The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-12-23

piece in the excited girls hand. For
Otto, Freda, to buy food and fire. and
! some little gift from the Christi Child.
Take it from me, Freda."
'Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle;" the
fierce eyes softened into sudden tears.
Freda caught Elsie's hand and COW
cred it with kisses. you are a good
1--WE freeze, we starve, in the little
cabin, father he drink-drink-until his
head is gone. All, tbs frightful land
where God does not see, and the Christ
Child does not comet"
20, Freda, yes He does, He does, "
said Elsie; you must not say such
wild, wicked things. God sees and
pities and helps. See, He has helped
you even now Go to the store and
buy what you need-and tomorrow I
will ask papa to help you more"
"Ah. you are Gods angel Mademoi-
selle, Mademoiselle, and with fresh
shower of kisses on Elsies hands Free
| da tore herself away
| And Elsie snapped the clasp of the
little pocketbook she had emptied of
all it's Christmas money, and discreet
! ly avoiding Aunt Janet, hurried back to
the great parlor to wreathe the por-
! trait of her mother with Christmas
garlands, and feel those beloved eyes
were beaming approval of the folly
which Aunt Janet would have so stern
ly condemned.
Night came on bitter cold, but great
fires leaped up the Dunmore chimneys,
and the big rooms, mellow with lamp
light, and spicy with the breath of
evergreens were very pictures of
Christmas cheer. The girls gathered
round the piano and sang the sweet
old anthems that have come down the
ages, but there were no deeper voices
to sustain their silvery treble, for the
boys had not come.
They won't be back tonight" said
Aunt Janet, as the great clock in the
hall struck 10: Jack isn't fool enough
to try the mountain paths after night
fall, with the SHOWS sliding as they are
this year. They will stop at Donovan's
until morning"
"Or camp out and cook their bear
If they have caught him." laughed Dol
ly Vane. That's what they were dying
to do. Make a big fire in real hunter
fashion, and tell stories and sing all
night. Come, girls, let's go to bed, and
save our roses for the Christmas
dance"
And gayly chatting still, they passed
up the wide polished stairs, where the
old clock stood ticking the hours, and
the pale-faced Swede butler. who had
been employed to help old crippled
Sambo, stood waiting with the tray of
silver that was locked up every night.
That man makes me feel creepy"
whispered Sue Vane; The seems always
watching us under those white eye
lashes. 1t was shame for those hor-
rid boys to stay away and leave us on
this mountain top alone"
"Alonel" laughed Elsie; ''why, the |
house is full of people; Aunt Janet /
hired a dozen. just to give them work. /
And papa and his friends will be here |
at daybreak. So you can sleep in peace, /
girls. But first come into mama's ora
tory and say night prayers"
ugh, no." said Dolly, with, SILVER.
IF you want to see Christmas ghosts,
Elsie, we don't. Prayers by the fire
are good enough for me-" And the gay
group flocked into the guest chamber,
where a great log fire blazed and
cracked on the hearth, wax candles
were burning cheerfully in silver
by the old fashioned mirrors; a
all was warmth and light and cosy
that banished every thought
Of fear
But Elsie slipped away from the rest
INTO the oratory to say her prayers.
Mrs. Dunmore had been an invalid, and
The good priest from the mission in the
valley had come twice a year to say
MASS DIT the ll(llS dIldI OI neT
ain home. Though a Protestant him
self, her husband, with a loyal devotion
o his sweet wife's memory, had kept
he little oratory sacred from all pro-
aiming touch or change.
Usually it was closed and locked, but
his morning Elsie had found the key,
md calling Freda to her aid, they had
crushed away the gathered dust and
decorated the forsaken altar with new
apers and Christmas greens. Long
ears ago, when she was very little
hid, there had been midnight Mass
n this tiny chapel, and with a sweet
bought Of the Presence that had once
made the place holy, Elsie knelt down
n her mothers prie-dieu, when a whis- {
er through the stiffness made her ]
tart to her feet.
"Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle, do not
e frightened; it is l." and a figure
hat had been crouching in the shadow
prang trembling to her side. ,
"Freda" gasped Elsie, in amaze !
nent.
Yes Mademoiselle, yes answered
he girl, in her own tongue. 60. Made q,
loiselle, hush; do not cry out for all
round US there are ears, ears and !
yes and voices, to betray. My father
yould kill me if he knew 1 came to (
ELL" l
Tell what, Freda?" asked Elsie, an /
~ fear striking her heart at the girls :
lords. II 7
80, Mademoiselle, you were so goodN
} me; 1 must speak, 1 must speak; \
hey are so cold, so hungry, so wretch =
d, in the cabins. They have no work, q
0 fire, no bread, and the men are mad q
18th hate and drink. Who can blame /
lem, Mademoiselle?" and Freda wrung i
er hands as if tortured by conflicting +
E
Il know, know" answered Elsie. =
oftly. 20, Freda, I have been think 7
lg of it all, and tomorrow I will ask c
~ father when he comes, ask in my -
ear mothers name, for her sake to q
lake terms, to open the works. F
"Ah, Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle," h
nd Freda wrung her hands again de- Il
oairingly. ITO morrow will be too Il
te Tonight-tonight, the men have +,
worm revenge. They know the mas ~
rs are coming, and they have n
I'm down the rails at Fordyce Pass. E,
nd the train will go down, down, II
own! All, Heaven, down." and the 6,
ri finished with passionate sweep of "
er hand.
And papa is on i'll" burst from Ell l.
e's white lips. 20, God, have mercy v
Y papa! Oh, I must call Aunt Janet. .
must send warning. Fordyce Pass, q
III say?" and the poor child's brain =
Early reeled as she recalled the spot -
trestle spanning the mountain gorge -
0 feet below 1--WE must sendl we =,
ust send!" she cried, springing to the =,
,or. IN
But Freda's shaking hand was laid =,
her arm. who MaremoiselIe. who -
Ill you send? Listen, there are none -,
go-all around you are full Of hate +,
Id fear-Jacques and Annette and Os- -
I, and all are here to watch. TO 6,
atch; it is for this 1 hide, for this I az az
me to you alone. I-I-cannot speak eT
e language. but if you give me writ - -
n words, will take it to the-I know n n
It what you call him-the wire talker 90