Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-12-22
a CHRISTMAS
STORy

was Il combination of ropos and we'll
worn straps. whose hard cugcs had
rubbed of patches OF Tho sorrr hair
from The animals lanh sides and sharp
backs.
tn" wagon cover was Suilcd and
patched in many places. and through
its center prolrudcd II short. rusty
stoycpipc. FROM which issued a thin vol
nmc Of blue smoke which stretched out
i'll y long wake behind. held in form
10y the chill December air
Now and then t!ocliS OF brown spar
rows would rise up ont of tic dead
grass aud whirl awny like wither,sl
leaves borne nlofi OH an autumn
breeze. while near tho roadside saucy
little prairie dogs pcrcbcI above their
holes and cl'ultcred and barlicd def
ance NJ tho diiHpidntod vehicle as it
went numbering 10y.
ON board across ilic front part or
The wagon. limos in hand. sat girl an
parcnily not more Than nineteen years
old. though She was in reality twenty
ono. A mass of dark uoid curls pccped
from under the hood tint covered her
shapeIy head. her eyes were bright
crept M under The canvas gave Il vivid
color to her pretty checks.
Faith how much farther is il ~
Uncle EtlanST' anxioualy inquired Il
youth OF ten who occupied n low bench
that stood IL the ccutcr OF The wagon
he'd.
"a long way yet. leRr AIN afraid
replied the girl. More than II hundred
miles. should say.
'Jhcn We tan't have no Trisinus."
plainively sighed curly haired mite
scarcely more than five years old. who
lay half buried in The folds of Il huge
buffalo robe.
I'm afraid our Christmas will be
rather drcary, Bessie responded
Faith, momcntnry shadow crossing
her fair face, but lct us be- thankful
we have such q nice >hrItcr from the
cold She added quickly. casting her
eyes about the interior of the canvas
covered wagon. then out across iIc
'ircarN stretch Of houscleaS prairie W.
on which Il few scattering rlakeS OF
snow were beginning Ia fall.
Al The rear end vi the wagon WAS
pile Of Ocdclothcs. while in clear
place near the middle stood small
heating stove in which n cheerful wuud
fire was burning. Un The ridgcpolc mt
The top OF the bows hun;; several cook
ing utensils. ana under the front scat
was good sized provision box. con
iaiuinS par, Of u sack of -four, some
sides at bacon, tea, sugar ard Il few
other necessary articles OF food.
iii,lc less than yrnr prior 10 The
present time Faith IIaakinS' father had
died leaving her alone on y bleak Ne
hraska claim and with her little broth
'r and sister Clinton nu,l Bessie. 90
car" for. Their mother had been taken
from them only eight months before
lcr husband The condition was II
serious one. rs they were left very
poor, aud there seemed nothing in The
future sufficiently hopeful 10 mitigate
their grief. Faith, however, true To
her rulnc. did moi despair, but went
brnvelN 10 WORK 10 support herself aud
The children. During The summer. with
fIinfs help, she cultivated small
patch Of ground. aud the winter pre-
vious had earned Il small sum by teach
luc sllGrt term Of school Realizing
that /: would he almost impossible for
them 10 continue this mode of life for
any length Of tine. she Ind written 10
her motbcr'S brother. Ethan BARLEY.
who lived on ranch in southwestern
Kansas, and I've Ind advised her TO sell
their small property and CONE with
Clint and Bessie and make their home
with bin.
Very gladly had Faith acceptcd the
offer but, iindinS II Impossible TO con
vert their few effects into cash. she
left the place in charge OF 81 rentcr and.
not having money for railroad fare. de.
cidcd ~ make Tho journey by wagon
Thurc were Il score Of young claim
holders WHO would have been very
wei pleased 10 retain the girl as :,
housckccper for themselves. but she
'arcd for none of them and would not
marry simply for a home.
II WAS q great undertaking this Jour
lcy Of theirs and ut this season OF the
year. but II seemed preferable to an
other winter OH the claim. and they set
out in apparently good spirits. Tho
younger ones were indeed happy. rs al!
children are nj the prospect Of
change. They had been travelling for
about two weeks and had reached a
point near tlc center OF western Kan.
sas and We're pressing on toward I'm.
Gle Ethnn's ranch as fast as the now
iaded mules could take them.
II was lonely AMI desOlatc sight
that met Faiths eyes as they wandered
YEARLY over the brown. cherries plain
For miles and miles around no sign OF
a human habitation broke the monOtO-
nous wildncss OF the scenery save ut
rare intervals WHOM Some abandoned