The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-09-23


pushes his dogs over the river trails
on the way in, is the elaboration with
which he proceeds to barter his hunt
when he has reached the fur post
1t was happy pair that were open
ing bundles of blankets, getting out
sugar and flour, tea and tobacco, from
the store-room-filling the shelves with
the trade goods of the company.
"Ah-hah! Wat g0in' on out dere"
Etienne looked from window. DE
mail ees commit" he cried, and slip
ping on his parka, went out followed
by Garth.
The Albany mail! Garth Guthrie's
thoughts were a medley of surmlses,
questions. hopes, Letters from home
There would be little from his family
Ethel, that would bring cheer to
an exile's Christmas. But the letter
which a girl on the moOnlit shore of
the Albany had promised to send
him-had she remembered? AS he
passed the tipis on his way to the
chattering people on the shore, his
heart was quick with expectation
hope. After the disapprOval - re-
proach, of home letters, the letter
from Joan Quarter would come like
the sun breaking through the cloud
canopy of the bay. But If she had
forgotten? AS he joined Etienne and
Marie, the possibility of there being
no letter on the sled behind the four
Ungava huskies galloping in to Elk
wan to the shouts of the Crees, made
him set his finger nails in the palm
Of his hands.
Up at his quarters, the little Christ
mas spruce waited on a table-for her
letter-his Christmas. Should it wait
in vain?
In the trade-room Garth opened the
mail bag with nervous fingers. Clara's
familiar hand, company mail from
Cameron, two from Ethel, pale blue
He heard the hamUering of his heart
as he fumbled for, and drew out, the
last envelopes in the bag. One from
an old army friend, another from his
colonel, third! Slowly he slid the
folded paper from the one beneath
the last, as he doubtfully shook his
head, numb with disappointment.
He looked! A strange hand-a
woman's Hers! She had kept her
word to the exile.
In his joy Garth sought the privacy
of the rear of the counter to read Joan
Quarters letter. Then he remem-
bered. He had said it was to hang
from the tree, to be read last, on
Christmas day. Tucking it into the
shirt beneath his coat, he put the
others in q pocket and Joined Etienne
and the hungry dog-runner, who wait
ed for Marie's dinner.
After all, it was to be happy
Christmas. A trade beyond his hopes );
triumph over the schooner which lay
thirty miles away over the ice-and
word from the girl who faced so
dauntlessly with those unwavering
dark eyes. A Merry Christmas for
Garth Guthrie, come what might from
Charlie and Clara-and Ethel. From
Ethel, what?
On Christmas eve he stood in his
living room with old Anne, before the
little spruce, brave with worsted and
colored paper and bits of lighted can
die. On the tree hung colored bags
and at its foot were small parcels tied
with gaudy Christmas ribbon. On the
topmost twig was letter.
"You told them, Anne?" he asked
the grinning squaw, proud in her best
wool dress, her raven hair coquettish-
ly circled by huge pink ribbon-a gift
of Garth's, cherished for ceremonies
like the present.
"Ah-hah," chuckled the faithful
Cree. "Dey come soon, now. Marie,
she rub dem chil's face till dey shine
lax de moon"
Garth and Shot simultaneously
sprang to the door to welcome the
comedy Marie, leading her excited
brood of six, with the grinning Etienne
as rear guard.
Merry Christmas, Marie! Jean !
Yvonne" he cried, fairly dragging the
giggling and embarrassed children in
to the house. "Ah, Monsieur Etienne
Savanna, friend Of Mcdonald Ha!
Hal, is also with us tonight"
With his audience seated, Garth
proceeded to divide the gifts he had
ordered the previous year from lower
Canada. For each of the children was
bag of candy, which was opened
with wide-eyed curiosity and grins of
delight. And, as the sweet tooth of
grown-ups is also highly developed in
the North. Marie and Anne, who had
not been forgotten, swiftly evidenced
their appreciation of good candy by
joining the children in their munching.
Then the toys in packages marked
with the children's names were given
out. There remained dress each for
Marie and Anne, and Ross sporting
rifle for the delighted Etienne.
In the heart of the Santa Claus OF
Elkwan, the pleasure lighting the
dark faces of his friends at his unex-
pected gifts reacted MANIFOLD. Be
sides, at the top of the tree, his own
Christmas waited his eager eyes.
When with much hustle and chat
ter his friends returned to their
cabin and old Anne left him, Garth
sat down to read the letters from
home. The first opened was his
brothers, which ran as follows:
IF L had been told that my own
brother was to disgrace himself as
you have seen fit to do up there on
James bay, 1 should have knocked
down the liar who said it. We under
stand now your strange refusal to re-
turn home, your Indifference to Ethel
and the business. Professor Quarter