Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-12-28

cheer, abundance and comparative con-
tent So the farmers who logged III On
or iolted behind their heayy-hoofed
horses admitted the leading statement
with supremacy satisfied conviction
that other towns We're not booming
as was Bubble and an absolute inditrer-
ence to the probability OF its being
Christmas eve elsewhere. A delicious
day it was, TOO. although not the typical
winter, one which imagination invaria-
BILE associates with the dear old feast.
There was no snow; the air was crisp,
keen in It's frosty sweetness, eXhliar.
ating as wine; by q Sky of subdued yet
intense blue was the biilowing prairie
domed and bounded; against that Sc
rene and perfect background fields OF
rihed but unriyen corn flung out their
tattered tawny banners; the winding,
brownisl roads rang like steel to every
passing sound; along those desolate
country ways the Sumac shrank in
blasted beauty, and skeleton sunflowers
reared aloft the bare, brown hearts
from which had fallen long ago the
disks OF gold. But the old man, who,
mounted on the front seat OF ponder
Gus, creaking farm wagon, drove over
me hill and down the one new, ugly,
brstling street which boosted the bust
ness, the barter and the commercial en-
1erprise of Bubble, thought not at all
of his surroundings. not even OF the
day He did not stop at either gen
eral store, at the tin shop, at the saloon
or the dlrg store. With an occasional
nod to familiar faces he steered his
n, -,
pretentious hotel, the gaping livery
barn, the big. bleak lumber yard, and
drew ND beside the platform of the
railroad depot
.'Whoa-af, thar. Train most due,
Tom? Hope It's. Olive n sort of
niece aboard-me cousin Moike's child.
Did We know that?'
The station agents assistant smiled
back at him Did he know that? Who
did not know that old Rafferty, had
some months ago sent money to Ireland
to bring out n young relative of his A
queer character, old Rafferty,. Seven
teen years of his life had been passed
as a sailor. He claimed to be one OF
the survivors of the battle between the
Merrimac and the Cumberland, and
that it was lie who fired the last shot
on board the latter vessel, when, with
colors still brayely flying, sunk beneath
the waves. Dearly did he love to tell
Of HE affair particularly Of the part
which concerned himself, OF the three
hours spent under the water before res
cue was effected. AT the close of the
war he took up "a claim in Nebraska,
and by slow degrees, in loneliness and
privation. had Accumulated not little
wealth. Out Of perilousness he had seen
peace come. A friendly and familiar
figure was he to all. Somehow people
always smiled at old Ratferty-cordi-
ally too. There was a comical kind of
fascination in the face visible between
the shabby felt hat and the huge com
forter'' Of purple, red and yellow yarn
"A shrewd, salloW old face with griZ-
zled beard, b,lshy brows and youthfully
alert, bright eyes. Then his accent was
delightful, his own broad and hearty
brogue being favored with Western
infections wholly foreign to it.
ION time, sir"
A whistle-another A puff of smoke;
n distant roar; q vibration of the rails;
q shrek of steam; a glare Of light
then the train was laundering up-had
paused, painting, snorting, disgorsing.