The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-12-16
A CHRISTMAS STORY


Christmas Eve night, | halted al the
nearest farm house and asked adj
--i-ttance. An old man and his wire
We're the only occupants.
they babe me enter and gave me
hearty greeting. | found them to be
one Ephraim GODDARD, and his wife,
IaD4tha, 40 years married.
1t was clustering, freezing night
outside: the capacious fireplace,
with its huge burning logs, was very
attractive to me, a travel-worn way
farer.
after the good wife had spread a
bountiful table with good cheer for
the inner man, and we had enjoyed
The delicious yiands to the fullest ex-
tent, We drew our chairs nearer the
hearth and prepared for a sociable
evening. These good old people told
me OF their children; of the good
times when Christmas Eve found
them all at home hanging UP their
stockings and getting to bed early.
hoping to stay away till Santa Claus
should come.
But that was long ago!" sighed
the mother Willie went to sea,
and after few years of sailing up
and down the world, We heard moth
ing more, and We have long mourn
ed him as dead Rose went to the
city, and growing fascinated with the
stage, became an actress. She sue
ceeded better than We had ever hoped
out her laurels did not prevent her
from making silly marriage An
Italian prince, penniless adventurer.
carried her off to Italy. Her letters
grew less and less frequent, until at
last they ceased altogether.
I'VE fear she is either dead OF
enduring a living death in extreme
poverty win all her illusions and her
bright youth gone We are both too
old now to go in search of her"
Alas! alas!" groaned the old man.
Our baby boy, our best beloved,
grew impatient of the old home and
its SLOW, conservative ways. He
went to the great city and succeeded
for time, his bright wholesouled
ways brought friends without num-
ber But these very social graces be-
came the cause of his downfall. He
learned to gamble and drink at card
parties and at banquets where wom-
en- make to do these things Both
these habits grew on him till they
possessed him body and soul He
went from bad to worse until at last
he killed his best friend at the gam
Ia fha
stripes and is eating his heart out in
the state prison.
And after this fashion the dear old
people poured out their woes to me, a
sympathetic listener. In return for
these condolences, | told them Of my
home and dear ones and of what a
deprivation | suffered in being far
/ from my wife and little ones at
| Christmas time.
When l had retired for the night
! found myself in large luxuriously
] appointed sleeping apartment, on the
hearth fire of CHEEKY logs, the fac
! smile of the one below.
AS approached the house on
J horseback earlier in the evening 1
had noticed how large, gloomy and
eerle 1t appeared in the pale night.
Now as | sat by the fire and thought
Of the sad stories 1 had just heard,
it occurred to me that this was
fitting might for weird manifesto
tons.
listened to the bowling of the
wind that moaned around the house
like lost spirit. The windows rat
tied in the wintry blast and the big,
empty room seemed to voice a plant
all their own. If one did not believe
in ghosts what a night in which to
invoke the spirits of the departed.
1 As | sat and pondered what was
my surprise to see stalwart. sea-
! faring man enter, wearing the garb
/ of a South Sea Islander. l knew he
j was an "old Salt by the lurch in his
walk. Following him came a train
of attendancts. They put upon the
table great jugs of liquor.
Taking no nc.ice of me they went
! on hilariously cracking their jokes
and taking great swigs from the Jug.
The fire biazed and cracked and cast
strange lights and shadows on their
queer costume, for they were all
dressed in some outlandis'h fashion.
/ Just as ] wondered if the leader
could be Willie, whom the aged cou-
! pie had mourned as dead, I was at
tracted by a sound at the door and,
| looking in that direction, l beheld a
very beautiful young woman, attiled
! as Shakespeare's Ophela. She
( came forward and begun to repeat
her lines as to a crowded house The
strange company ceased the prattle
(. ana gave, her the most devoted hear
! ing. They were about to give her an
| encore when there entered dissolute
! looking young fellow, with refined
| features, bleared by the excessive use
| of stimulants. Willie stepped forward
and, calling him brother, embraced
| him as one does after a long absence.
/ The younger man produced a bottle
/ Of champagne and began to treat all
| round
disreputable looking italian had
/ Ont