The Washington herald., 1922-02-12
Hill FOLK REJOICE
OVER XMAS TREE
GIFT OF JUNIORS
Pleasure of Grown-Ups
And Children Amply
Repaid Trip.
By ANNA r. VAN METER.

SAbe van Caitco my hNAe
Euids before we started on our six
teen-miie journey to Hindman,
where the Junior Red Cross Christ
mas tree was to be init will be
nigh on to mornin' befo' you git 20
Hindman on that nag. And say.
you better be pretty carefui-thsy
beer a-loEgin' up the creek and the
mudholes is pretty deep
We were pretty careful. but never
In all the years have been trsv-
cling have L had such . ride a.
that one. The ground was half
frozen: many Of the mudhoies were
more than knee deep; and the
weather was singing cold. Night
overlook US and my mag" was al
most done for by the time we
reached the foot Of the mountain.
We were all very cold. SO we dis
mounted and walked. which
warmed US and rested the horses.
Our caravan started on In the
moonlight up the road that wound
around the mountainside TO the
gap. Cold and hungry as We were.
we could not help stopping now and
then to look back. Way down the
valley the mist was lifting. and be-
low us the dark forests and wide
fields shone like silver in the clear
light of the moon. We finally
reached Hindman about 10 o'clock
that night.
The next few days were very
busy. but after two ten-mIIe rides
to Watts Schoolhouse, where the
tree was to be, all arrangements
were completed and the afternoon
OF Christmas Eve was selected for
the entertainment.
Because of the weather condi-
tons and the condition Of the roads
at this time Of the year, mail is
very uncertain. BY December 81
the only package that had arrived
was q box Of lovely dressed dolls
Upon inquiring at the postofice !
| was told by the postmaster that
the man who was hauling the maiI
was doing the very best he could
under the circumstances. The post
master also told me there were be-
| tween eight and nine thousand
| pounds of parcel post waiting to
be hauled in and the driver had
promised TO have every pound in
Hindman by Christmas Eve
This delay in getting the mail
meant the changing OF all our
plans. but one soon becomes sc-
| customed TO the necessity OF sud
den changing of plans when work
ing in remote districts 1t does not
take long for a message to travel
TO every home in a community. so
word was sent to the school teacher
that the Christmas tree was post
poned until December %.
The young boys and girls. under
the direction OF the teacher, cut the
evergreens. put up the tree. and
decorated the schoolhouse. By De-
Fcember IS the gifts from the juniors
Of Indiana and Kentucky had ar
rived. and in the afternoon a wagon
house for the boxes containing the
presents.
EARLY in the morning Of Deem
Der es-and a very cold morning 3,
was. tool was on my way to the
schoolhouse. As i neared the COM
munity. 1 passed girls and boys on
their way to see the Christina:
tree. Some were walking. others
riding. double and single. Whole
families were on their way. the
children being carried through the
mud by their fathers and mothers
| Many of them had been travelling
since before sunrise over the rough
mountain roads where the wind cut
like a knife. BY IL o'clock the lit
tie schoolhouse was crowded and
many were standing out in the cold,
about the door and in the yard.
oh. how l wish IL were possible
that every person who even m the
smallest way helped to make this
Christmas tree a possibility. could
have been there to see the pleasure
| II gave the older people as well as
the children! To their unaccus-
toned eyes the tree wss like a shin
ing dream, with its colored balls
and tinsel sparkling against the
dark background OF evergreen and
| fr. And the gifts! Dolls and books,
candy and nuts, scrapbooks. all
sorts Of garments, and toys OF all
descriptions hung from the glitter
ing branches OF the tree. The
memory of this bit Of Junior love
and service was kept warm and
| glowing in many a grateful heart.