The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-12-16
NANNIES XMAS N lVSA

BY JULES ADAMS POWELL.


tied an ample white apron. Her
whits-eappsd head nodded az she counted
the pies on the shelves.
Fifteen pumpkin--aftsen mines--hf-
~ custard cups aud two plum puddlngs
--eiEhty-two In all. not counting Nan
niles three little turnOVers. l think that
will do for the holidays this year. though
Brother John L. coming with those ten
boys and one little girl How cold Il H.
There IL surely q storm brewing. and
hope the folks viii get here before It
breaks"
The good woman turned the key In
the lock, aud a door blowing open just
at that moment. a. the other end Of the
pasageway. she hurried OF 70 close Il
and forgot about the KEY.
BY 5 o'clock madame was Fobed 10
her pretty gray pOpliu with white kerr
chief crossed on her bFeast. and dainty
white lace cap on her brown curla.
which would stray out from beneath the
cap band. and which Papa Yarrow siyly
pulled as be passed through the hall
where sat bis wife aud littls daughter 10
front 81 the blazing wood FIRE.
IAN ready for company. Nancy
miner He caught the little one up 10
bis arms aud kissed her on either cheek.
continuing: "And mother. too1 Why
she looks as young as the day I saw
Ter for the hrst time"
Farmer Yarrow put the little girl
down. glanced % his wife, who, with
dropping face. did not respond to bis
merry speech.
Her husband, noticing this. beat over
her tendsrly. with the words. Yes. my
wife. our life has ben one Of great hap
plness. narred only b. one sorrow. n
hs-our eldest child-our Hsnry-wsre
alive to-day. he would be q brave lad
Of II"
John" for the arst time bis wife
raised her head and looked into his face.
her brown eyes allsd With tears. 'John.
sometimes, msthinks our boy may Jet
Re alive. Ia the SIGHT with the Indians.
we were told that he was carried away
BY them. and even though the country
shout was searched By scouts and others.
Il might be that they saved bis life, for
he was but a baby-5 years old. and Il
there was a woman In that tribe surely
she would have mothsr-hsart enough "a
preserve the life 81 an inoesnt babe who
bad never done harm 20 any"
wife, wife. this il very wrong fog
you to hope for the return Of one Wis
has been 50 many years from M. am
sure that our sou cannot be alive. or W
would have beard Of him tn sons way
All. / hear sleigh bells
Catching Mamie mp axaiu. he turned
toward the window. an3 coming Mp ms
driveway were seen three Immense
siedges drawn by strong horses and Hle1
with merry faces, the owners If which
were soon clanbcFIag out The front
door was thrown open, and MAZDA ms
Yarrow's tears vanished In the hearts
haudshnkinKs and embraces % sisters
cousins and aunts.
Even Great grandmother Hartwef
had come. for this year Il nas Mari
Yarrow's Christmas feast. and all haf
come 70 make the old house ring witt
Joy and 1anghteF until after New Year.
That night a merry crowd sat down q
the supper table. There was Brnthsl
John Hartwell. bis wife and steven chill
dren. There was Grsat.Rrandmoths 81
Hartwell and her daughter fr-la "
raaamother Hartwsll Mr. Yarrow'
father and mother we're prssant, a. wsri
also his two brothers and one sister wifi
their wives, husband and children. II
all there were thlrty-three.
One might well wonder where all thi
goodly company we're to sleep. but II yot
had gone into the great garnet you woult
have ceased wondering. when Jon saw
the trunals beds for the little ones. o
course. the very smallest babies slept II
their mothers rooms.
Christmas Eve the children were Al
ways allowed an extra half hour arount
the Preside to listen 10 the stories o
their elders. while the corn popped an,
chestnuts burned black, or else hoppe
across the floor.
On this evening Mamie sat IN he
fnvorite place on Cousin Rodsrick's knee
Uncle Tom had just been saying that
few days previous he had heard tina
the Indians had been causing troubl
for the farmers. They were stealth
the boarded corn and wheat. and In on
instance, after taking the grain. the
had set Ere to the Rranary.
Cousin Rod Haw the look Of terror /
the eyes Of some Of the little ones. an
Interrupted with the words. "weii. nov
Aunt Mary, wouldn't Il he a great tok
II these hungry Reds should get int
your storeroom and carry of ell thos
pies and puddlngs know ron has
there for Tomorrow
Are they really 50 hungry, Cousi
RodT' asked little voice from his lnt
Yes, dear, an Indian IL always read
10 eat one out Of house aud home"
ss.
Late that night no zone heard II
''pit-pat Of tiny bare feet along II
dark, cold hall, ss a little white hRui
emerged from the attic. and flew dow
stairs in the moonlight, which Hood.
the house with its kindly rays.
She went directly 70 the storeroor
At the same instant a tall dark fort
that had but a moment before climbs