Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-12-20

&SNE mas morning to Miss Ma
|EAWNE tilda Scott as her mail
gT wagon bumped over the
ruts of Cole county. The
frozen ruts of Cole county. The
children, with bright expectant faces,
waited at every post-box and gave
Merry Christmas in exchange for
her bundle of mail. Old Ben Todd,
whose three-score years exempted
him from active service on the farm,
stood by the little bird-house which
served as post-box at the corner of
his field and, presenting her with an
ear of red popcorn, wished her Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year, with
4 smile on his old face, as brown and
On the ground since harvest. But he,
like the children, was cheerful, eX-
pectant, even gay; it Knocked her
mood of bitter disappointment. More
to her taste was the greeting of the
Widow Brown, forlorn-looking
dame, whose sleek hair, pulled vio-
tently back from her face, seemed,
| more than the cold, responsible for
her purple nose. AS she took the
mail from Matilda's hand she re-
marked with a rueful shake of her
head: GA green Christmas makes
a fat graveyard" And the girl
sighed in answer and drove on with
anything but holiday air. For there
was a package in her bag, which, light
and small, made her heart heavy as
lead. 1t was addressed to a certain
Miss Fay Barney, and the hand was
: as familiar as it was dear. Had she
not often admired the heavy shading,
and practiced with loving emulation
the curves in the capital letters? a
long and tender missive was hers
every week in. this same handwrit-
! ing, and yet-Christmas day was
here, the mail all collected and nc
remembrance.
Instead, there was a ring in this
package, diamond ring, so the open
receipt read, addressed to her dear
! est friend, and, such was. the clumsy
playfulness of fate, she must be the
one to deliver it.
Suddenly voice startled her
| Merry Christmas" it said,- and {
strange head divided the curtains a
the side of the wagon.
At. the same instant the wheel:
came to a full stop, and Matilda:
eyes, from which establishment ana
| fright had dried the tears, saw anoth
er stranger at the horses head. Boil
were seedy and shabby, and boil
wore SLOUGH hats drawn closely owe
their eyes
merry Christmas and Happy New
Year." continued the first speaker
Cant you be civil to a Teller on
holiday? Mono, that won't go
drop it," and he leveled a revolver il
Matilda's face. For she was unac
customed to the use of hers, and ha
bungled in an attempt to slip it from
it's place. Pale, but determined, an
with all her wits now fully about hel
Matilda stared silently into tn
cleaning barrel. The man at tn
horses head chuckled in open admira
ton, then warned his companion
Hurry up; somebody might come.
The other, still pointing his weapol
at the little mail-carrier, urged
'tStep lively, miss; some o. ther
things in that there sack I'll com
in real handy. Christmas comes bu
once a year, you know"
Like lightning Matilda's brai
sought about for some expedient. I
gain time she demanded: do 20
know the penalty for"
yep, get move" was the laconi
interruption, made still more effectlv
by threatening click of the trigger
All this time Matilda had kept tn
ring tightly clasped in her hand. b
great good fortune she was near tn
: end of her route. There were only
few packages left, and this ring was
she felt sure, by far the most valuable
If she could only keep this from tn
men; and like a fash came an ugl
thought temptation before whic