Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-23

come home with him and had slipped
in before him. He threw the turkey
down and. sinking into a chair he had
made out of barrel, gave himself up
to a reverie upon what he had encoun-
tered.
The next day Enoch met with an ad-
ditional surprise. Going to the newly
constructed cabin at the same hour as
before he found the children again
slumbering and no one with them. He
inferred that whoever had them in
charge put them TO sleep at this hour
and went out on some duty. But the
surprise Enoch met with WAS that the
evergreen tree in the corner had bios
somed with all sorts of gewgaws At
least this was his first impression. The
occupants of the cabin must have had
in their effects or had obtained some
of those baubles that are used for the
decoration OF Christmas trees. Enoch's
curiosity was excited. What did it
mean? He exercised his faculties for
an explanation, but none came.
A little hand lay open. and some
thing impelled Enoch to place his huge
finger In the pair The tiny fingers
closed upon 1t, b .ging to the wild
man a sensation he had never felt be-
| fore. Somehow he couldn't repress a
smile. and yet he didn't know what he
was smiling at 1t was rather In his
heart than on his lips. He left his fin
ger in the waxen clasp till, fancying
he heard twtg crack without. he sud-
denly withdrew it lest be should be
caught displaying a weakness.
He was mistaken as to some one
coming. but he did not care to meet
the occupant just then. for he had not
yet entirely let go OF his habit OF driv.
ing every one away from him and did
not wish to meet the settler while In
an uncertain condition. Returning to
his cabin he again gave himself up to
thought about the strangers. but mis-
finger was still wrapped in the tiny
hand OF the child, and he could not
get rid OF 1t
Suddenly a face-a woman's face
appeared at the door OF his cabin. 10
was an ordinary countenance; but. to
Enoch in his new departure 1t appear
ed very comely. At any rate, It was
young and there was a fearlessness
about it that impressed the wild man.
stranger" she said, Christmas is
coming, and though I've been out ev-
cry day trying to shoot a deer, l
!, haven't been able to do so. haven't
got even a bear. l don't know what
} I'm going to do for Christmas din
ner The children don't need meat,
and l can get on without 1t, but I've
, never in my life been without a good
, dinner on Christmas. In fact. I've new
er been without a turkey, and l don't
like to begin now"
Enoch looked and listened while a
struggle between the habit of his life
and new birth within him were
struggling for mastery. Then he turn
ed and pointed to the turkey hanging
from peg on the wall.
Would that do W" he asked.
"Well. l should think it would. But
If l should take 1t what would you
dor"
II don't need a dinner on Christmas.
1 wouldn't miss not having one. for
don't know anything about Christmas"
: Don't know about Christmas Well.
| I
, I'll cook your turkey for you. and you
come and eat your Christmas dinner
with us"
Are you the person who has settled
near here with the two childrenT
yes"
, How did you come TO do itT'
81 married a man with q restless
spirit He kept me moving away from
other people as long as he lived. and
when he died left me with nothing
, squatted as best / could down there
, and am waiting for something to turn
, up"
? 1t required some time for Enoch to
I digest this brief statement. and when
he had done so he took down the tur
/. key and handed 1t TO the woman. II
represented what was intended by
I Lord CORVALLIS when he handed his
a sword to Washington at Yorktown.
3 "Will you eat it with US tomorrow
r she asked.
Yes; | will"
: Christmas at noon Cory went to the
e widows cabin and found her neatly
4 dressed. the children In clean pinafores
e and their hair carefully combed anc
= curled He knew nothing of Christ
i mas gifts. but he had whitfield out 6
I couple of toys for the children which
t they received with sparkling eyes. Thl
s turkey was swinging on an extempo
D rized spit before the fire, and othel
e viands were being prepared
/ That was a day OF regeneration t.
d Enoci cory. Instead OF requiring thu
0 family 10 move on. he set himself t.
r work to build a new cabin for them
D and when tie had finished IT and they
j had moved in he mustered up courage
b to ask the widow If be might not NOV,
e in. too. az her husband She consent
I ed. and that was the end OF the NOV
ing that had been the curse or tw,
5 families. an end accomplished OIL
i Christmas day.