The Daily Missoulian., 1909-12-26
Her Sons Friends

his fortune The god hunting days
had passed him by and within the last
year he had begun anew with n little
fruit ranch on the coast which prom
ised to prove far better than any gold
mine. When he had settled down he
thought of his mother alone in the
east and. gathering what little cash
he could. he sent il TO her. bidding her
come west The money which he sent
was not much The new farm and a
growing family took most of his saw
ings. but il was all he could get to-
gether. The mother sold her scanty
belongings-the old home in which she
had spent her life. little articles which
she had treasured in her loneliness
everything which was salable.
With the proceeds she started west
All of the money which she could
gather sufficed to carry her only as
far as Missoula. Her ideas OF the west
were confused. even now she was
filled with wonder at the fate which
had overtaken her. and in the supreme
confidence of her ignorance she had
not hesitated. never doubling hut that
the railroad company knew her son
and would take her to him regardless
or that in Niissoula she would find
someone who knew him and who
would take her over the few miles
dividing Missoula and Tacoma.
Then the blow fell Much to her
dismay and to the dismay of her care
fully laid plans the conductor in the
train had never met her son~and she
had been elected from the train when
il reached Missoula. There, on Christ
mas Eve. when all the rest of the
world was happy in its preparations
for the coming day. she had landed.
1t was night and she was alone. Not
soul did she know and terror had
overcome her dignity and cast her into
tears.
This was in brief the story which
she told to the policeman. when she
had finished he turned his head away
to hide his tears, and in n voice which
was husky with sympathy. told her
that the railroad company must have
made a mistake and that he would fix
everything.
Sure now. don't worry" he said,
it'll be all right I know that con-
ductor and he's but a green man. lie
hasn't been out here long and didn't
know your son.
Then he hurried out into the station.
The waiting room was filled with
homegoing Christmas shoppers. The
magic spirit OF Christmas was in the
air and under its spell the night police
man told his story. The money flew
into his hat. Everybody helped him
/ and in five minutes enough had been
collected to pay for the ticket. and
still il came in.
The Cub Rcnortcr looked on in
wonderment. II was easy enough Ia
get the money. he thought. but how
to induce the old woman to take II ?
The old policeman was still equal to
the occasion. however. He went to the
ticket window and purchased a Pull
man berth to Tacoma. Then he bought
a lunch in the dining room with
enough left to make np a little purse
1T is all right he said to the
woman when he returned. Every
thing is fixed
Then ne persuaded her to tell him
more about herself. He talked to her
about the west. About the people and
the country. keeping her interested
! until the train which was to take her
| west pulled into the station. Then he
helped the little woman aboard and
located her berth. When he had her
aboard he led the conductor out onto
tho platform.
Here is the ticket for that little
woman" he said tell her that the rail-
road company fixed 1t up for her"
Then he told him the story. When he
had finished he went back into the
car. The train was just starting and
he thrust the lunch and the purse
| into the old woman's hands. Its
/ Christmas. you know. and this is from
some of your sons old friends" with
out word he turned and fled. pausins
| only long enough in the doorway tn
cry in a strangely husky voice. Merry
! Christmas and a Happy New Year"
There was n grinding of wheels. a
/ glimpse of a happy old face framed In
I the window for AN instant and the
4 train was gone.
The Cub Reporter turned back to-
wards the office. He had forgotten
/ his own troubles in the magic Of the
dawning Christmas dav and the chimes
/ of the Christmas bells ms they rose
I family above the clatter of the yard
engines and the business eager shouts
of the cabbies on the platform seemed
to him to make wonderful harmony
| with tho distant whistle of the depart =
ing train.