The Wahpeton times., 1917-12-20
BY CHARLES S. PEAS e


~ how Christmas tree Gun be any
more real than the one you had
last year, so shall explain that the
tree Ralph and Rhoda had by accident
one winter was rooted in the ground
in the Lake Superior woods.
First you must be told that the town
children up there had the good times
In both summer and winter, but the
miners boys and girls had the hard
times all the year around. and that's
the reason why mother said to Ralph
and Rhoda the day before Christmas:
II don't see how you two are going to
have happy holiday when the chill
tlren up ut the mines do not expect to
have any tree ut oil. How would you
like to go up the mountain and take
them a lot of presents and things?
You can get back before dark. 1 will
telephone the mine captain that you
are coming"
"Just the very thing" said the chill
dren. And away they went soon after
with sled loaded With everything you
can think Of for Jolly Christmas, just
lots of gifts and royal trimmings for a
tree.
They were making good time along
the mountain side when Rhoda STUN.
blcd over root.
When she tried to stand up again her
ankle would not work.
OF course RhOtla would not hear of
leaving the miners chiltlren's "Christ.
mas" in the snow and coasting back
home. So Ralph went back to the
Halfway store for some help, but the
place was locked and barred. Before
they decided on what to do next flock
of the mine children came racing down
the road. 1t seemed as though the teie.
phone message had emptied the settle.
ment of youngsters.
"We've come to help take the Christ
mas up the mountain. It's hard pull
farther along" they explained.
When they found that Rhods. was
hurt they wanted to take her home
but she wouldn't listen to a word of 1t
"l'm going right up to see that tret
properly trimmed and hung with thes.
things" announced thai young lady
and, being of the sturdy and dctermin
ed kind, tried to fOrget the pain.
So the swiftest runners of the min,
boys started back TO get sled to car
ry Rkoda to the summit.
Before the ambulance corps could re
turl. down came one of those howlin:
bhZZar,ls so dreaded in the rougl
northcrn country, and there was moth
ing for it hut to retreat and take rcfug
in the II"lfway store. This old 10:
house proved a hard nut to crack, bu
Ralph fitally managed to get II
through Il rear window and soon had
roarpg fire going in the big stove. Tn,
plucky lads got back from the noun
tain, and everybody thanked his luck.
stars to be safe and warm. Out
side the storm rOared and the tree
bent low in the gale. All the evening
Rhoda stood the ache bravcly and sal,
it was nothing, hut Mary Martha Mur
i ply knew better. When all was quie
she brought 81 pail of water so hot tina
lthoda sqnealcd when her nurse pu
the swollen ankle into 1t, and thes,
two girls, one who had n lovely HON,
and rich furs and many other fin,
things and the little poor girl with {
warm Irish heart, sat up till call hours.
During the night the storm turned Il
rain and then 1t became cold, so yer,
cold that the forest was covered will
an icy coat. In the morning the bliz
zard drifts were many feet deep.
So the only thing to be done was
to wait till rescue party came Out
for them with shovels and horses and
snowplows. And then great thought
occurred to Rhoda.
A giant hcnlock tree stood right +,
front of the store, in a place swep,
clear by the wind-that is, it had been
a hemlocll before it became one great
daZZlin. emerald with pcarly iciclcs
hanging all over it.
When night came, clear and perfect
~ still and inly black. the rescue par
| ~ found 81 celebration going on the
like of which had mover been known.
The children had taken hundreds Of
miners candles from the Store and
had wired them ali over the hemlock.
All the presents and the gilt ropes and
the other ornaments had been hung
|',lbout the branches, and the candles
Nghted.
Rhoda, half smOthered in furs and
tucked up on a high seat, was mistress
of ceremonies. while ring of singing,
dancing children circled around the
tree. and in the background, all about
the dense forest shot back millions Of