Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-12-09
ORIGINAL SOCIAL CORNER STORY
THE SETTLERS SNOWED-IN CHRISTMAS

The writer has confession to
make. This story is one of those
founded on fact" affairs The woman
known as Mrs. Parker did spend such
Christmas in one of our western
states thirty or forty years ago. AL
though the early years of her married
| life were spent there, she has long
since returned east, where she has
won fame and distinction in her art
and scientific work among leading ag-
ricultural colleges OF the north and
east
4 1t was the eighteenth of December
and already the snow lay deep around
the little cluster of log cabin homes in
a far western state.
Mrs. Parker stood looking out of the
window of the most pretentious Of the
| five houses. and as she watched the
| drifting storm, brave though she was,
| a wave of Inconsistencies swept over
her. For three days it had been snow
| ing, and yet there. were no signs of
clearing The woman knew that for
| many days it would be impossible to
reach the nearest town and railroad.
thirty miles away, and Christmas
coming in a week-the first Christ
mas away from the comfortable fire.
sides in the east, for all the communf-
~. She thought of the four other
fam lies-particularly the children. and
Of what such a Christmas as this
promised to be would mean to them in
heartache and inconsistencies
even u IDeS5dSa J1V4I 1I4CAoS Ii AAlC
outside world.
Something must be done, and as her
eye rested On the pines growing on
the mountain-side near her door, the
thought came:
why, we can have Christmas tree
If there isn't much to put on it,
Mrs. Parker was a woman Of ac-
ton, and that very day she asked the
women in the other houses to come
to her home and discuss plans for a
celebration of the coming holiday.
They came. one and all with all de-
grees of ambition. There was little
lege- educated woman-the mother of
three small children She was eager
and ready with plans.
Mrs Vantine. large, strong woman
Of forty, who carefully nursed her
pride end aristocratic birth, and whose
chief aim in life seemed to be to OBJ
tain homage from the world. was
little dubious at first, but finding that
she was thereby making herself I'M
popular, fell in with the plans.
Poor Mrs. Crouch. always doleful
a nd often In tears because of her firm
belief that she was the most unfor-
tunate woman in the whole wide world,
and usually weary with her vain at
tempts to convince mankind of that
fact, knew that nothing could ever
be done in this God-forsaken place"
Besides. 1t would make her very un-
happy to even think about Christmas
when she could share in none of the
joys of her New England home. In
deed, think it best to try to forget
all about the day." she concluded.
Then there was the dear, gentle
mother of two boys and two girls, none
over thirteen-Mrs. Fielding. She was
always looking for some way to bring
cheer into the world, and she was
certain a successful Christmas cele-
bration could be accomplished
And so thu enthusiasm grew-the
women's tongues fairly flew, as wo-
OF doing. Ways and meals were dis
cussed until even Mrs. Crouch caught
the Christmas spirit.
Butch DEAR" she sighed. mo
girl can be happy on Christmas with
out doll, and not one can We get
here"
II know," cried Mrs. Billings 1--WE
have corncob dolls-what could be jol-
heri And clothespinsH guess we can
spare a few of them for boy dolls
and wen dress them in fancy cos
tumesi"
Settled" said the company in Choir
us, and Mrs. Billings was appointed
TO superintend the work.
MY husband" said Mrs. Fielding,
"says he never can find a holder. We
"Onei" cried Mrs. Parker Wc'll
each make all we can, and present
them one at time"
With merry laughter the ladies
agreed and Mrs. Crouch even volun-
teered to wrap them in fantastic
shapes, for the tree.
Now for the boys" said one. "Oh,
dear. What can we do? Boys are so
hard to suit!''