The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-06

These guests filled up the little,
house, but they had a merry time
even if there were no Christmas gifts,
and they were to be shut from the
outside world for so many weary
months.
Kate and Harry remembered the
dreary Christmas of a year ago, when
papa was in Chicago, and they were
alone in that frail house in Gunnison
City, with little to eat, and no friends;
and in comparison, this Christmas
was very happy one,-it lacked
only the presence of Mr.. Holloway to
make it perfect.
A week passed, and news came
that papa would be with them that
night.
Travelling was done mostly at
night or in the early morning, both
to avoid the danger of slides, and of
snow blindness,-the intense glare of
the bright sun upon the white glist
ening snow often causing this affiic-
| ton. Between three and four in the
morning the traveller started on his
journey, to stop at a convenient cabin
when the sun reached high point
in the heavens, there to remain until
sunset, or perchance till next morn
ing.
Mr.. Holloway stopped at a lonely
miners hut, called Jacks cabin, at
ten in the morning, getting meal
and an opportunity to rest, for he
had been travelling many hours. To-
ward sunset he resumed his journey.
The snowfakes began to fall even as
he strapped on his shoes.
Look out for yourself, Holloway"
called old Jack, whom Mr.. Holloway
had once nursed through fever
when every one else had deserted
him, and who loved him like a
brother. "This is going to be big
fall"
go, fear not for mel" Mr.. Holloway
replied merrily. Il know every step
of the way to Gothic, and shall get
in there before eleven"
Mrs. Holloway and the children sat
near the glowing lamps awaiting his
coming. The fire, replenished con-
tinually, that the loved one might be
warmed and cheered upon his arri-
val, burned brightly, and kept the
tea-kettle singing, and the supper
warm.
The clock struck ten, and few
minutes afterward:
"Thank God for home and loved
ones' shouted well-known voice, as,
guided by the beaming lamps, the
brave miner shot down the hillside
on snow shoes through the town to
his wife's door.
Mammal The familiar word
brought the door wide open.
Snow shoes were left without, and
shaking off the snow the good man
came in out of the storm, where will
ing hands loosened him from his
coverings and made him ready for the
embraces which awaited him.
He was evidently not we'll, and it
was for that reason he had not come
down at Christmas. He was to stay
now for week or more to be nursed
back to health, while he forgot the
privations of his mining life in the
comforts of home.
Papers and letters had accumulated
which Mamma or Kate should read.
Letters were to be written. And he
would tell stories in return. Harrie
basked in her fathers presence as in
sunlight, and was never tired of list
ening to his stories. He had had
many narrow escapes from death.
Once, leading company up trail
through the snow, where there was
not room to pass, he had come face
to face with a gaunt mountain lion;
and had looked the beast full in the
eye until it TUNED about and fed.
Again, on weary tramp, he had at
monday seated himself on broad
fiat stone by the way to rest and eat
his lunch. He spread the dry bread
and meat out before him, when a
strange sound startled him, and,
glancing behind he saw the head of
a reptile above the stone; and the
noise became the rafting of score
of deadly snakes; when he grasped
his kuapsack and staff, and fled from
the spot.
These, and many other tales, were
listened to untiringly by both the
girls, and the days of their fathers
visit passed all too rapidly. Theyall
longed for the coming of summer
when they would be together in the
cabin at Elke, for these visits could
not be repeated many times while