The San Francisco call., 1909-12-19
JAMES ]. M'CLOSKEY
Photo bv White

Our selection We had thinK, about 9IU not
enough for gift for each one of rs
"'What do you see thai would make welcome
gift to the father and the mother my brother asked
me- looked over the few shelves of goods hopefully
There were some calicoes and some colored 'ker-
chiefs that l thought my mother might like, but
knew she would never live to wear them. I saw a
bright, sharp hunting knife that wished might get
for my father but it seemed scarcely the thing to
give sick man. 1t seemed to me that nothing would
be so welcome to them as some delicacy that would
break the monotony of the bad food. The flap
jacks and salt meat.
CANNED PEACHES
Let us buy something good to eat said and
turned to the provisions. We hesitated box
of sardines and some smoked herring, until it oc-
Cured to us that we wanted still rarer and more
tempting dish. Jacob reached over and picked up an
object with glaring label.
"Herman,' he cried Look at this Canned
peachesl Could anything be so delicious Let US
take peaches agreed and we found that the store
keeper would let have the peaches for the sum we
had brought with u.s. He had but one can and re-
garded it as the most desirable thing in his stock
it firmly to Jacobs belt we mounted our horse again
and started back. When dawn was breaking on
Christmas morning we reached our camp by the
river.
Our parents. lying on their blankets. answered
our wishes of Merry Christmas as cheerfuly as
they could We kissed each other tenderly and talked
for many hours of the former happy Christmas days
we had spent back in our Brooklyn home Jacob
had brought with him branch OF pine which he had
plucked on homeward journey and he set this up
in the earth that formed our floor
"'It is our Christmas tree, he said and our good
mother and father smiled through their tears We
found some bits of ribbon and cloth and all the little
trinkets we had retained With these my brother
and I dressed our poor tree and sat before it,
trying think that it glorious, all covered with
brilliant baubles. and loaded with and packets
of good things
What did you get in Marysviea my father
asked But we only nudged each other mysteriousy
and would not tell That was to be the big surprise
the feast that should make us all believe that were
back in the pleasant land OF plenty.
1--WE set about preparing the Christmas dinner with
great secrecy and care Jacob fried the Aapack and
made coffee mixed flour and water for the biscuits.
We had not known salt since our arrival and used
substitute which was commonly adopted among the
forty-niners, gunpowder. 1t gave some little SAVIOR
to the food. though should scarcely recommend it
as a condiment.
when everything in readiness set out an
empty box between the pallets on which our parents
lay This was the table. we had two pals which
served we'll enough for chairs for Jacob and myself
We brought in the hot meal on tin plates and ar
ranged everything neatly where father and mother
could reach without getting up. We both left the
then and to where had hidden the peaches
We opened the can with a knife and Jacob, the
elder had the honor of carrying it in
"We came in procession. Jacob leading and bear
ing the peaches like butler bringing in the wassail
bowl, following Jacob placed the can on the box
with great dignity and looked at father and mother
for applause. And then we had our crushing disap-
pointment. Neither of them could touch the decacy
nor could either taste the meal which had ar
ranged with much pride We both cried little,
but our mother comforted and told that we
should eat the share for them. So we sat down and
divided the peaches. / afraid that OF the
hapiacks and. the biscuits wasted Our hunger
and the treat before made us forget the
of the futile gift and ate until not even of
syrup was left inside the can
That Christmas in California in -. 1t
time when close bitterness and
pain. Three days later dear mother died and we
two boys had bury her. without cofin for father
not strong enough to aid Many happy Christ
mas days have passed since then but always there
moment, when my children and my grand
children about me- when remember our sad
celebration under the roof the banks Of the