Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-12-21

wen NJ
sX ZY"usaN
which HEZ
lated.
this in snow lay shining over the moor
ON "a only one dwelling could be
and i an us vast expanse-a little
ich md Il old and gray. Travellers who
day ], over the moor often said: How
l Id sta II the poor people must be who
md disc there
good chi . tho cottage was a very nice one
nVal. II |, hind: moss grew all over the
non own protecting it from the cold and
vas Aim tho chimney was broad and
and the roof, with its thatch of
the E Iooked in summer like green vel
With th ."Vered with little red and yellow
the cd Inc At the end of the house was
and 81 ~ Garden. where grew potatoes,
we # ~ and cabbages: and by the fence
S place nonnies and roses. Upon a bank
The old by stood an aspen tree, and at
..,tace window hung a little cur
ance The whole place was very neat
,utch : clean.
L % 10 FU IiAt dlu IN
ne Sou uother Gertrude, who lived there
chmen ahn.l = I;ttIo hov named yigg.
! En n sm she had adopted.
. nlgl krv in the morning Of the day be
s my " christmas Mother Gertrude had
10y, = red for the grocery in the village,
s.s I'm law at a long distance over the
Tr, sr The sun was setting, but she
q : \ not at home yet, and Vigg WIS
lonely in the cottage-for there
,aro T. 4 nerfect silence amid the vast snow
From m. which was all that he could see.
lie yeah Gay iohs ne hau hVt "h ~'
two snd of a single horses bell.
,bservd was growing dark, and Vigg went
rs mn the stove, where the glowing wood
changing to ashes. All was so
m In that one could near a pin fall.
moro p sound of his little wooden shoes,
Ise. Nd he walked across the floor, could
lately i've been heard outside the cottage.
;. sat down by the stove, feeling very
Gmal and lonely, and began to Won
.,r. If the gingerbread he was waiting
aher Gertrude to bring had n head
lib golden horns and four legs-and
"a y" little birds had any Christmas Eve.
'hs' Il is hard TO tell how long he had
S ente zen sitting there, when he heard the
le HG1 VI Of a horse, daShing over the snow.
% mo, sprang to the window and looked
18th tW hs Snow NTo,har Cor+r,,Jo wnniI
me. II have any bells. The stars were
to pla khted all over the heavens. and they
m for mixed ana sparkled In the arkne
tar, the night. Far away there was
nething very black on the snow. 1t
AhoW me nearer and nearer, and the bells
think ms out louder and louder. Suddenly
sled drove up to the cottage and
havil opped at the window.
re he'll i was a sled with four horses, and
|stiek} horses Were smaller than any
and tn mics Vigg had ever seen. The little
1 thea an who drove them had pulled hard
win the reins to stop them, and they
10 pc ere jumping and rearing and making
taoia snow fly in every direction.
or tha Keep quiet. Rapp! Be still, Snapp,
'ct an att stand quiet. Latt, keep in your
; sho En9' shouted the little man in the
nIm Y z, as he jumped out and came to the
ehese Fndow, where Vigg was standing with
ON hi hes dilated with u,on1ar Voc had
ball pyer seen q man who too,,o1 liz hin
owe Aut then no had noror sa,n manr
ing J ben. He was q little old man, jus.
Oughl |ns full Of wri OiI Il. nrS nj his n rI ta
, VIZ ere like white moss.
va dis clothes were of fur from head Il
IN IN Dot and in one side of his mouth ht
~ ed a pipe, while the smoke came OH
~ the other side.
WSod Good-evening, Pug Nose" he said.
- ~ llgg answered with some dignity
~ woodworking"
roll is anybody at home?" the maj
y Eked.
You can see that / am at home"
Yes, You are right. | was Joking"
N 1t is all dark in the cottage, and /
Is fal christmas Eve, but / shall have /
,nulad paflstmas fire and Christmas candle
Tnen mother comes home-a candle
lliard ~. .n .nree branches.
New Oh, Mother Gertrude isn't HON yet
and You are all alone, and have t.
V for a good hour yet. Are you no
tfraid?"
Il am a Swedish boy" answered.
ckins veg. Mother Gertrude had taught hin
mat Swedish boys were always brave
an Oh, you are n Swedish boy, ar
: - ;!ou!' said the little old man, rubbin.
,r1no as nose with his mittens, and takini
acked me pipe from his mouth. DO yoI
! tha Know who / ann"