The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1910-12-22
By EDWARD PIERCE

The blizzard raced across the foot
| hills and screamed down the canyons
! obliterating all trails that led to the
| Double Star ranch. 1t filed the all
with smothering. flying flakes and
with thick white covering. The win.
dows of the ranch house a hundred
| yards distant were oblongs of light
| that diffused a sickly yellow glow into
the flying snow.
Ducie Case tossed another log on the
blazing hearth and surveyed the silent
crowd with growing disdain At last
he could no longer control himself and
broke forth into violent speech:
Say. you mum mouthed dummies,
you long faced, solemn eyed. good-for-
nothing cayuses, do you know this is
Christmas eve?"
The moody circle about the fire
Strengthened as by one accord and
looked at the speaker with the first
sign of interest that had been betrayed
since the silent supper had ended.
DO you know this is Christmas
eve" repeated Mr.. Case impressive!y
as he brought pipe from his pocket
and proceeded to clean it with the
nervous energy that characterized his
every movement
"Of course we know it" growled
Miller from his corner. I'VE didn't
get any mail today-haven't had any
for week. Excuse-me Christmas.
comingl BahI'
you've got a crouch. Miller. You're
always kicking about the mail, and I've
never seen you get any letters yet
not even one of them picture postal
cards that frankie here gets so many
of"
Ducie Case hustled out of his chair
and noisily mounted the heavy table.
where he looked down on his COM
panions with a benevolent smile.
'Tonight's Christmas eve, boys, and
I'm going to confess it's the onlikeliest
Christmas eve | ever spent.
Every one of you is downright
homesick That's what's the matter
with you. / expect you're homesick
every time Christmas comes around.
and find an old fashioned Christmas
why, l say let's have Christmas right
her in the Double Star bunk house.
All in favor say eye"
aver came forth mighty chorus
from seven threats.
Good Now. gentlemen, there amt
any tree within three miles of the
ranch except the naples at the big
house, and they're too large. Can we
have a Christmas tree?" he asked
skeptically.
"Nixr' was the laconic reply.
"Well. then. you've all got socks.
Hang 'em up here along by the chin
neg. We might as well do this Sanity
Claus business up nice and brown"
The men scattered. laughing, TO their
several hunks to search their effects
for clean socks. When they returned
Mr. Case was ready with hammer and
nails to fasten them to the long shelf.
The first to go up was his own. huge
blue wooden affair with a startling
void presented by the sagging top.
"Now, what you going to put in |
emf" demanded Miller as he witness
ID the hammering of the last nail into
his own sock
Now, that's up to the rest of you in |
/ way" drawled Mr.. Case Indifferent
V. give started this thing and got |
he ball rolling nicely. All you chaps !
las got to do is to find something to
,ut in those socks. Seems as if you
night find something to give each
,ther Just to remember the day and
make things pleasant"
"Who feels like being very pleasant
With no mail for week and no pros
,ect of any?" complained frankie.
ather peevishly. II thought Christ
vas eve was the time for good things
o eat and drink. l haven't seen the
blink handing out any goodies yet"
you go along and work that Christ
mas spirit business | was telling you
bout" commanded Mr.. Case. Sam
Iuh and me will take care of the eat
lg end Just watch my smoker
He disappeared behind the plank
DOR that shut off the kitchen quar-
ars from the living room. and they
card the sound of his strident voice
Mingled with the staccato objections
f the Chinese cook
Storrs stepped forward, slight flush
n his handsome face, and turned to-
ard his companions I'm rather
shamed, boys. that Ducie had to re-
lind us that it was the night before
hristmas. It's certainly a dull time.
nd / believe we ought to do all we
IN to make it pleasant, even if the
lail doesn't come at all. Suppose We
lake the best kind of Christmas we
IN out of what we've got"
Let's" agreed Miller boyishly.
Suppose we begin with Ducie's meal
lex here. He must expect an auter-
obile in that What do you say?'
Lets give him one" retorted Storrs
Il saw one a minute ago"
e reached for magazine and drew
knife from his pocket. He turned to
Ie advertising section and cut from
the picture of large touring car. !
What's the matter with that?' he I
owed softly as he slipped it in Du-
e's stocking. s
Il got a couple of handkerchiefs
i lit