The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-27

,vhi,l;nr snowfIakes dance the mer-
,,ar Nyr,ads of twinkliny stars
scn, Down their tiny light to guide
inc footstcns of those who would
,,bo,yieo bavc had to walk in dark
moss
puninp ON his cigar and hurrying
onward John Graham, warden of the
state pcnitcntiarv hattlcd with the
elements It's nasty night to be
out he sand to himself, AS a gust OF
wind came around the corner almost
lnorkiur him down. But promised
lack mat | would deliver his message
and Two got to do it. although it will
n,Ac Christmas sad for his little
famiI,
Related Christmas shoppers hur-
,,pd TO and fro. each with his arms
u.Il laden with packages. As Ora
ham turned from the lighted street
io = dark one he said: Il must be
almost there. the stationmaStcr said
if was only a few blocks. Too bad
couldn't find 4 taxi. I'd have been
thcrr IN 4 jify."
lust then the moon came from be-
hlnd a dark cloud and he saw just
before him a tinv lighted cottage
''This must be the house, he thought
Entering the gate he made his way
to the door and raped The door
was opened By tiny girl about three
wears old. Long golden curls yelled
ber owes AS She said; "Is 90 Mister
Santa Claus >"
mo dear. [ am not Santa Claus"
renlied the stranger, "but some one
/, see vour mamma. A woman hur-
ricd into the room. Jeanne" she
said "what is it dear? "A man to
soc YOU. mamma" rcpied the child
At the woman's bidding Graham en-
tered the room, coy and neat, but
plainly showing the evidences of pow
,rtv
madam" he said Il am the war
den of the pcnitcntiary, and | have
brought you Il letter from your hus
band"
"Thcu lack iS--dead ~ eyes an
swcrcd tho man. and has been for
week. It was his wish that he be
buried in the prison graveyard. But,
here is the letter"
She opcncd the missjvc and read:
"poar NolI.
"Whcn Won ret this I will no long
cr he among the living. [ am sending
This Inv Jobu Graham the wbitest man
that bavc over met. have caused
Won so much trouble that | do not
want /, make more. so | am asking
them to bury me here and not tell
Won about il until it's all over. Kiss
Jeanne for me. and trv to forget that
tbero eyer was such 4 scoundrel as
JacLp Tc,re tr;cklod down the wo-
man. face "poor lack" she said.
"And vet remembering everything,
cannot saw am sorry. But, maybe
Won do not know NV story"
Graham smiled "No." he answer
ed "Jack did not tell me a great deal
about his affairs: he merely asked me
TO deliver his message when he was
rorn"
,Jt has now becn over four wears
since first met the man who later
became NV husband" the woman be
m,n 81 was = care free and lirht
hearted girl inst turned eighteen. A
brother of nv classmate came home
from collere for the Christmas vaca-
ton. bringing lack HASTINGS. a col
legc chum with him. | suppose it was
what some would call love at first
sipht for three months later we were
married. | cannot tell YOU how hap
nv | was during those first months
though NV home was a wee corner
taken out of Heaven itself. But. such
bappiness cannot last"
"Onc evening Jack told me that
his stenorrapher. Miss.Brown was to
be married within n short time and
he was looking for someone to fill
her place do not know lust where
Evelyn Vance came from. but | felt
from the first, a sharp distrust of
her She applied for and rot the
position of stcnoprapher to Jack. and
right tbon the trouhlc heran
81 was not able to 90 about much
at that time. and it was only through
some friends that | learned that nv
husband was freouentIv seen with
her at questionable places.
Little Jeanne was three DAYS old
when the blow fell, Jack had elopcd
with his charmcr. and | was left with
a hcInless babe practicallv nenniless
II wa no great surprise when few
months later | learned that lack had
been arrested for forperv, and Eve
lvn grown tired of him had soupht
r I L ,l.L; -
And now. Won tell me he is dead"
yes. answered Graham. "Rut he
added II do not want Won to think