St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-12-19
Getting Ready for Christmas in the
Frozen North.

A universal robe of white had long
covered our countryside, hiding every
vestige of our rocky soil, and every trace
of the great summer fishery. The mail
steamer had paid its last visit for six
months, and thus the last link with
civilization was broken. Even the
lettering sea ducks and lesser auks had
left us. The iron grip OF winter lay on
sea and shore.
AT its best, the land here scarcely sug-
gests the word country" to south
erner-scarcely even the word "moors."
For the rock is everywhere close to the
surface, and moses and lichens are its
chief products. The larger part of the
country we call "barrens." Few of the
houses deserve event to be called cottages,
for all are of light, rough wood. Most
are of only one story, and contain but
two rooms The word "huts' would
convey a more accurate idea OF these
humble abodes. The settlements them
selves are small and scattered, and at
this time the empty tits of the summer
fishermen give still more desolate
aspect to these lonely habitations.
Early in December we had been
dumped from the little mail steamer on
the harbor ice about halt mile from the
shore, and hauled up to the little Mis-
sion Hospital, where we were to make
our headquarters for the winter. The
name of our harbor was st. Anthony
Christmas was close upon us. The
prospect of enjoying the conventional
pleasures of the season was not bright
Not unnaturally our Thoughts went
over the sea to the family gathering al
home. at which our places would bt
vacant. We should miss the holly ano
mistletoe, the roast beef, and plum pud
ding, the inevitable crackers, and the
giving and receiving of presents, whicf
had ALWAYS seemed essential to tull en-
ioyment of the Christmas holiday.
We soon found that few Of the child
rem here had ever possessed toy; ane
that there was scarcely single girl tha'
owned a doll. Now and again on
would see, nailed high up on the wall
well out of reach of the children, a tiimsy
cheaplv painted doll; and the mother
would explain that her PA had got III
from trader, sir, for thirty cents. No
us don't allow Nellie to have it, feared
lest she might spoil una fear iount
to be only too well grounded, when
came to examine its anatomy NOR
closely.
Christmas trees in plenty grew, nea
the hospital; and we could easily "a ar
range for a "Father Christmas" IN
only question was whether our stock Q
toys would justify us in inviting s.
many children as would want to come
1t is easy to satisfy children like these
however, and so we announced that W
expected Santa Claus on certain Gay
There was great talk about the attain
Whispers reached us that Aunt Mar
thought her Joe weren't too big to CO.. come
sure, he'd be only sixteen. May Whit
was only going eighteen, and she Woui
so like to come Old Daddy G1lliar
would like to sit in a corner, He'd neve
seen Christmas tree, and he was mig
on eighty. We were obliged to yield an
with guilty consciences expected twic
as many as the room would hold. "A
through the day before the event the Oh
ter was busy making buns; and 1t wa
even whispered that barrel OF apple
had been carried over to the room :
Wilfred T. Grenfell in Putnam's.