St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-12-17
A RUNAWAY CHRISTMAS.

"
the other side of Fargo. We had been
w-bound for three days in Mont ana,
or we'd have all been home. At little
talking familiarity He seemed like an
honest man; indeed the dominic detected
a chidlike note in his character which he
suspected might have come from the
mans long life close to the great heart of
nature. After he found that he could
not sell us any lots in Centrapois, he
laid aside business and told the follow
ing story. We should have doubted
parts of it had it not been for the mans
intimate association with the great heart
of nature. He said:
Queer place to spend Christmas, gen
tlemen; but queer things are always hap
pening in new country. Makes me
think of little occurrence at Christmas
time last year out near where / live.
There are few Scandinavians around
there-bang up class Of settlers. Honest
as the day is long, and guileless as new
born babe. This thing happened out at
the Johnson schoolhouse, near where my
friend Ole Erickson lives A few days
before Christmas Ole came to me and
said:
"'You see hare. Mr.. Yackson'-my
name is Jackson you know mae iader
in-law, old man Oleson?
"'Yes,' said.
"'Vell, haze hat team of work. horses
ave wants to buy, but haze ask too mooch
for 'em. Aye tank aye feex de old yetle-
man so haze sell de horses scheep. Dare
bees going to be Chreestmas tree out at
de Yonson schoolhouse-aye going to
poot on something nice for heem. Aye
tales mae woman aye poot on yum cow.
Eet mex heem ieel good to geet a cow.
Ave hat yum COW dat vas dry-she doan
geef no meelk now. Aye tales mae
Woman aye poots on dat COW for mae
lader-en-aw. Dis cow not bees mooch
on gee6ng meelk any time-all long legs,
long horns, sweech her tail, uut keeck de
meek pail forty rod. Aye says to mae
woman dat We keel two birds vid yum
rock-geet reed OF de old keecker, unit geet
de team scheep. Aye tank aye bees onto
mae yob all right 'nough!
But you can't put COW on Christ
mas tree, said to him.
"'Oh, aye not hang her oop on de tree
aye yust tie her to eet.'
$50 he went off, and afterwards
heard about how it all came out. Ole
and his wife took the COW, and just be
fore the thing opened up got to thu
schoolhouse. We wants to poot on d'
cow, says Ole; but they wouldn't lister
to him. But Ole wasn't to be buffet
that way; so he says. Tale you vat aye
do; ave stand de COW behind dc school
house unit open the back door leete uni
poot de rope troo de crack unit tie eet te
de bottom of de tree Some of 'en
thought that was hardly the thing, bu
they agreed to it at last, and he stoot
the COW outside the back door, which
opened out, and ran the rope which wa
around her horns through the crack ant
tied it to the tree just above the floor
The tree was small one, which WASH
strange, as it had come three hundred
miles by rail.
1T was mild night, and the COW cot
toned to it all right enough, so Ole ant
his wife went around front and tool
their seats with the others. There wa
the regular exercises that they Away
have at such contraptions-singing b.
the Sunday School, speaking by som
members Of the infant class, and tina
sort of CUFF. after which the minister go
up and said: My friends and brethre1
and sisters, what beautiful tree we hav
here, and what rich fruit it bears! W
are, most of us, far away from GU
former homes, and in new and untrie
country. We know not what may D
before us for the coming year, but OF thu
tree and the many presents it holds W
are certain. We can pluck the gifts
loved ones from its branches, even as
do now, and lust then Ole's COY
ierked around her head, and the doc
swung open, and she saw the light, Il
out one below, and made jump like
kangaroo, yanking that tree out the doc
butt.end first. Then she went tearln
down the road towards home, bellowin
at the top of her lungs. kicking like a ba
mule, and snatching that tree along b.
hind like plug hat tied to a dogs tai
Ole came in to tell me about 1t the mex
.day. Dat old keecker, she never sto
teel she geets to mae place, he SAID. 'ur
de presents all along de road. Unit
peoples day say eef day can geet de tre
dat day stand heem oop, unit day leenc
Ole on heen. So me und mae vooma
We SpenQ all NC HiSut PNN""6 f,
things vid lantern unit carrying de'
back, But We tank some OF dem ge'
lost cen de snow after all.
"Did you take the COW over to yot
father.inlaw's this morning. l said
him.
"His face got as long as fiddle, an
then he said:
"'Yah, aye TEX her Offer. Unit he mex
grin ON bees face, unit he say. Dat
perty nice, Ole." Den after while a.
saw to heem, "How mooch Tor dat tea
of york.h orses?" Unit de old taller nj
saw yum hundred and seventy-hve. Dt
ave feel like aye wish de COW she mig
keeck me forty rod, like she do de meet
pail nj. :
~ always felt rather sorry Tor ole :. :
cause his scheme failed; but all OF US 81
up on our plans once in while. "Mlf To
the Editors Drawer" in Harpers MA
azine for December.
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