The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-12-27


in huge barn away out on Western
row. which seemed to have been built
to fit it. A good big room was parti.
toned off for me In one front corner
The cages were ranged along the sid
walls. with runway behind them. and
in box stalls across the farther end
we've the zebra. the elephant the cam
eel and the sacred cow A monster red
! aot stove stood in the middle Of the
central space. with large bunch light
over It, Altogether it was as warm.
bright. clean and CHEEKY a place as
. you'd want, to see. as everybody said
whQSaw 1t. and we had good many
yisiis s.
Caked animals become restless II left
aloue. and never went out more than
an hour or two at time. but even at
thar | took a good many long walks
for exercise and to see the city. leaving
black Sammy helper-and the two
cage cleaners for the animals to look
at But as time ran along to near
christmas I seemed to lose heart for
going out much. Something in the
air made me feel myself. more than
ever before. hopelessly lonesome.
homeless total stranger.
The stores were brighter and gayer
thar had ever noticed their being
before; the streets full Of happy faced
people carrying bundles of Christmas
pres4nts: the windows Of homes adorh-
ed with evergreen festoons and Christ
mas wreaths: the shipments wagons
busy delivering good things for Christ
mas dinners and Christmas trees.
The Lord knows didn't begrudge.
any5ody's happiness. but 1t all made
me feel unutterably sad. In all the
world ! knew OF no one whose eyes
would brighten or lips smile a welcome
for my coming. AS for sharing in the
general JOY Of the Christmas season.
might as well have been that ornary
camel-the meanest dispositioned beast
alive. to my thinking as man with
heart to feel his loneliness Every
other man had friends. even poor old
black Sam
And what made 1t harder to bear
was that home and love belonged In
my past and | could not forget them.
u
a winter engagement with "Rentley's
Aggregation" In the West Indies and
South America. found my dear wife
Lizzie had been run down byAa Broad.
WY stage and killed. And what had
become Of my sweet little baby girl
Jennie. only years old. nobody could
tell ne. That was dozen years back.
abut never since have ! felt any less
heansick and lonely than when my
grief was fresh. and IN the winter.
along about Christmas always feel 1t
most ~
Th' animals. as sat brooding by the
stove, seemed to know was In trou-
BILE ind feel sorry for me- They would
stant still a long time looking at me.
and jhe elephant. I'm sure. tried to ask.
b. lIs little sgueals. what was the mat.
ter Only that mean camel screwed
up BIS nose scornfpllike. as II he didn't
: carea cuss who felt bad, which be GER
tainlg didn't
81 Fr.iay morning. the third day before
Chrfstifas. lack Henderson. young
reporteR dropped in as be often did.
ard happened to remark: ''lt seems
l hard to be- Imprisoned for life without
an occadonal happy day to vary the
monotory Gagged animals ought to
have hoidays."
THAT set me thinking after he was
gone. AID made up my mind the men.
agerie under my charge should. for
oE%sa5yway. have Christmas con-
Isidered what every bird and beast In
the Iot liked best and mostly never
got aid all those things | meant they
should have on Christmas day That
| aftern ION went out buying and laugh
ed to pyself when thought |. was &C.
tuaIly purchasing Christmas presents
for III Of folks who would be sure to
\ apprec Pte them.
! thor the birds all sorts Of choice
fruits. mice seeds. ants eggs, meal
worms and 90 on. according to their
severa tastes, and for the monkeys
more ne fruit, DC paste. candy and