Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-12-16
SANTA CLAUS
y BY PROXY y
A Christmas Love Story
BY Charles Moreau Harger.

Fifty miles, sixty miles. seventy miles
-seventy-three miles. The indicator
in the roadmaster's car attached to the
overland flyer showed that the train
a making swift time across the level
plants. Ahead, in the Pullman, pas
sengers scarcely noticed the speed.
They were wishing the long winter
night were over and were thinking of
cozy firesides back east.
Frank Martin left the indicator with
out a word to the roadmaster, whose
guest he was for the trip to his ranch
went forward for the tenth time hat
evening. He looked a~nxiously UP the
aisle of the Pullman. There she was
petite, d~ark-haired, pensive, alone.
After a moment of INDIGESTION he APP
preached her. May l bring you some
thing from the dining carp"
Nothing, thank you; / am doing very
WE'LL
What was the use? She had only nod
ded when he encountered her on the
train. 1t was quite an accident that'they
met thus after their intimacy at the
seashore. He did not know that she
was going to q new home with her
uncle in California. She would not let
him explain the past. 1t was almost
time for him to get off at his ranch
for the train was making seventy-three
miles an hour! How he wished it would
slow up!
Hardly had the thought passed
through his mind, when there vas a
jolt-a cruRching, grinding sensation, a
lurch-and then suddenly stopping. No
one who has ever been in a wreck will
ever forget 1t. The Pullman tipped
sidewise and that was the end.
Marvin was at Alice's side when 1t
was over. He took her arm, and, look
ing into her white face, Gained her
fears: 1T is all right now-off the
track-no more danger"
He left her, to help the passengers in
the smoker who were imprisoned and
somewhat injured. then returned.
He gathered her baggage, and, with
out permission, told her to follow. With
the remainder of the passengers they
took up a cold n sorrowful tramp
along the track across the bleak
prairies to the little town, three miles
away where q friendly
greeting.
Frank tried to be sociable. ut was a
narrow escape" he ventured.
Yes Nothing more. She would not
ven turn her face toward his in the
moonlight. They truged on in silence.
The town was glad to see them. 1t
gave them the best 1T had, and none
suffered. But its heart was not wholly
in the work. One long gated citizen,
evidently originally from the south, ex-
planned 1t:
"Yeh see, Yves a-goin' ter hev' the
Christmas doin's ternight at tn hail.
What? I'd forgot that it was
Christmas eve," broke in Marvin.
Lets all go over" The passengers
from the Pullman car, finding that they
could not continue their journey until
the following day, as well as many OF
the others. agreed. Well bundled up,
they took their walk through the chilly
streets, where blew the bitter north
wind of thc<plain.
The hall was nothing more than the
upper room over a store. 1t was filled
to the aisles, but the exercises had not
yet begun. The southerner, who was
master Of ceremonies. tiptoed back to
Marvin.
I'VE need two more to help In the
doin's," he whispered. Won't you
un's Gomez"
Frank l~aughingly arose. and the
dainty Miss Reisen. having no other
choice. followed him.
Behind the curtain. what a sight met
their gaze! A Christmas tree it was,
to be sure. Their were no eyergreens
carer than the mountains. and tn
make up for the deficiency the plains
men had secured a dry cottonwood and
wound It's struggling branches with
green paper. The appearances would
rave been ludicrous had it not been a
little pathetic.
moi much like the pines OF the
beach where we used to rest last sum
mer," whispered Frank to his COM
panion.
you and the other-I presume you
mean was the whitening spoons
-Alice--Miss Relsen, what DO Won
mean- but the gaunt captain inter-
rupted.
you. young lady. I'd like you to be
the fairy. Our leadin' lady is sick. am
you look like her."
Entering into the spirit Of the occa-
sion. Miss Reisen accepted the task.
You'll have to wear some wings. and
there will be a little scene, but nothfn,
Ter you to do but look pretfy-you
don't need no coachin'." he added. gal
lantly,
Great admirer OF yours" suggested
Frank, 40 the functionary moved away.
Alice did not reply.
The wings were BROUGHT. ana they
ysmed almost lafye enough ~ the