Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-12-20


in a 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 side
walls with runway behind them. and
in box stalls across the farther end
were the zebra, tie elephant the cam
ell and the sacred cow. a monster red
n hot stove stood in the middle of the
y central space, with a large bunch light
over it. Altogether it was as warm,
bright, clean and CHEEKY place as
you'd want to see, as everybody said
who saw it, and we had a good many
visitors.
Gagged animals become restless if left
alone. and never went out more than
an hour or two at time. but even at
that | 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 | seemed to lose heart for
going ont much Something in the
air made me feel myself. more than
ever before, a hOpelessly lonesome,
homeless total stranger.
The stores were brighter and gayer
than | had ever noticed their being
before; the streets full Of happy faced
people carrying bundles of Christmas
presents: the windows of homes adorn-
ed with evergreen festoons and Christ
mas wreaths: the shopmen's wagons
busy delivering good things for Christ
mas dinners and Christmas trees.
The Lord knows l didn't begrudge
anybody's happiness. but it all made
me feel unutterably sad. In all the
world | knew of no one whose eyes
would brighten or lips smile welcome
for my coming. AS for sharing in the
\ general joy of the Christmas season.
might as well have been that ornary
tcamel-the meanest dispositioned beast
alive, to my thinking-as man with
a heart to feel his loneliness Every
other man had friends, even poor old
black Sam.
And what made it harder to bear
was that home and love belonged in
my past and | could not forget them
When | came back to New York after
winter engagement with "Bentley's
Aggregation" in the West Indies and
South America. | found my dear wife
Lizzie had been run down by a Broad
way stage and killed And what had
become of my sweet little baby girl
Jennie. only years old. nobody could
tell me. That was a dozen years back.
but never since have | felt any less
heartsick and lonely than when my
grief was fresh. and in the winter.
along about Christmas. always feel it
most.
The animals, as sat brooding by the
stove. seemed to know | was in trou-
BILE and feel sorry for me. They would
stand still a long time looking AT me,
and the elephant. I'm sure. tried to ask.
by his little squeals, what was the mat
ter Only that mean camel screwed
up his nose scornfullike, as if be didn't
care a cuss who felt bad, which he GER
tainly didn't
Friday morning the third day before
Christmas. Jack Henderson. a young
reporter. dropped in. as he often did.
and happened TO remark. 1t seems
hard 10 be imprisoned seor life without
an occasional happy day to vary the
monotony- Gagged animals ought TO
have holidays"
That SIT ne thinking after he was
gone. and made up my mind ele men
aSerie under my charge should. for
once anyway. havera Christmas / cons
ssidrred wl0lt every bird and beast in