The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-23
MT NIER MANY YEARS
CHRISTMAS ROMANCE IN THE
BEAUTIFUL VALLEY OF
MONTEZUAIA
IDOL OF THE ROUGH RANGERS
Novelist Discovers His Former
Sweetheart and "a Dark Trick
Is Exposed - Christ
mas Bells.

1t was Christmas eve. Man and ma
ture We're combining their efforts to vel
come the advent of Christmas day, as
it had never been greeted in that West
ern locality. Every foot Of earth was
hidden by a deep snow. Trees and
snrubbery and scattering huts were
clothed in the same garment Of white
Half visible over the hoary crest of the
foothills little in the distance gleam-
ed the fading moon, its last somber tiuts
falling upon an ideal winter scene, the
most beautiful landscape which even the
| little valley of MOnteZuma had ever
produced. Night was far-spent, but still
the narrow neck Of frontier country
fairly rung with the chimes Of human
voices. From every dell resounded the
shout of the happy cowboy and family
in the distant hollow could occasionally
be heard the frantic whoops Of the ma
tive Utes, who, on their reservation,
were not unmindful of the approach OF
Christmas day.
Nestled in the bosom of this fertile
valley was little village, scarcely large
enough to be called such, the dwelling
place of cattle rangers, where every
cowboy was thoroughly known and al
ways welcomed on every occasion, no
matter how elaborate. In rude cabins
which dotted the valley far and near,
dwelt these husky COW punchers. On
every Christmas eve it had been a Gus
tom for years for all the frontiersmen
to gather in certain little home down
in the village for the purpose of plan
ming the festivities of the succeeding
day. They would remain late at this
annual conference and many of them
rode miles in the cold back to their
huts. The Christmas convention was
over for this night and these rough and
roWdy, but whOle-Souled, cattlemen were
returning to their rude homes. Their
song and shout gave evidence Of The
rapture in their souls and might have
suggested something Of the gay festi-
| whose execution on the morrow ~ney
had just arranged 1t was to be day
distinguished above any Christmas ever
known in Montezuma, but of the real
distinction the giddy ranger after all
knew nothing.
The day came at last. 1t broke joy
fully and from one end of the valley to
the other all was astir and nature smiled
approvingly upon the busy rangers
hastily preparing for the subsequent
joys Herds were rounded up for the
day, labor for the tirle being sus-
pended When the morning meal was
finished in each cabin the den1zens,
with one accord, began to prepare fer
the morning church services by getting
themselves in presentable conditions. In
a little shack-like church In the village
this service was to be held. Parson
Darby, whose monthly visits for the
past half dozen years had been
source of great interest to his untutored
parishioners, always gave them spe-
cial service on Christmas day and this
formed an epoch in their simple lives.
It would have been reckoned an intoler-
able breach Of their unwritten law for
any member of this quaint community
to have remained away from this annual
religious carnival except by absolute ne
ceSsity. And so the parson was assured
of at least one good congregation
year.
This service usually began at II o'clock
and ended at / III the afternoon. 1t
consisted largely of singing and the
lighter and less tedious forms of devo-
tional exercise, which was highly pleas
ing to free-go-easy attendants. On such
occasions each lusty fellow felt perfectly
at liberty to open his big mouth as wide
as he pleased and sing as loud as he
could, which was generally loud enough
to be heard two miles away, but not al
ways melodious enough to call for an
encore.
In the midst of the prickly cactus and
the chaparal that grew along the edge
both sides, stood a lone flower of rarest
beauty and lovely fragrance. It's name
no one knew, but all loved the sweetness
of the delicate plant. 1t had been there
for years and was as sacredly guarded
by the brawny rangers as their most
precious treasure. The pride of the en-
tire settlement was this fair flower.
Surrounded by host of these big rang
eTs in the rude little church, a woman
stood in perfectly womanly grace. She
possessed a comeliness of virtue which
was apparent in very feature Her coun-
tenance bespoke both intelligence and
refinement, but betrayed a suggestion Of
a great sorrow. This simple woman was
the veritable queen of Montezuma, and
upon such occasions as Christmas time
she was the center of attraction to all.
She was truly a beautiful flower that
blossomed forth from the bed of I'M
kept plants. She was an excellent sim
ger, this comely maid. and the knowledge
that she would render some of her choic-
est selections at this Christmas morning
service would have drawn every harden
ed cowboy there if nothing else did.
Alone with an aged woman, whom she
had learned to call and love as Aunt"
this para gOn of her sex, as she was
generally regarded in Montezuma, dWelt
there among a settlement otherwise COM
posed entirely of rough dashing cattle
men. The elder woman. however looked
upon as the mother of the village and
both were respected, and even loved,
by the entire community of uncouth
settlers There is a sort of chivalry in
the lives of these wild fellows, and this
manly chara cteristic never failed to
manifest itself in the presence of either
of their Trailer associates.
strange misfortune led Betsy Craig