The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-12-25
HOW THEY CELEBRATED.
TIE Four Travellers, Snowbound ON
Chrixtnras Eve, Made the Two
Children Happy.

NnllureH happys
Four travellers who were snow
bound in western passenger train
on Christmas eve speedily became &C
quainted with each other, and sat
about the stove at the end OF the car
to talk it over" One of the men was
drummer, another cowboy, the
third a big cattle man, and the last
| the minister who tells the story.
| They finally fell into conversation
with poor woman and her TWO
| children, the only remaining passen-
who had tried to maintain herself
by sewing since her husbands death,
was giving up the unequal struggle
and going home to live with grand
ma"
The little threadbare children, says
the Youths Companion, had been
promised a joyous Christmas there,
and when they found that the block
EIDE would prevent their getting
farther, for the present, they cried
bitterly until sleep quoted them.
Just before they dropped off the
| drummer remarked:
"Say, parson, we've got to give
these children some Christmas"
THAT'S what!" said the cowboy.
"I'm agreed" added the cattleman.
The children were told to hang up
their stockings.
"We amt got none," quavered the
little girl, "ceptin' those we've got
on, and ma says it's too cold to take
'em off,
"I've get two pairs of new wooden
socks" said the cattleman, eagerly
81 amt never wore 'em, and you're
welcome to EN-"
The children clapped their hands
l but their faces fell when the elder
> remarked:
: 'But Santa Claus will know they're
: not our stockings. He'll put in al
tie things for YOU"
Lord love you'll" roared the burl.
cattleman. HE won't bring mi
" nothin'. One of us'll sit up, anyhow
S and tell him it's for you.'
: Then the children knelt down OF
n the floor of the car beside their i'm
provised beds. Instinctively tn
J. hands of the men went to thei
W heads, and at the first words OF NOV
IS l lay me-" hats were off.
2 The cowboy stood twirling his hat
and looking at the little kneelin
n figures. The cattleman's visio
r, seemed dimmed, while in the eye
It Of the travelling man shone distan
look--a look across snow-flled pra
a ries to a warmly-lighted home. Tn
lie children were soon asleep. The
1T arose the question of presents.
D. at don't seem to me I've got an.
thing to give en- said the cowbo
mournfully, "unless the little X
might like my spurs. I'd give n
gun to the little girl, though on ge1
70 eral principles 1 don't like to gi'
up gun"
"Never mind, boys" said the drur
mer, "you come along with me to Il
IS baggage car"
ly So off they trooped. He open'
ne his trunks, and spread before the
ne such an array of trash and trinke
'ly as took away their breath.
lie, There" said he, ''just pick out t
lis best things, and I'll donate the lot
ur "No, you don't!" said the cowbo
IN I'm goin' to buy what l want Al
ST. pay for it, too, or else there all
nd goin' to be no Christmas round here
ch THAT'S my judgment, too said t.
gs, cattleman, and the minister agree
val So they sat down to their task
of selection. They spent hours over
d." in breathless interest, and when the
he gifts were ready there arose t
I'VE question of Christmas tree. 1t h
ks stopped showing, and tramping o
ng into the moonlit night, they C
old down a great piece of sage-bru'
of The mother adorned it with tin:
md paper, and the gifts were prett
lch disposed. Christmas dawned for t.
" OF the happiest children under
The sun, and happy mother, too, for insi
ST. the big plush album selected for h
|. the cattleman had slipped hundr'
IDS dollar bill.
OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS.
HI