The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-02-01
OLD JESSIB'S CHRISTMAS.
By ANNA HARRIS SMITH.


MI. EICNLiSS mas lUFllSu uo an litlC
to our Christmas tree, you know, so
we can join in giving Christmas
greeting to poor old Jessie. call her
Jessie because she looks so like horse
Of that name my aunt once owned.
DO you all like this plan?"
Every hand was raised and eager
girls and boys began to tell b they
would try to make poor Jessie COM
Portable and happy again Then school
was dismissed
It was the day before Christmas
Great preparations had been going on
at the large, cheerful farmhouse for
The Christmas party The boys had set
up a tree in the parlor Some Of the
older girls had dressed IT, The moth
ers had bounufulIy supplied a table
with good things that young people
enjoy All the guests were there,
when about five o'clock an old wagon,
drawn by thin, limping horse, APP
peared at the foot of the hill.
The horse dreaded the hill; that was
plainly to be seen. Horses hasten joy
fully toward snug stables, a good sup
per, a smooth road or a drinking
fountain which shows that they can
anticipate good things and hurry to
meet them. AS this we know is true,
surely they can anticipate things that
are painful also, and hold back in
dread of them So poor old Jessie, her
trembling legs almost failing her,
stopped at the foot of the hill, and if
she could have spoken in our language
she would have said: Il cannot crawl
UP this steep hill; it is slippery. ! am
badly shod and lame Besides | am
all tired ont and when | get to the
end Of my journey | have only cold
shelter and a little poor hay and ice
cold water | wish could lie right
down here and die" But her brutal
owner gave her a cruel cut with the
whip, and with another great effort
she started up the hill The eager
faces watching behind the curtains
grew sad and Robert Prentss cried
out: Il won't stand this, I'm going to
tell that man what think of him.
IF you make him angry we can't
get the horse" said wise little Mary
The Prentiss house was halfway up
the hill Waiting outside. well wrap
ped up, for it was a bitterly cold night
was MIR. Prentiss; and as the horse
slowly and painfully was limping by
he hailed the man.
Hold on. I've got something you
may like
The man stopped and at Mr. Prem
tiss's motion drove into the yard.
I've pile of old iron in my barn.
It's worth considerable. for there is
a pretty good stove with it. Want to
look at it?' The men went into the
barn. Several Of the boys, too eager to
wait, stole out of the house. watched
by twenty pairs of eyes from windows
up stairs and down The boys looked
into the wagon in vain for u blanket
TO cover the trembling old horse. who
stood with dropping head. first lifting
one foot, then another, in poor at
tempt at rest NO matter" Robert
Whispered to them, father will get
her, He never fails; then we1l fix her
up fine"
The men came out OF The barn
Look here :" said Mr. Prentiss, your
horse is not fit to travel another step
She's too old or too weak for your
work anyway. | hate to see a horse
like this in harness. Now we would
like TO give you and your family and
this old horse a Merry Christmas.
You say you've had hard luck. Well.
I'll give you the stove and the old iron
and a fve-dollar bill, and you give
me the old horse. l will lend you one
Of my horse to take you home with
your load.
The man hesitated Give me ten
and IN do it" your horse isn't worth
five Mr.. Prentss said, but I'll give
you what | said, and I'll add a bag of
good corn meal, a bushel of potatoes
and load Of wood for a Christmas gift
TO your wife and send them to YOU TO-
morrow morning"
TH take her out. said the man
slowly cycling the horse curiously.
as if new thought had come to him.
Work lively" said Mr. Prentiss,
lit is cold AT the first word half a
dozen boys and girls appeared, In an
astonishingly short time the old horse
was taken out and led into wide
stall where two Of the boys with gen
tie hands began rubbing her tired legs.
II ever a horse expressed by grateful
looks her pleasure poor old Jessie did
as She turned her dim eyes first to
one side, then to the other, and rubbed
her poor old nose against her benera .
tors.