The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Z there were more carcasses on the

day there were more carcasses on the
pain.
Tie day befora Chris mas Roger came
home with his staggering sheep, and strobe
into the house.
DO you know what tomorrow is? he
.emanded hoarsely of Betsy.
Its Christmas, Roger" she answered
family, and began to cry.
"Aye!" he said.
Its the Lords day." said little Toby,
who was sitting on tie doorstep. Roger
uttered smothered exclamation.
ooh, don't, Roger" pleaded his wife.
Don't tempt Providence.
'Providence!" cried Roger, fercely.
''What is Providence, that it leaves US
here to starve? Look out vonder!' and he
pointed through the open door. What
do you see? Carcasses! Vultures! Where
is the rain? Where will we be a month
hence? Providence, indeed! ~ and thrust
ing his hands into his pockets, he strobe
ont of doors.
Am to hang up my stocking for Santa
Claus to-night?' asked Toby of his
mother. "Do you think he will see little
boy like me?"
Yes, he would. 1t had been Rogers in
tention to ride over to Beechams Bar,
eighty miles sourhwestward, to get some
triHes for Toby and Betsy for Christmas,
but when the famine is on, and the rain
holds off, and the sheep are dying, and the
coyotes and vultures come up to the very
door OF the cabin, IL becomes question of
life and not of Christmas presents, so he
did not 60 But he had polished ram
horn until it shone, and finished off the
hollow end with a cover of bright tin for a
cornucopia, and Betsy had cut up an old
dress for some gay neckerchief for Toby
sunburned neck, so he would get some
thing, after ALL even though the spccter of
starvation might already be stalking
across the plain toward the cabin. We'll
give the poor little chap something, any
how" quoth Roger; she may never see
another Christmas"
So, when nisht fell and the sky dark
ened, as usual. with the clouds that never
rained, and the coyotes began TO laugh
and enash their fangs around the lonely
cabin, Roger threw log into the fire
place. and Toby hung up his little blue
sock in the glare Of the fame-"Where he
can seeit," said Toby; land now, mamma,
read to me about the birth of the Lord, +"
he said, cuddling down at her knee.
So she read to him of the Babe of Beth
lehem, while his eyes opened with inter-
est and her own grew moist with the tears.
But when Toby kneit to say. his little
prayer that night he changed it. 80 God, "
he said, II shall sit up tonight to see
Santa Claus come down the chimney
and send some things for pa and ma, 0
God! Send some rain, so the sheep won t
die Send grass Tell Santa Claus, o
Lord'
Toby refused to go to bed. Santa Claus
would surely come down the chimney at
midnight and the rain would come with
him, ard there would be good times
once more in the little cabin in
Cinnamon Valley Nor could he be
dissuaded. He had asked the Lord,
and the Lord would do it. So he said, in
his childish way, and when they went to
bed they left him sitting on the hearth,
leaning on his little brown hand and
looking into the great fire.
The evening went on. The little clock
on the shelf above the fireplace told off
tiC W ~ " CIDCh. IL " ClOSh oAN
after. The fire gradually died down.
Roger and Betsy were asleep, but still
Toby sat on the hearth, looking into the
Goals, waiting for Santa Claus, while the
red glowNof the fire fickered over his
golden curls like the caressing hand OF an
angel.
Five minutes to IL. Thus marked the
clock. Toby Strengthened himself up ard
smiled aloft at the dark ceiling. Perhaps
he looked up to the Lord. Possibly an
angel swept down over him and touched
his lips with tender finger. Who knows
what children see?
Two minutes. He looked for his father
and mother. But darkness had closed
around them and the bed was invisible.
So he looked back to the fire. and bis eyes
sought the dark aperture of the chimney.
One minute. A little crash in the fire
marked the falling of an end of log Sparks
flew up and a yellow fame arose over the
aggot. 1t cast cheerful light all over