Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-12-19
JUST LIKE SANTA CLAUS.

no Christmas, of course there could
be no present. He fell asleep, sad
dened by the thought.
The day before Christmas was
bright and clear. There had been a
generous fall of snow during the
night and everything out of doors
was covered with the pure white
mantle. Samuel Bennett was out
%shoveling paths when the eXpressman
drove along, with a well-filled sleigh.
Hello, there" shouted the driver,
cheerily. Merry Christmas, Sam!
It's a little ahead of time, l know,
but 1 may not see you again"
Thanks. The same to you,'' an
swered Samuel, leaning on his snow
shovel. Got lots of bundles, amt
you?"
Eyes; everybody's got something"
"That so? Amt come to ours yet,
have you?" The poor old man
chuckled at his own pitiable little at
tempt at a joke.
mo, not yet" was the merry an
swer from the sleigh. "Ill bring that
around tomorrow, most likely. Well,
good-by. G'lang!" and on sped the
sleigh with its jingling bells.
81 guess he won't, though" unused
the other, as he fell to work shovel
ing again. "'Tain't likely we'll get
anything. There amt nobody to send
it to us, that I know Of"
And Hannah, looking out of the
window, echoed his thought with one
still more doleful.
"Everybody'l get something but
u.s." she unused. Il guess Christmas
was intended for rich folks. Nobody
gets that amt got"
That afternoon about three o'clock,
a mufffed-up little form trudged
through the snow and up the road to
the BENEFITS farmhouse.
"Why, Amy barrow, what you do
ing here in all this snow?" exclaimed
Mrs. Bennett. as she opened the door
and saw the little girl standing on the
steps. Come right in before you
freeze"
"Oh, Mis- Bennett" said the SILVER
ing child, in a voice choked with tears,
won't you come right over to our
house? Mas awful sick."'
us that so? What's the matter?
Les, IL go TlSHI over
Its one of her bad spells, only
worse" walled Amy. "She says she
don't know but she'll die"
"Oh, I guess it amt as bad as that"
said Mrs. Bennett, kindly. Don't you
be scarf. SAM" She was at the
~woodshed door now. Hitch up sie
mare right off. I've got 60 go over
to Mis- Darrow's. She's sick.H
Samuel dropped an armful of wood
and fastened toward the barn. In
less than Is inmates the old-fash-
toned cutter was at the door, Amy
was tucked in between the farmer
and his wife, and they were off as
fast as the wheezy mare could con-
veniently carry them. Mrs. Bennett
had her medicine bottles under her
shawl. She was said by her neighbors
to be about as good as a DOCTOR"
The Darrows lived half a mile or
more from the BENEFITS, farther on
away from the village, which was
nearly two miles from the Bennett
farm. Mrs. barrow was suffering
from a chill when her neighbor en-
tered, and there was no fire in the
house. Two children, smaller than
~ten-year-old Amy, were shivering on
the bed with their mother.
"Ain't there no fire?" exclaimed
Mrs. Bennett. "My sakes! This
weather, too"
Il couldn't cut the wood" said
Amy. Its all big sticks"
Mrs. Bennett lost no time in giving
the sick woman some of her home
made cordial, and Samuel soon had a
fire blazing in the kitchen stove. The
heat gradually crept into the adjoin-
ing bedroom.
You're so good" sighed the poor
woman on the bed. "I felt so bad I
had to do something, and there
wasn't a thing but to send for you,
Mis- Bennett. 1t was so far to go Cor
the doctor, and"
(which wasn't necessary" inner
rupted Mrs. Bennett. 81 guess you
seel some better now, don't your
"Yes: that medicine seemed to
start my heart again. I thought it
would just stop beating, one spell"
81 guess you'll be all right now"
said Mrs. Eennett, comfortingly. Her
naturally kind heart had been
touched by the sight of some ONE else