The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1908-12-12

~ ~ motnef anu HItIe NIL"
SSgSS gazed up at the shining
s peaks and were home
sick. They would gladly have forgot
ten snow, but father was in noun
tain cabin all alone.
"Will he hang his stockings by the
stone freplace?" asked Nina, land
don't you s'pose he'll be 'vited some
where to dinner?"
81 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 summer land
Mother sighed. The little family
had been west only few weeks when
father was offered a position as book
keeper for 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, "a
Their bought a 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
and nothing else to do but to guard
the company's property.
1T is a wonderful chance" he had
insisted.
Mother and Nina had tried to be-
lievs he was right; but the little
bungalow which they rented already
furnished, seemed but a poor excuse
for a house.
Il wish could see him hang up his
stocking" continued Nina. "Oh, l wish
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, mothsr!" 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
er's neck.
"Oh, | have such beautiful idea"
repeated Nina. We'll 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
q
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 school
with you for the teacher, and Sun
day school? Can't have 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
1.-THE weather is pretty severe VI
here a few thousand feet higher. Had
lots Of rain in the valley and thai
means snow storms in the mountains
mo one will meet u.s. said mother
"but we know the trail from Fredalbs
and our burros are there, although We
didn't expect to see them again unit
next summer"
you can telephone from Fredalba,
suggested the stage driver. They
tell me your husband has a telephone
out at camp"
But we're Christmas presents" ex
planned Nina; 80 we must surpris'
him. Don't you know that to-nigh
will be Christmas eTe?"
IF the wind dosent come up
you'll be all right" the man replied
but unless I'm mistaken, there's
heavy snow falling in the mountain
this minute"
At Fredalba every one advise
mother and Nina not to attempt tn
trail until morning. This time 1t wa
mother who would push on. wv
know the trail so we'll" said she, IAN
the burros know 1t better. In tw
hours we can reach camp"