The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-12-26

10 tenuerneSS. atlu no man IN irretr1eN.
ably bad who at such a sight feels
softened
Enoch stood for awhile hooking down
at the children their rosy cheeks COP
trasting with their fair. tumbed locks.
and saw something. felt something.
The idea of turning these innocents
out of their nest In the dead Of winter
seemed horrible to bin.
He turned away at last and went on
to his cabin What had come In there
since he had gone out? 1t was the
spirit of loneliness. though he did not
know 1t. 1t had been born with the
sight of two sleeping children. had
come home with him and had slipped
In before him. He threw the turkey
down and. sinking into chair he had
made out of a barrel. gave himself up
to 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 az
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.
little hand lay open. and some
thing impelled Enocb to place his huge
finger in the palm. The tiny fingers
closed upon 1t, bringing to the wild
man sensation he had never felt he
fore. Somehow be couldn't repress a
smile, and yet he didn't know what re
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 "a twig crack without. he sud
denly withdrew it lest he should be
caught displaying weakness
He was mistaken as to some one
coming, hut 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 nls
finger was still wrapped In the tiny
hand or the child and he could not
get rid OF It,
Suddenly a face-a woman's face
appeared at the door of his cabin. It
was an ordinary countenance: but, to
Enoch In his new departure ii appear.
ed very comely. At any rate. ii was
young and there was 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 deer.
haven't been able to do so | haven't
got even bear. don't know what
I'm going to do for a Christmas din
ner. The children don't need meat.
and | can get on wi hout 1t, but I've
never In my life been without good
dinner on Christmas In fact. I've new
er been without turkey, and | 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 oD the wall
Would that do W" he asked.
well, ! should think It would. But
If | should take 1t what would you
do?"
II don't need a dinner on Christmas
i wouldn't miss not having one. for |
don't know anything about Christmas
Don't know about Christmas. Well,
! declare. ! tell you what you do
I'll cook your turkey for you. and you
come and eat your Christmas Dime
with u.s."
Are you the person who has settled
near here with the two children?"
YES"
How did you come to do it2'
II married man with restless
spirit He kept me moving away from
other people as long as he lived. aud
when he died left me with nothing. !
squatted as best l could down there
and am waiting for something to turn
up"
IL required some time for Enoch to
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
Lord CORVALLIS when he handed his
sword TO Washington at Yorktown.
"Will you eat it with us tomorrow
she asked.
Yes; / will"
Christmas at noon Cory went to the
widows cabin and found her neatly
dressed, the children In clean pinafores
and their hair parafuIIv oOmhad and