The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-25

4
| tied my Best Christmas" The prize
winning letters are published in the De-
cember number. The following letter
which is u true account OF the re-
| ward one woman gained from her own
| unselnshness. won third prize:
''Oh, how I dreaded that first Christ
mas in western Kansas! We had come
to our claim in August from q good
town in northern Illinois. and as the
cold weather approached I wondered
whether 1 could ever stand the dreary
winter, for dreary 1t would most Ger
tainly be. as my nearest neishbor was
three miles from me. Our only little
| one was rot q year old. just beginning
to walk around and to try to talk, and
one day when was particularly blue
my husband suggested that we have q
Christmas tree for baby and invite all
the ranchers' families around US. That
seemed to me a great idea. and I Inn
mediately set to work. I saw most
Of them the next Sunday in the little
sod school house where we held Sunday
school and meetings of all kinds. All
were willing to come, but insisted thas
they TOO should do something toward
making it a success, 80 we apportioneo
the baking, candy-making and corn
popping.
IT had determined to make some
thing for every child that would Dc
there and it seemed to me the days.
which had been so long before fairy
flew. but what a pleasure it was when
I had everything finished. at least
week before Christmas! I told little
Donald about each one as made IT,
as he was the only one had to hsten
to my plans. and think he UNDERSTOOD
more than the ordinary child at his
age for this very reason. at least l
imagined that he did. MY nusoaho
had found a dead cottonwood tree
down on the river and had brought IT
home and nailed 1t in a box and nao
it wrapped with green crepe paper.
ION the evening of the 21st I noticed
that Donald did not seem well. ana at
dark when my husband came home
from the ranch where he had been haul
ing oil cake, asked him to go anu
bring over Mrs. Miller, as she had rails
ed family and would probably know
what was the matter with him. and
as the nearest doctor was Is miles away.
It was nearly two hours before they
came and in the meantime Donald nao
been growing worse and seemed unable
to get his breath. I used every
available remedy. but could see that
something must be done quickly.
LAS soon as Mrs. Miller got in, she
looked ut The baby and said to her
husband, who had come with them
Get on a horse at once and bring Dr.
Brown as soon as you can. My heart
sank, because I knew that it was only
in an emergency that the doctor was
called. ( locked appealingly at her. and
she said briefly. Membraneous Group
I think.
From that moment We never stopped
trying to do something that would at
least enable US to keep my baby until
the doctor came, but to no avail. 1t
was s o'clock in the morning before
he arrived, and our baby had been
dead three hours. We buried him the
next day. and to me the gay, bright
preparations we had made for Christ
mas were u IHOChCAys e-AAA e~AsSA 49,
return from the little bleak graveyard
1 told Mrs. Miller. who had kindly ac-
companied Us home, she could take the
stun and do what she liked with 1t.
there would be no Christmas for me-.
livery WE'LL she said. but do you
realize how many will be disappointed!
The children have looked forward to
this. and II you could go through with
it 1 believe you would feel better than
to drop 1t. Try it-won't you. dearie?
1 know Just how hard this is for you,
for 1 have been through the same ex-
perience, but If we can be big and I'M
selfish enough to think of others we
will find more comfort for the great
loss than all the grieving one can do
AT first 1 could not consent but at
last 1 did SO. From that time until
Christmas eve some Of the neighbor
women stayed with me and we had
everything ready. We had planned to
have all come Christmas morning and
have a dinner after the presents were
given to the children. BY 9 o'clock
nearly all were there. the children
eager and excited. One family had
just come into the neighborhood and
were still living in their wagon. They
were invited, end when saw the thin
clothing on the baby got out some of
the precious little garments had care
fully packed away and put them on
the tree with the little ones name writ
ten on them. It almost seemed to me
as II little Donald was there helping
in his sweet baby way to make others
happy.
1T was the most strenuous Christ
mas day I ever experienced. and was
10 worn out that night that slept for
the first time since my baby died.. but
I know that at no time in NV life have