The Ordway new era., 1909-12-24

tnFOuBn WHICH pTOJeCteu pipe. eNi-
IDENTIFY intended for a chimney. but
smoke was rarely seen passing from
1t. A narrow. crooked trail led up
the mountain side to the closed door.
About daybreak every morning an
old man emerged from the hut with
dinner pail in hand and started down
the trail. When a short distance from
the hut he turned to the left and was
lost among the pines. Late In the
evening he returned as he had gone.
being careful to leave no trail by which
he could be traced to his destination.
And where that destination was no
one knew. although many had tried
in vain to find out. for certain 1t was
that somewhere hidden among the
rocks and pines was some weaith-pro-
ducing element known only to the gray
old man.
Regularly as the moon rose full and
round he took one day from IL iso-
lation among the pines. and plodded
wcariiy down the trail that led to the
nearest village. It being some twelve
miles distant. and deposited In the
bank gold. silver and paper money.
scarcely retaining enough to provide
for his wants until the next appear
ance OF the full moon. by which he
would return to his hut In the evening.
Experts had tested this money In
every imaginable way. thinking II
might be counterfeit. but every exam
ined piece was found to be genuine.
oct ttsA1 nd
was given up by the majority of the
people, except the vague wonderlngs
whenever the eccentric old man made
his appearance in their midst.
Days and months had ceased to be.
and only the seasons were made known
to him by the little wild blossom
springing up along the trail. or by
the cold North winds and driven SHOWS
OF winter.
a regular mountain blizzard had
been raging all day and the old man
had remained inside more from neces-
sity than choice. but his restlessness
was shown by his ceaseless pacing
back and forth across the room. Heap
ing u few extra logs upon the nre. he
retired early and was soon unconscious
OF the storm outside.
Presently n light began to nil the
room. hut It was not his room. his
hut He looked around. Yes. those
were the same pictures. the same pa
per upon the wall. the same furniture
and he. too. was the same boy. He
crcpt out of bed and softly down the
stairs into the living room. There
were his fathers and mothers rock.
ing chairs drawn up side by side neal
the huge fireplace. and In row owe,
the fireplace hung the stockings. frs
being the white stocking with pini
toes and heels that belonged to bab,
sister; then came his own. thci
mothers. and last hung fathers soci
l-all limp and empty. Hark! wha
was that sound he heard? Twas tn
soft tinkiing OF tiny bells Then oil
santa himself appeared with larS
pack on his back. but not sign o
SCOT or smoke upon his long whit
beard or toys. He began rapidly I'LL
ing the stockings. When all was com
plete he disappeared as he had come
l
OF as the wind. The boy stood motion
less, transfxed. Then realizing wha
had happened. he turned and hurrie
back to bed.
The old man awoke. The sun wa
shining family through the ding
windows. He glanced at the it'll
alarm clock on the rude mantel. ]
? vas long past his usual time for rising
still he remained quietly for some TIM
. his mind busy with thoughts Of hi
!, iream. Presently he sprang from hi
cot with almost the ease Of bo!
He opened the door and looked on
y rhe storm had ceased shortly afte
lark. and what snow had fallen ha
been mostly heaped into drifts In ca,
erns and gulches. while the trail Re
mained comparatively snowless.
He hurriedly dressed. and partakin
OF n scanty breakfast, started dow
the frozen, windswept path. On an
on he went, needless OF the cold. frost
air. The way never seemed so sho
before. Entering the village, he mat
his way to the bank and presented
check. The astonished clerk countt
u out the bills and turned to make Il
2. first entry OF drawing under the o
mans name. Leaving the bank,
d went from store to store, making Il
D. necessary purchases: then into ba
4. Der shop, where he demanded a hal
ia cut and shave. Donning his new q
-, parel, he took the first train for
i, old home In the East.
" on reaching the little village,
y stepped from the train. All W
~ strange to him. Not one familiar fat
Could 1t be he had gotten of at Z
wrong station? He started to foilt
ce the crowd from the depot Present
a few old landmarks camc into vie
% BY them he traced his way to I
old country home. On reaching