St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1915-12-25
Santa Mike
A Christmas Convict Story
BY r. c. B rides.

As. the December night CLOSED
across the desolate moor, the snow
ceased falling, the clouds broke. and
brilliant moon shed its silver light
across the wide stretches of rolling
whiteness. With the change, 1t be
gan to freeze fiercely, coating the
sodden, drifts with a crisp film OF
ice.
At every step Mike Dempsey's tired
feet broke through this coating, and
sank deep into soft stuff beneath
making the travelling so terribly
hard that, in spite Of the bitter cold
persperation ste0d in beads on his
thin, brown face.
He was breathing hard, and evil
IDENTIFY desperately weary, yet ne
never stopped for q moment, thoaen
now and then, as he plOwed his way
onward, he would turn his head anu
cast an apprehensives glance back
over his shoulder.
Had anyone been near enough to
watch him, they would easily have
understood his haste. The drab liv-
cry plentifully besprinkled with
broad arrows marked him as one OF
the states unwilling guests. AS 9
matter of fact, Mike Dempsey had
been for the last three years pris-
on inmate, and it was the intention
of escaping another seven years OF
unappreciated hospitality that ne
had, few, hours previously, .done
a bunk" undez cover of the sundden
= 45r fEAN
~ I'Ve pnzsr>a thaea screws that's
wan thing snre," he muttered to him
self. and in spite of his fatigue a
slight chuckle escaped his thin lips
s9But faith, I've puzzled meself, too,
and don't know where l am no
more than Adam.
II | cud only git a landmark OF
some sort!'' he went on. 'Eanst !
cud find my road to the railway, ID
win clear. Mike Dempsey wasn't a
navy siven years for nothing
He crucnhed his slow way across a
fiat valley, jumped a little brook and
pushed up the steep slope beyond:
{, A CLEAN Of light in the next valley
attracted his attention. 1t came
from a lighted window, and there
was something comforting to the
lonely fugitive in the red glow. cast
upon the glittering snow. Without
hesitation. he started d0wnhill to-
ward it.
presently he was cautiously ap-
preaching a small house, which stood
in a tiny garden surrounded by olW
dry-stone wall. There was gate IN
front but Mike preferred to approach
from the back, and clambering gin
gerly over the wall crept up to the
window from which the light came.
Raising himself till his head was
on a level with the sill, he peered
through the ,.ncurtained window IN
to q barely furnished living room,
lighted by q great fire of glowing
turf. ..,l.s=
A couch stood in one corner. on
which lay q youngish man whose
bandaged head showed him to be the
victim of some accident. On chair
beside him sat . sweet7faced Wo-
man. and on the bare earthern floor
played. two children curly-ha1red
boy of about seven, and cnuDpy
girl a year or so younger.
But what arrested Mikes attention
was a little fir tree, not more tnan
four feet high, which stood planted
in an old bucket, on the table IN the
middle of the room.
For a moment it puzzled Mike.
Then he gave a little gasp. =
..Beggory, If it amt Christmas
tree! Why. tits Christmas eve, l do
behave, though, faith. I dlost thrack
- 4ho' a.+o in tho 0u1d stone lug on