Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-31
HOW SANTA CLAUS GAME TO
SIMPSONS BAR,
pY BRET HARTC
Copyrighted by Houzhton, Miffiin & Co., and
published by arrangement with them.1

a
published by arrangement with them1
II had been raining in the valley Of the
Sacramento The North Fork had over
flowed its banks and Rattlesnako creek was
impossible. The few powders that had
marked the summer ford at Simpsons Cross
ing were obliterated by vast sheet Of water
stretching to the foothills. The up stage was
stopped at Changers; the last mail had been
abandoned in the tulcs, the rider swimming
for his life. "An area" remarked The Sierra
Avalanche, with pcnsvc local pride, las
largo as the state of Massachusetts is now
under water"
Nor was the weather any better In the foot
hills. The mud lay deep on the mountain
road; wagons that neither physical force nor
moral obiurgaton could move from the evil
ways into which they had fallen encumbered
The track, and the way to Simpsons Bar was
indicated by broken down teams and hard
swearing. And farther on, cut off and mac
ccssible, rained upon and betlragglcd, srnitten
by ign winds and threatened by high water
Simpsons Bar, on the eve Of Christmas day.
lSG2 chung like a swallows nest TO the rocky
entablature and splintered capitals of Table
mountain, and shook in the blast.
As night shut down ON the settlement q
few lights cleaned through the mist from thu
windows Of cabins on either side Of the high.
why now crossed and quilted by lawlcss
streams and swept by mnrauding winds,
Happily most of the population were gath.
srcd at Thompsons store, clustered around
red hot stove, az which they silently spat in
some accepted sense OF social communion
that, perhaps, rendered conversation unnec-
essary Indeed most methods OF diversion
had long since been exhausted at Simpsons
Bar; high water had suspended the regular
occupations on gulch and on river, and con-
sequent lack of money and whisky had taken
the zest from most illegitinate recreation.
wen Mr. Hamn was fam TO leave the Bar
With $50 in his pocket-tho only amount
actually realized of the large sums won by
him IN tho successful exercise Of his arduous
profession. EFF was asked" he remarked
somewhat later, "cf was asked to pint out
n purity little village where o retired sport as
didn't care for money could exercise hisself,
frequent and lively, I'd say Simpsons Bar ;
but for young man with large family de-
pending on his exertions, it don't pay"
As Mr.. Hamlin's family consisted
mainly of female adults, this remark
Is quoted rather to show the breadth of
his humor than the exact extent Of his re-
sponsibility.
Howbeit, the unconscious objects Of this
satire sat that evening in the listless apathy
begotten Of idlcness and lack Of excitement
Even the sudden splashing of hoofs before the
door did not arouse them Dick Bullen alone
paused in the act Of scraping out his pipe,
and lifted his head, but no one Of the group
indicated any interest in, or recognition of,
the man who entered
1t WINS figure familiar enough TO the com
pany, and known in Simpsons Bar as "The
Old Man" A man of perhaps 80 years;
grzzled and scant Of hair, but still fresh and
youthful of complexion. A face full of ready,
but not very powerful sympathy, with a
chameleon like aptitude for taking OH the
shade and color of contiguous moods and feel
inRs. He had evidently just left Some hiari-
ous companions, and did not at first notice
the gravity of the group, but slapped the
shoulder of the nearest man jocularly, and
threw himself into a vacant chair.
"Jest heard the best thing out, boys! Ye
know Smiley, over yar-Jim Smiley--fun-
niest man in the Barr Well, Jim was jest
telling tho richest yarn about
"Smilev's a - fool f." interrupted gloomy
voice.
"A particular - skunk" added another
in sepulchrnl accents.
| a silence followed these positive statements
Tho Old Man glanced quickly around the
| group. Then his face slowly changed.
"Thats So he said refcctively. after pause,
| "ccrtingly sort Of skunk and suthin Of a
| fool. In course He was silent for a mo-
ment as i'll painful contemplation OF the I'M
savoriness and folly of the unpopular Smiley.
"Dismal weather, amt III" he added, now
| fully embarked on the current of prevailing
sentiment "MiRhty rough papers on the
boys, and no show for money this season.
| And to-morrows Christmas"
! There was movement among the men at
this announcement, but whether Of satisfac,
ton or disgust was not plain "Yesr con.
| tinued the Old Man in the luguhrious tone
he had, within the last few moments, un-
consciously adopted-"yes, Christmas, and
to-nights Christmas eve. We see, boys, l
kinder thoughtthat is, sorter had an idee,
jest passin like, you know-that may be ye'd
all like to come over to my house tonight
and have a sort Of tear roond. But s,,p.
pose, now, you wouldn't: Don't feel like it,
maybel" he added with anxious sympathy.
peering into the faces OF his companions.
"Well, don't know" responded Tom
Flynn with some cheerfulness "P'r'aps we
may. But how about your wife, Old Mani
What does she say 10 it!'
The Old Man hesitated. His conjugal ex-
perience had not been happy ono, and the
fact was known to Simpsons Bar. His first
wife, delicate, pretty little woman, had
suffered keenly and secretly from the Jealous
suspicious OF her husband, until one day he
| invited the whole Bar TO his house to EXPOSE
her intidelity. On arriving, the party found
tho shy, petite creature quietly engaged In
her household duties, and retired abashed
and discounted. But the sensitive wo.
man did not easily recover from the
extraordinary shock OF this outrage
1t was with difficulty she rcgained her
equnnmity sufficiently to release her lover