The Red Cloud chief., 1899-01-06

we'-t got TO have Il in style"
I'D like to know where you're 60
Ing to get IT," replied one Of the boys.
"'Taint money thatll get II. I'd put
up all I've saved since I've been here
TO get one good meal. II that would
fetch Il. But there's no n In these
parts that knows how to gs> II up"
We'll. we'll manage It somehow"
said Parvin. you just follow me and
do as I say, and we'll see how we'll
We can do. And the old man here
Is to no our guest. Sabe? And" he
turned 10 the old man and said kind
ly. III we give your stomach such n
surprise that you never get over it.
you won't have any hard feelings
against us. will your"
BY this time the old mans cquanim-
ity was restored, and he manifested
considerable interest in the prepara-
lions which went on forthwith for the
Christmas dinner.
you say this Christmas dinner has
got to be In STYLE" said one Of the
boys. Full dress?"
"Well-yes." said Parvin. %hesitating-
ly. AT least you must all wear billed
shirts and stlfr collars. and II wouldn't
hurt II you BACKED your shoes. Let's
try 10 imagine ourselves back In civil
ization for q little while on Christmas
day. DO you think you could raise q
billed shirt for the occasion, old man7"
he asked kindly.
"Oh. yes,' said the old fellow. you
fellows mustn't think that am
pauper. I'm going to do my share to-
ward this Christmas dinner. I'm not
as rich as I hoped to be. but II amt
lack Of money that made mo feel so
bad and make n fool Of myself a little
While ago. I've got n hole In the
ground down here in Mexico, and I
reckon you boys know what that H."
"Of course we do" said Parvin,
laughing. But you're not so bad of
II you only have one hole In the
ground. It's the man that has lots
OF mines that's poor"
Trouble is." said the old man, "Ive
got several, and more has gone into
them than will ever come out. But
I'll keep up my end OF the log"
The preparations for the Christmas
feast went gaily on. All the groceries
In lei Paso were ransacked for edibles.
and each of the boys telegraphed homo
for q Christmas box. A telegram 10
the nearest market town brought a
Parvin secured for that day the serv-
Ices Of the general superintendent
private car cook. and being a sort OF
Ward McAllister himself he was able
to give explicit instructions as to how
everything was to be done. A draughts'
man In the chief engineers ONCE pre-
pared menu cards In q most artistk
style. The crockery stores in Ell Past
lent dishes Of Parvin's selection. ant
Parvin imported them into Mexico un
der bond. lie had to buy napkins ant
sell them afterward to a hotel for one
third what he paid for them. He Sc
cured the use OF a pleasant patio II
Paso del Norte. and all sat down I,
the Christmas dinner at 8 o'clock.
When their plans became know
they received applications from a larg
number of their fellow exiles to DO cl
lowed to join them. And they learnc
that they might have made n big fnan
cial profit by selling covers at thei
dinner at ten dollars apiece. But tina
was not their object. and they politel
refused to extend the number Of par
Elephants In their dinner beyond tn
six boys who had originated It and tn
old man who was to be their guest.
And II was a great success. The me
who sat down to the table were a
we'll dressed and well behaved. The
took pride In dropping the uncout
habits Of the frontier and resumin
the habits Of refinement to which the
had been accustomed In the East. TT
old man looked as we'll and behave
as we'll as any OF them. Parvin pre-
sided with grace and dignity. TIL
talk was naturally reminiscent, an
each Of the boys revealed himself an
his history In q story of his earl
days. The old man contributed br
little to the conversation, though b
told his story when his turn cam
1t was a funny little episode that ha
occurred to him In Mexico twent
years before. 1t escaped attention {
the time what deep interest he ha
taken in Parvln's story.
But the dinner and the converse
ton that went on there would max
q long story in themselves. and "
must hasten to relate a curious 81
Quel to his Chrn-tmas episode. tn
party broke Up and the boys wer
back to their work. well fortife
against inconsistencies until the time {
their exile should be over.
I'VE can't do this every Christmas.
said one Of the boys. rather r%uefull!
IF w did we'd never get back hom'
For II cost us about all we saved dui
ing the year. But. Toys. It was wort
1t. ] wouldn't have missed It for twic
what 1t cost. And I'm ready to tack
, f~rijoles ard chile-con-carne all tn