Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-12-21
BY CHARLES S. PEAS e

INST year. so I shall explain that the
Tree Ralph and Rhoda had by accident
.,ne winter was rooted In the ground
N the Lake Superior woods.
First you must be told that the town
children up there had the good times
i'm 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:
81 don't see how you two are going to
have n happy holiday when the chill
dren up at the mines do not expect to
have any tree Mt all. How would you
like to 60 up the mountain and take
them n lot Of presents and things2
You can get back before dark. 7 will
telephone the mine captain that you
are coming"
"Just the very thing" said the chill
drcn. And away they went soon after
with a sled loaded with everything you
can think Of for a Jolly Christmas, just
lots Of gifts and royal trimmings for a
tree.
They were making good time along
the mountain side when RhOda STUN
bled over a root.
When she tried to stand up again her
ankle would not work.
OF course Rhoda would not hear Of
leaving the miners c%hildren'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 a flock
of the mine children came racing down
the road. 1t seemed as though the tele-
phone message had emptied the settle
ment Of youngsters.
"We've come to help take the Christ
mas up the mountain. It's n hard pull
farther along" they explained.
When they found that Rhoda was
hurt they wanted to take her home,
but she wouldn't listen to q word Of it.
"Tm going right up to see that tree
properly trimmed and hung with these
things" announced that young lady
and, being of the sturdy and determln-
cd kind, tried to forget the pain.
SO the swiftest Unners Of the mine
boys started back to get n sled to car
nv Rhoda TO the summit.
BEFORE the ambulance corps cOuIu re-
turn, down came one of those bowling
billiards. so dreaded in the rough
northern country, and there was moth
ing for It but to retreat and take refuge
in the Halfway store. This old log
house proved n hard nut to crack, but
Ralph finally managed to get in
through a rear window and soon had n
roaring fire going in the big stove. The
plucky lads got back from the noun
tain, and everybody thanked his lucky
stars to be safe and warm. Out
side the storm roared and the trees
bent low In the gale. All the evening
Rhoda stood the ache bravely and said
It was nothing, but Mary Martha Muir
My knew better. When all was quiet
she brought a pail of water so hot that
RhOda squenled when her nurse put
the swollen ankle into 1t, and these
two girls, one who had n lovely hone
and rich furs and many other hnC
things and the little poor girl with Il
warm Irish heart, sat up till Fall hours"
During the night the storm turned to
rain and then Il became cold. so very
cold that the forest was covered with
nm icy coat. In the morning the bliz-
card drifts were many feet deep.
SO the only thing TO be done was
TO wait till a rescue party came out
for them with shovels and horses and
Snowplows. And then a great thought
e. nt
y giant hcmiock tree STOOD right IN
front of the store. In n place swe,St
clear by the wlnd-that Is, 1t had becrl
a hcmlocl before It became one great
iazzllng emerald with pearly iciclos
hanging all over It.
When nigh! came. clear and perfect
y still and ,nky black, the rescue par
ty found 3. celebration going on the
Ike Of which had never been known.
The children had taken hundreds or
liners' candles from the store and
had wired them all ever the hemlocl;.
All the presents and the gilt ropes and
he other ornaments had been hung
lbSut the branches, and the candles
ishted.
Rhoda, half smothdred in furs and
tucked up ON a high scat, was mistress
IF ceremonies, while a ring Of singing
lancing children circled around the
uree, and In the background, all about
nc dense forest, shot back millions OF
sparks Of light.
Gein-aGed Attention.
Irene's mother was IN, and syT ma.
thizing visitors sat at her bedsl6, q. di.
rectlng all their attention to the I'm.
valid. The little girl stood " quietly
FOR a while, TN she could her r the neg.
lect no longer. Holding " her hand.
she began looking for SOD 2 injury. and
finding an imaginary U nee Of n for
gotten hurt, she excls med reproach.
fully "Yes, but look at me. l dot a
sore hngerI"
"
MabeFs o ID Reoteek