Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1904-12-23

wv the Pacific coast drew up, puff
L. ing noisily, at the town of
Gunnison, Col, at two O'Clock in the
afternoon Of December %, there was
seated in the middle section of the
sleeping car a very cross-looking old
gentleman You could see at once he
was out Of humoT He looked so much
as if he might, on slightest proyoca-
ton, bite, you wouldn't have been sur
prised to hear him bark.
1t was a cold, unfriendly stare that
he bestowed upon Kitty Waller when,
bundled up in a great red coat and
a warm hood, with a paper box under
her arm and little satchel in her
hand, she was shown by the porter to
seat just across the aisle from his
own.
She couldn't have noticed the look,
for as the train began to move she
plunged in among his bags and shawl
straps, almost knocking a book from
his knee in her eagerness TO obtain the
last glimpse of a woman on the plat
form, which was on his side Of the
car, says Browning. King & Co.'S
Monthly.
Il beg your pardon said she, Il
wanted TO say good-by to aunty."
you seem to have said good-by to
your manners" was the hateful reply,
and Kitty, now alive to the fact tnat
the gentleman was very cross, crept
back to her own seat and nestled
quietly in the corner.
She was only ten years old, but she
had grown up tall in the Elk noun
tain ar, and her cheeks were rosy.
This was her first ride ON railroad.
Indeed, from her uncle's half-log, half
frame house, where her mother had
died when she was baby, no tracks
save those of miners or jackrabbits
were visible. Now she was going all
the way to Denver to spend Christmas
with Grandma Waller.
She knew the train was due in Den
yer at seven o'clock the next morn
ing, and that after a long, happy day
she would hang her stockings in the
big room grandma had so often writ
ten to her about, and old Santa Claus
would fill it.
AS early as seven o'clock the good
natured porter prepared the funny bed
in which she was to sleep, while she
looked on in open-eyed amazement.
and by eight o'clock she was in the
land of dreams, the last sound she hal
heard being the voice of the cross
gentleman" 'scolding the porter for
making up his berth with the head
toward the engine.
1t was early when Kitty awoke, and
the train was not moving. Happy and
scarcely stopping to wonder why they
were not in Denver, Kitty dressed her
self, and presently from between the
curtains opposite came the cross gen
tleman," grumbling aloud and calling
for the porter.
Us afeerd, sir" said that individ-
ual we're done stuck here for mos
of de day The big tunl this side OF
Marshall pass has caved in"
Then the conductor explained that
4 section of one OF the mile-long snow
sheds had fallen, and that all they
could do was to wait for wrecking
train from Pueblo.
And not a blessed thing to eat"
said Kittys fellow passenger.
With trembling hands the little girl
opened her box of luncheon. Hard
boiled eggs, pot of jam, sardine
sandwiches, thick slices of buttered
bread and lots of cookies.
There's more than | can eat, sir"
said she; won't you have some?"
The cross gentleman" arose He
looked for a moment hard at Kitty,
whose eyes sank TO the floor, and then,
with bow as though she had been a
grown-up young lady, he crossed the
aisle and seated himself opposite to
her.
1t was not until afternoon that the
damage ahead was sufficiently re-
paired to allow them to proceed. and
when evening-Christmas Eye-came
the train was just making its way
through the Royal gorge, nearly "A
hours late,
Their talk during the day had been
of mines and snowshoes, with now
and then digressions on her part into
confidential anecdotes concerning her
pet doll that had been lost in a snow
slide a week before, but which she
hoped to find in the spring, unless
Santa Claus should-and she trembled
with excitement as she mentioned it
bring her another in the morning.
But" he had said to her just be-
fore he babe her goodnight, how can
Santa Claus catch us? We're late and
going at so miles an hour"
Santa Claus is like an angel" Kit
ty replied; The can be anywhere he
wants at any time" Then, just as
she was quite ready to go to sleep,
she leaned out between the curtains
and said: will you lend NE a pin
to pin my stockings to the curtain?
1 can't find any nail" He gave her
a pin.
1t was past II O'Clock when the
lights of Pueblo were seen in the dis
lance. The cross gentleman" had
NOT thought of going to bed and what