, whose
sacrcdncss to the gods the elements
--crc thought TO respect, and then died
away among the pines In soft, sad
.-,uslc. that brought tears 10 the
mothers eyes. II WAS like the moan
the BARNS made for bread. The
'cars broke into sob: half.blindcd,
with bent head, she reached the edge
OF the holy forest.
Pityingly. out from his bed Of clouds,
the setting sun glanced warm and ten
der. lie shot his parting rays nmong
the frs. md filed their deep shadows
with cheerful glow. Suddenly. Into
the marked pathway Of Its light,
stepped little man with snowy beard.
vno grnvcly doiYcd his cnthcrn cap and
,saitcd for the sud mother 10 reach him
Good woinnn, what ail'st thou?
Why No sad?" broke upon her startled
car.
"oh. mir, mean no harm. NV chill.
drcn stnrvc; my husband never ngnin
will be well. cannot zee them nsls
cnch day for bread and give them none.
40 10 gather cones. do let me pass
and MI my basket
~ would harm thee not. my friend, {"
snid the little man. "And knowcAt
thou where the beat cones can be-
found? Follow this path hundred
feet, and there they can be gathered
with"-but tho mother was ON her way
A knowing look. carcss Of his white
beard. u sniff Of the pcrfumcd forcs,
mir, and the little man had vanished.
with glad feet the mother hurried on
Not u sound but the dropping Of cones
broke the stiffness Of the forest. Faster
and thicker they seemed to fall nj cnch
onward step. A perfect storm Of cones.
They dropped upon her head they fell
NJ her feet they pelted her shoulders,
they filled her basket Frightened the
poor woman turned and fled. glnnciDg
neither Ia the right or left. Heavier
md heavier tho basket grew. Breath.
less and exhausted she reached her cot
tagc door.
Tho mother entered and quickly
barred the door. "ilnsband, husband,
think whit Inns happened On the
edge Of the holy forest met little
mnn with snowy beard who told me
where 10 gather the best cones. went,
10 find them. but the further I went,
the faster the cones fell from the ilrs.
They came about my head as thick H.
snow ilhltca IN midwinter. yet the trees