Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-12-20
The OSt=Girl'S
Christmas

given this Christmas morning to Miss
Matilda Scott as her mailwagon
bumped V the frozen ruts of Cole
county. The children, with bright eX.
,pectant faces, waited at every post box
and gave a Merry Christmas in eX-
change for her bundle of mail. Old
Ben Todd, whose three-sccre years eX-
tempted him from active service OF the
farm, stood by the little bird house
which served as post box at the corner
of his field and, presenting her with an
ear of red popcorn. wished her Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year, with
a smile on his old face. as brown and
wrinkled as the apples that had lain
on the ground since harvest. But he,
like the children, was cheerful, ex-
Fpectant, even a it Knocked her
mood of bitter disappointment. More
to her taste was the greeting of the
Widow Brown, a forIorn-looking
dame, whose sleek hair, pulled VIC
lently back: from her face, seemed
more than the cold, responsible for
her purple nose. AS she tool the
mail from Matilda's hard she re-
marked with Il rueful shake of her
head: "A green Christmas makes
a fat graveyard" And the girl
sighed in answer and drove On: with
anything but u holiday air. For there
was a package in her bsg, which light
and small, made her heart heavy as
lead. 1t was addressed to a certain
Miss Fay Barney, and the hand vas
as familiar as it was dear. Had she
not often admired the heavy shading,
and Practiced with loving emulation
the curves in the capital letters? A
long and tender missive was hers
every week in this same handwrit-
ing, and yet-Christmas day was here,
the mail all collected and no remem-
brance.
Instead, there was II ring in this
package, diamond ring, so the open
receipt read, addressed to her dear
est friend, and, such was the clumsy
playfulness of fate, she must be the
one to deliver it.
Suddenly a voice startled her.
merry Christmas it said. and a
strange head divided the curtains at
the ! q of the W:lgOD.
At the same instant the wheels
came to a full stop, and Matilda's
eyes, from which establishment and
fright had dried the tears. saw anoth-
stranger at the horses head. Both
were seedy and shabby, and both
wore SLOUGH hats drawn closely over
their eyes.
merry Christmas and Happy New
Year" continued the first speaker.
Cant you be civil TO a Teller on a
holiday? Mono, that won't go;
drop it." and he leveled a revolver in
iMatilda's face. For she was unac-
customed to the use OF hers. and had
tbungled in an attempt to slip it from
its place. Pale, but determined, and
with all her wits now fully about her,
Matilda stared silently into the
cleaning barrel. The mar at the
horses head chuckleG. in open admira-
ton, then warned his companion:
Hurry up; somebody might come
The other, still pdiating his weapon
at the little mail carrier. urged !:
"Step lively, miss some o. them
things in that there sack II come in
real handy. Christians comes but once
a year., you know"
Like lightning MatS,da's brain sought
about foS some expelsent. To gain time
she demanded: "Do you know the pen
atty for"
yep, get a move was the hconic
interruption. made still more effective
by a threatening click of the trogger.
All this time Matilda had kept the
ring tightly clasped in her hand. BY
great fortune she was near the end of
her route. There were only Il few pack
ages left, and this ring was, she felt
sure, by far the most valuable. If she
could only keep this from the men;
and like q fash can IN ugly thought
a temptation before which she trembled
and was afraid. Why should she keep
1t from them? Why risk her life to
save it? Have not they as much right
to IT. as that other? But horror at the
tempteris voice gave her rev courage.
and, as If addressing conscience rather
than the thief, she spoke with sudden
vigor:
w eiNhSu spu a.
this holy day. Then as the mans
careless shrug recalled her TO his more
practical view:
.%sThere is nothing of value in the
sack" h said. "A few cheap presents
to the children in the country; are you
fools. to risk life and freedom for this
trash: See"
AS she bent forward. the right hand.
which held the ring. dropped to her'
side, and the folds of her dress dulled
the sound of falling box. On the
floor 1t lay. unobserved by the Intruder,
who now bent over the disclosed treas-
lures. There were no registered letters,
and the array of parcels was scant. tied.