The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-12-20

~ u place, WHICH oOCupl0o
81 - one whole end of "the
best cabin in camp" Her seat was
fat piece of pine log. Lying close
to Ter was a big St. Bernard dog.
Miner Bob says that Santa Claus
comes down the chimney; but now,
Rover, we know better than that"
She took hold of the dogs collar, and
turned his head toward the fireplace
Even if he should get down the chin
ney, he'd be burned up. He could not
bring anything with him without get
ting it black and dirty. I'll put the
fire out tonight with that pail of
water"
Rover got up and took a lap or two,
and then came back and waited for
the rest of the story.
She continued: "But l don't believe
any Santa Claus will come away out
here, where there is only you and me.
Here she stopped and whispered in
the dogs ear. We'll leave the win
dow open. OF course, Rover, / don't
mind telling you why am so anxious
for Santa Claus not to come down
that chimney. You see, l want a doll.
Miner Bob says that Santa Claus
brings you what you wish for
never saw real dolls, but they must
be beautiful things. This picture
cut out of a magazine is a doll, so
Miner Bob says. Whew! 1t mustn't
come down the chimney, Rover, it
mustn't"
In few minutes the dog and the
little girl were both fast asleep. This
time the child's head was pillowed on
Rover's shaggy coat and in her hand
she tightly held an advertisement of
Christmas toys.
Two men, sitting at pine table in
the other end of the cabin, were talk
Ing in low, mysterious manner.
1--WE are most out of food you
know" said one; "only five potatoes
left. We paid 500 for the last stick,
but we could not get anotAer stick for
love or money. We have been showed
in now for three months, and we've
got to count on four weeks more be-
fore there is any hope of getting out
Of here"
Eyes, l know it," replied his COM
panion, "but I'm going to do it just
the same"
"You know the boss orders" spoke
up the first man, who was Miner Bob.
well catch it if we disobey. especial
ly when starvation is staring us in
the face"
81 can't help It," was the reply,
'tput it all on me; I'll stand the
blame
The men drew their chairs closer
together. ard there they worked for
several ho1rs. stonping just long
enough to lift the little girl from the
floor to her cot, where she went on
dreaming of Santa Claus and the
beautiful doll
It was bitter cold night-a regular
blizzardl Several miners lost their
way going from one camp to the
other and were frozen to death. Ami
mails that failed to get under shelter
were found dead next morning.
The little girl remembers no more
of that most terrible storm in the his
tory Of the camp but next morning
she was awakened early by her father
trying to close a broken window He
said it had been crushed in by the
storm, but the little girl said. mo,
Santa Claus did it."
Hes been here!" she cried. and in
her excitement fairly rolled from her
cot over the floor to the chimney
With cries of Its a doll-a doll"
she clasped to her heart the most
beautiful thing she had ever seen.
'Tt's my doll, all mine; and it's got
eyes, and nose, and a mouth, and
ears and hair-and such beautiful
red flannel dress!"
She kissed it again and again. and
no heart ever came so near bursting
with joy as the heart of that little
girl way out in the snowed-in mine,
with death and starvation all about
her.
The two miners had come in, and
we're listening to the wonderful story
as it fell again from the childish lips.
you used them ALL" interrupted
the father, gazing sternly at the man.
EYES," said Miner Bob, Eve used
them all"
1T was wrong, very wrong?"
1--WE could not help it, replied the
other miner. st was the only way
to make it, and we'd rather go hungry
the rest of our days than have the
lid dfcannninfod /"
The kid" oblivious of anything but
the blessed JOY of possessing a doll,
was telling Rover: Father thinks the
wind broke the window. l forgot to
open it: but, you see. Santa Claus
knows just what you want, so he
brought the doll through the window
to save her from getting dirty coming
down the chimney"
Little did she realize that of all the
dolls found that Christmas morning in
the stockings of the little ones all over
the United States not one was made
Of as precious material as hers. She
was clasping to her bosom the "only
Ave potatoes in camp" They had been
nor~nS sxkr stAH{~c TNo11s -,