Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-12-21

~ wind blew keen
Across the prairies that lie between
Fort Dodge, on the Arkansaw, under the
HILL.
And the struggling hamlet of Purdyville,
Where dwelt Niles Nelson, who rode that
day
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 binding sheet
OF powdery snow right into his face.
But Niles was happy; he left the place
With glow in his heart, for little Moll,
His baby daughter, would get her doll,
The Christmas gift he had promised long.
Niles Nelson, trolling a Christmas song,
And facing the north wind sturdily rode,
While past him the Storm Fiend's coursers
strobe.
The snow grows deeper, the night more
wild
When he hears the wall of little child.
Lost in the prairie and doomed to die
If Heaven prove deaf to its feeble cry.
He leaps from his pony, he searches long;
He feels it; he has it within his strong,
Rough hands; he presses it to his breast
A place of shelter, place of rest
cold"
And he wrapped the child in many a fold
OF his blanket coarse, and he Rugged it
tight
To his big, broad breast, but the blizzard's
blight
Still strove to wither it's tender life.
He mounted his pony, and then the strife
With the wolfish wind, and the binding
snow,
And the biting cold Chat the plainsmen
When the Storm Fiend flies) 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:
I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep;
If 1 should die before wake,
l pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take"
| Niles Nelson paused, at the sound dis
mayed,
And then-and then Niles Nelson prayed:
| Lord save" was all he could think of
then.
Lord save" he muttered, Lord save,
amen.'
Then staring to northward, and into the
| night,
! II see it!'' he shouted: THANK God, a
light
Twas beam from lamp on the window
| sill
Of his own sod cabin With right good
| will
His pony quickened it's tagging pace,
And soon in that dear, familiar place,
| His cozy cabin, Niles Nelson stands;
| He kisses his wife and he holds her hands.
where's Mollie?" he cries, where's lit
tie Poll?
I've brought her a wonderful Christmas
doll!'
Then he points to the bed where the
| blanket lies
In queer little bundle: That's my sur
prise.
! Why don't you answer? You're deadly
pale;
You tremble and SILVER you sob and wall
Answer! Where's Mollie?" ooh, Niles"
she said:
''My God, how can I? oh, Niles. she's
| dead"
"Dead?" Yes, Niles, she's lost in the
To-day was pleasant, and Mollie would go
On the prairie to play, and she didn't come
| back.
| When the night shut down, all stormy and
black,
set the lamp on the window SILL
| Rushed into the storm and sought until
| The blizzard drifted me back to the door,
| That 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:
| ''Is there God that will kill child
| And bring it's father across the wild
/ OF wintry plains to save from death
The child of another?" He drew his
breath
With a savage hiss, as he snatched away
The blanket in which the baby lay
The blue eyes open; the rose lips call:
"Oh, papa, you're home! Now want my
doll"
Stanley Wood, in Chicago Times.
"A Christmas Story.-"I did not ex-
pect single present."-Life