The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-12-21

IM III WAN AuII<kIIAo wv ALI lIV
wind blew keen
| Across the prairies that lie between
Fort Dodge. on the Arkansaw, under the
fsisi.
And the struggling hamlet OF P~urdyyille.
Where dwelt Niles Nelson. who rode that
From his home to the northward. far
away,
over the bunch grass. bare and brown.
Into the busting frontier town.
The night was dark-not a star on high
And the blizzard brewing up there IN the
sky.
Niles Nelson stepped out into the street:
The wind was driving a binding sheet
OF powdery snow right into his face.
But Niles was happy. he left the place
with a glow in HIS heart, for little Mol,
His baby daughter. would get her doll,
The Christmas gift he had promised long.
Niles Nelson. trolling a Christmas sons
And facing the north wind, sturdily rode.
While past him the storm Fiend's coursers
strobe.
The snow grows deeper, the night more
when he hears the wall of a little child,
Lost In the prairie and doomed to die
II Heaven prove deaf TO its feeble cry.
He leaps from his pony. he searches long:
He feels Il; ne has II within his strong.
Rough hands; he presses II to his breast
A place OF shelter. a place OF rest.
Don't cry. little honey you'n catch more
And he wrapped the child in many a fold
OF his blanket coarse. and he hugged it
tight
To his big. broad breast. but the blizxard's
blight
stnl strove 70 wither It's tender life.
He mounted his pony, and then the strife
With the wolhsh wind, and the binding
And the biting cold chat the plainsmen
know
When the storm Fiend nies) began once
more.
And under his breath Niles Nelson swore.
Then a silence fell In the tumult wild.
And he heard the voice OF the little child:
Now / lay me down TO sleep:
pray Thee. Lord, my soul TO keep;
III should die before l wake.
pray Thee. Lord, my soul to take
Niles Nelson paused, at the sound dis
mayed.
And fhen-and then Niles Nelson prayed;
Lord save was all he could think Of
then.
Lord save" he muttered. Lord save.
Then STAYING to ~northward, and into the
night,
7 see 81. he shouted Thank God, a
Twas q beam from a lamp on the window
or his own sod cabin. with right good
viii
His pony quickened its tagging pace.
And soon In hat dear. familiar place.,
Ills cozy cabin. Niles Nelson stands:
lie kisses HIS wife and he holds her hands
Where's Mollie7' he cries. where's lit
tie Poll2
I've brought her a wonderful Christmas
DOLL"
Then he points 70 the bed where the
blanket lies
In a queer little bundle: That's my sur
prise.
why don't you answer You're deadly
pale:
You tremble and shlver: you sob and wall
answer where's MolIio9' 'oh. Miles,
size said:
my God. how can II Oh. Niles, she's
Dead" YES, Niles. she's lost h the
To-day was pleasant. ana Mollie would 40
On the prairie to play. and she didn't come
back.
when the night shut down, all stormy ana
black.
I set the lamp on the window sin.
Rushed into the storm and sought until
blizzard drifted me back 70 the door.
shall open for Mollie. our Mollie. no
more"
Niles Nelson stood like a statue OF stone:
Then he raised his hand and said. with .
groan:
rs there a God that win killa child
And bring Its father across the wild
or wIntry plains TO save from death
child OF anotherg" He drew his
breath
With a savage hiss. az he snatchcd away
blanket In which the baby lay.
blue eyes open; the rose lips call:
''Oh. papa you're homel Now I want my
doll"
STANLEY Wood. I'm Chicago Times.
"A Christmas story.-'I did not
pect a single present."-Life.