The Springfield herald., 1908-12-11

ten SNOW, Dut rather was in noun
tain cabin all alone.
"Will he hang his stockings by the
stone fireplace?" asked Nina, land
don't you spose he'll be 'vited some
where to dinner?"
II wish we had stayed with him."
said mother. IF he can live through
the winter in the mountains, so could
We"
But he told us no. don't you re-
member? He said he brought us to
southern California on purpose SO we
could live always In a summer land"
Mother sighed. The little family
had been west only few weeks when
father was offered position as book
keeper for a lumber company away up
in the Sierras. Living in the noun
tains had been delightful through the
summer. but at the first hint of cold
weather the tent home was packed. ia
ther bought cabin and sent mother
and the little daughter to the valley.
Father was an artist and he de-
clared that he should like nothing
better than to paint pictures of snowy
peaks with no one TO interrupt him
/
the company's property.
ut is wonderful chance" he had
insisted
Mother and Nina had tried to be-
lieve he was right; but the little
bungalow which they rented already
furnished. seemed but poor excuse
for house.
Il wish could see him hang up his
stocking" continued Nina. "Oh, wish
l could put this penwiper I'm making
in the very toe Of it,"
Mother made no reply. She wished
so much that she, too. might help fill
that lonely stocking in the mountain
cabin.
| 'Oh. mother, mother" exclaimed
Nina. dropping her spool and scissors
and springing to her feet. Il have a
beautiful idea, You always have to
keep your Christmas presents, don't
you?' You never can send them back
can you?"
Surely not" was the answer.
But, mother. s'pose you wish your
Christmas present hadn't come. Would
1t be very polite to tell the ones that
gave 1t to you that you were getting
along nicely without their Christmas
present and that you really didn't want
it,"
why. of course not, Nina We
must think of the loving thought be-
hind the gift. even if Uncle John
should send no skates this very win
| teri"
Two arms flew swiftly around moth
ers neck.
"Oh, have such beautiful idea"
repeated Nina. Well ride on the
stage with the Christmas box and give
ourselves to father for Christmas
present. He wouldn't return his
Christmas present. now, would he?"
Would you be contented, Nina, to
live up there all winter" asked
mother. You must remember that We
will be four miles from Fredalba. You
will have no little girls to play with.
no school, no Sunday school, no"
But mother. can't we have a school
with you for the teacher, and Sun
day school? Can't have a whole row
of snow men to play with? And,
mother! we'll have real Christmas!"
Thus it happened that two passen-
gers went up the trail on the last
stage of the old year.
Anybody going to meet you in
Fredalba?" asked the stage driver.
The weather is pretty severe up
here few thousand feet higher. Had
lots of rain In the valley and that
means snow storms in the mountains"
No one will meet u.s." said mother.
but we know the trail from Fredalba
and our burros are there, although we
didn't expect TO see them again until
next summer
You can telephone from Fredalba,"
suggested the stage driver. They
tell me your husband has telephone
out at camp
But we're Christmas presents" eX-
planned Nina; so We must surprise
him. Don't you know that tonight
will be Christmas eve?"
IF the wind dosen't come up,
you'll be all right the man replied.
but unless I'm mistaken. there's a
heavy snow falling in the mountains
this minute"
At Fredalba every one advised
mother and Nina not to attempt the
trail until morning. This time it was
mother who would push on. We
know the trail so WE'LL said she, "and
the burros know 1t better. In two
hours we can reach camp"
1T seems to me- said the stage
driver as he watched the two disap-
pear around the curve. "it seems to me
that some folks haven't any sense
and shutting his lips in determined
fashion he went to the telephone and
called for Nina's father. I'll tell him
his folks are coming and to go out to
meet them" he explained to the men
standing near otherwise the poor
fellow may have a surprise he won't
like on Christmas day
To the stage drivers dismay there
was no answer to his call. Fathers
cabin in the Sierras was evidently de-
serted.
See here" said he to friend. you
call Brown up in half an hour and tell
him that his wife and daughter are
on the trail"
THE wires are down." declared