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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1901)
vv ( aa ft a V X "MA ... i v v r w " 11 v r TRe:iiiiii Ono star burned low within tho darkened east, . And from a stable door an answering Crept faintly forth, where through full hours of night , A woman watched. Tho sounds of day had censed, . ,, And savo tho gentle tread of restless heaat 4i There, dwelt a hush profound. The moth er's sight . . , . , So holden by her Babe took no affright When shadows of tho beams, that caught tho least A. Of light, seemed shapened to a lengthen ing cross; She only saw a crown mado by n. fleece Of golden hair. Naught presaged pain or Iobs To her, tho pivot of tho swinging sphere Lay sheltered In her arms so warm and near: A mother's heart proclaimed Illm "Prlnco of Peace 1" Edna A. Foster. o was such an un kempt, ead looking crcaturo when ho presented .himself at tho back door t h n t Christmas morning asking for something to eat that Mary was more than half In clined to disobey SvSitho rule of the Tracy household, which stood good at all seasons of the year as well as at Yuletldo, and rofUBO his re quest. Before sho could do so, how over, ?lrs. Tracy hersolf came Into tho kitchen, and, with scant show of hos pitality, Mary allowed tho tramp to enter. Sho had always secretly grumbled because Mrs. Tracy would allow no one to bo turned away hungry, and to day thoro was no excuso, for tho fam ly had just finished breakfast and there was plenty of food loft to give the man a substantial meal. "Qoln to como and rob the house to-night, llko'smot," was Mary's In ward comment as sho put tho coffee pot on tho stove, and sho watched the man narrowly to seo It ho wero mak ing a mental plan of tho houso, but her suspected burglar did not once look up from tho lloor as ho sat ner vously twirling his hat. "He's young and able to work," Mary soliloquized, as she bustled to and fro putting eatables on ono end of tho kitchen table. "Might bo tol erable good lookln', too, If ho was shaved and dressed up and washed." "There!" sho snapped, setting a cup VoC coffee down on tho tablo with as much forco ns sho could without spill ing Its contents. MYouAyJJt,iial's sot." Tho man, scarcely raising his eyes, dropped his hat and hitched his chair near tho table. .Timf nn lin pnirflrtv plutnlinil ihn of fragrant coffee, a door opened, a pair of merry blue eyes peered Into tho kltchon and a shrill llttlo voice piped out, "Hollo, man, morry Christmas!" Tho "man" started, shifted uneasily In his chair, but mado no reply. Un daunted by his chilling reception, tho door was burst open, and a golden haired Httlo boy burst into tho room. With the unquestioning confidence of childhood, ho walked up to tho stranger and said gravely, "I said merry Christmas." "nun into the" other room, Donald," Mcry put in hastily. The man shot a half-deflant glance at her, but did not look at tho child. "I don't want to," tho llttlo fellow replied. "He's company, and mamma aid I could 'tain him. I brlnged tho new Mothor Doose book dat I dot from Bantn Claus to show he," and, push ing a chair close to the table, from It be mounted the end of tho table opposite the man, and sat there like a iweot, rosy cherub observing some dark spirit ' Tho tramp, who seemed almost - tarnished, paused just long enough, to im mmm MB I IS m look wonderlngly at his strango llttlo companion, and then gavo his full at tention to tho meal. 'Don't you want to talk?" Donald demanded. 'I'm not nt that is, 'er, I don't know how to talk to such a llttlo kid," tho man nnswercd. 'All right, I gucs3 you want to eat," tho child observed, graciously. "I guess I'll read to you," opening tho book ho was holding in his arms. "You know Mothor Oooso. don't you?" Tho man shook his head, but some thing like a smile flitted across his sullen features. "Well, I'll show you tho pictures and read you 'bout 'em. This one," and Donald slid along tho tablo as near to tho man as tho dishes would al low, "this one is about 'Blue Boy.' I'll read 'bout him," and, In a chanting, high-pitched volco, he repeated tho rhymo of "Llttlo Boy Blue' "Did you over sleep under i bay mow?" ho asked, suddenly, nt the con clusion of his recitation. Tho man frowned slightly at tho childish query, bit his Hp and nodded his bead. "Was It ntco?" went on his Inter rogator. "Did your mamma let you?" Tho man's lower lip wa3 pressed cruelly by bin teeth at thl3 question, but a surly Bhake of his head was lfls only reply. "Oh, was you naughty nntl runned away?" tho boy asked, slowly. Had Mary been an obsorvlng girl, sho would have seen, under tho scrubby beard and grlmo on tho hag gard faco, a dull red flush spread to tho roots of his shaggy, neglected hair, "Didn't your mamma como to look for you?" continued tho little tor mentor. "Sho didn't know whero I was.V tho tramp answered, in a strango, muffled voice. ;Then you hided from her!" ex claimed the child, with bluo oyqcs wldo open. Tho man was looking out of tho window now, forgetful of his good breakfast "I Was naughty onco and runned away," Donald prattled on, "and whon my mamma found mo sho was just awful glad, but she cried, too wasn't that funny? And she said mothers was always glad when they got their boys back, oven when they was big and runned awful far off, 'strayed into the paths' I forgot Just what that part was, but sho said I must always como back to her an' an I don't "A DOOR OPENED." 'member any more, but I guess If you'd go back to your mamma sho'd forget tho naughty and bo glad. Do you think she'd cry?" The man cast one flerco look over his nhabby person. "Cry!" ho ex claimed, bitterly. "Oh " ho drew his breath hard between his teetfi ns tho sight of tho baby faco choked back the oath that nearly escaped him. "Isn't you goin to eat any more?" chirped tho llttlo fellow, with awak ened hospitality, noticing that his guest, sitting with his head on his hand, seemed to havo lost Jils appe tite. Tho child 8 volco roused him from his thoughts, and, seeing that Mary had paused in her work and was watching him curiously, ho asked humbly, "Can I have somo cotfeo?" Meanwhllo Donald way turning the pages of his book. "Hero's a funny plcturo," ho announced, pointing with his fat little finger, "but .It's 'bout a dreadful naughty boy. I'll read 'bout him," and, in n very solemn and Im pressive tone, ho repeated tho talo of "Tom, Tom, tho Piper's Son." "It's droadful bad to steal, you know," ho commented, gravely. "My mnramo says so, and, of courso, sho knows niammaB know most every thing, don't they? Onco what do you think? I stolo! I didn't steal a pig like Tom, but I stole some llttlo cakes, and my mamma talked to mo a long time, and she told me so many, things so I'd grow to bo a good man. Did your mamma want you to bo a good man, too?" Tho' man choked on a hasty cup of ccffco, but mado no reply. Donald did not scorn to expect one, but chatted on. "I whs 'frukl my mamma did not lovo mo any more when I stolo thoso cakes, 'cause sho looked so sorry, but," with a happy llttlo laugh, "seemed llko sho loved mo more'n over after; But I don't want to Bee hor look sorry llko that again, Did you over mako your tanmmn look sorry out of her eyes, you know?" A . smothered groan from tho stranger and, with a child's intuition of "something wrong," Docnld sought to chcor and console und said, reas suringly, "Well, you just go an' tell her you're sorry an' soo if sho don't bo glad and lovo you. I most know sho will." Tho mnn had ceased eating and sat motionless with his head bowed on hla breast until Mary approached and curtly asked If ho wore "dono catlnV "Yco," ho answered absently, and, looking wistfully at tho child, ho reached for his hat. "Is you goln' to boo your mamma?" questioned Donald, cagorly. "Yes, my llttlo man," enmo tho nn Bwcr, in a clear, ringing volco that mado Mary Jump and drop a basin That's Just whero I am going. But first, tell mo your namo." 'I'm llttlo Donald Robert Tracy, and my papa's big Donald Robort!" "Good-by, llttlo preacher. Yoirrt tho best ono I'vo over heard," and Just brushing tho golden head with his lips, tho tramp passed out of the door and went down tho street, not with tho slouching, hnng-dog air with which ho had approached tho houBO, but with head erect and shoulders squared, ho swung along with long, easy strides. "Of all tho ungrateful wrotchosl" exclaimed Mory, angrily, to Mrs. Tracy, who had slipped In through the half-opon door. "Ho nover even said 'thank you.'" Hor mistress did not seem to hear, but, with shining eyes, gathered hor llttlo son up In hor armB, and, as sho pressed him closoly to hor, sho whispered brokenly, "And a little child shall lead thorn." A year passed, and llttlo Donnld'i Ma4AU) VUU V UUil iVt 5UVVVU "YOU KNOW MOTHER GOOSE DON'T YOU?" by all savo Mrs. Tracy. Sho often won dered what fruit the' good seed sown by tho Innocent child last Christmas morning had borno. That ho had been God's chosen Instrument for working out somo great end, her gontlo heart never doubted. It was,f theroforo, a great pleasure and satisfaction to her to recelvo a long icuor irora tno "man." it was written from his homo in a far eastern city, and told, in a simplo, straight forward mannor, tho story of his down fall and how, moved by Donald's child ish prattle, ho had worked his way back home, resolved to begin life anow; how kind friends had holpod him and encouraged him, and how he was doing well at his old trado of bookbinding. "I was going from bad to worse," the letter ran, "and nothing Is easlor for a young follow to do, and tho road down to being a 'common tramp' is a short ono whon ono gets Btarted. Whon I camo to your houso that Christina morning I was bitter, hard and des perato. No ono living could have touched my heart as did that little bluc-oyod boy. His llttlo sermon, with its text taken from 'Mother Gooso, snatched this poor brand from the burning. Toll tho llttlo. chap thnt 1 found my mamma, and sho was glad as bo said." Accompanying tho letter was a pack- ago of Christmas gifts, addressed to Donald. Among othor things It con talncd n book n copy of "Mother Goose" exactly llko tho ono from which ho had "read" to tho man to '"tain him," exquisitely bound In whlto vellum. On tho cover In gold lottcrs wns Donald's name, and below It, "From his grateful Bluo Boy, jnri8tmas lbu ." In England children hang their stockings at tho foot of their beds. In America tho wholo family suspend their stockings from tho mmtolplece of tho sitting room, to savo Banta Claus tho trouble of ascending tto stairs and entering each room to distribute his wares. 7 ' "I heard a story latch', which I think Is very quccrj" . , . And "Robert's self wns on my lap, his lips were at my car "A dreadful, dreadful story" ft sudden, awnn pnuBo . 'Somebody said tho other day thoro alnt no Santa Claus. "Would you bcllcvo It. auntlot Thoy milrl 'twrm nil n. triple About tho tiny reindeer and tho visits of oaini nick. That all tho chimneys wero too small, mo stoves wero nil ion noi, And lotR of just such stuff as that, I can't remember wnat. "'Thoy said that years and years ago, with flre.placcs wide. And all tho doors upon tho latch In all tho countryside. Both old anil young for myths nnd dreams had quite a pretty passion, But now belief in Santa Claus had all gouo out of fashion. "And when I cried that I could provo 'twas all a wicked He, They only shrugged their shoulders nnd said I'd better try; I never will bellevo It, I know It can't bo truol For If I'vo nover seen him, say, nuntlo, haven't you?" Ah, yes. my llttlo questioner, qulto often In my drenmB, Though when I wake I only seo tho cold, white, still moonbeums; Dozing I often think I hear tho sound of horn nnd hoof, And waking 11ml tho elm-trco boughs a tapping on tho roof. But I havo other reasons than those plain to oyo and ear For trusting In tho Btory that wo hold so true and dear; I never shall outgrow Jt, nor loso my faith, becnuuo Tho wqrld will never got beyond a. need of Santa Claus. Ynuths' Companion. THE DAY OF DAYS. A thousnnd years hnvo como and gone, And near n thouimud more, Slnco happier light from heaven shone Than over shono before; And In the henrts of old und young A Joy moBt Joyful stirred, That sent such news from tonguo to tongue As earn had niivor heard. And wo nro glad, nnd wo will sing, As In the days of yoro; Como all, nnd hearts mado ready bring, To welcome back once moro The day when first on wintry enrth A summer chango began, And dawning on a lonely birth, Uprose tho Light of man. -T. T. Lynch. our travelers who wero snow-bound In a Western passenger train on Christ mns Evo speedily became acquainted with each other, and sat about tho stovo at tho ond ot tho car to "talk it over." Ono of tho mon was a drummer, another n cowboy, tho third a big cattleman, nnd tho last tho minis ter who tells tho story. Thoy Anally fell into conversation with a poor wo man nnd her two children, tho only re maining passengers, and found that tho mother, who had tried to maintain horself by sowing since her husband's death, was giving up tho unequal strug gle and going home to llvo with "grandma." The llttlo threadbare children had been promised a Joyous Christmas ttibro, and when thoy found that tho olockndo would prevent tholr getting farther, for tho presont, thoy cried Olttcrly until sleep quieted them. Just oeforo thoy dropped oft tho drummor remarked', "Say, parson, wo'vo got to glvo theso thlldrcn como Christmas." "That's whatl" said tho cowboy, "I'm agreed," added tho cattloman. Tho children wero told to hang up their stockings, "Wo atn't got none," qtinvored tho attle girl, "'ceptln thoso we've got ARK IF on, nnd ma says It's too cold to tnko 'em off." "I'vo got two pairs of now woolon socks," said tho cattleman, eagerly. "I ain't never woro om, and you ro wol como to 'cm." Tho children clapped their hands, but their faces fell when tho elder re marked: "But Santa Claus will know they'ro not bur stockings. He'll put in all tho things for you." "Lord lovo you!" roared tho burly cattleman. "Ho won't bring mo noth ln. Ono of us'll sit up, anyhow, and toll him It's for you." Then tho children knolt down on tho floor of tho car beside their Improvised be'ds. Instinctively tho hands ot tho mon went to their bends, nnd at tho first wordB ot "Now I lay mo," hats wero off. Tho cowboy stood twirling his hat, and looking at tho llttlo kneeling fig ures. Tho cattleman's vision seemed dimmed, while In tho oyes ot tho trav eling man shone a distant look a look across snow-flllod prairies to a warmly lighted homo. Tho children wero soon nslcop. Thon nroso tho question ot presents. "It don't soom to mo I'vo got any- "NOW I LAY ME" thing to glvo 'om," said tho cowboy, mournfully, "unless tho llttlo kid might llko my spurs. I'd glvo my gun to tho llttlo girl, though on general principles I don't llko to give up a gun.!' "Nover mind, boys," said tho drum mer, "you como nlong with mo to tho baggago car." So oft thoy trooped. Ho opened hU trunks and spread beforo them such an array of trash and trinkets us took away their breath, "There," said ho, "Jus pick out tho best things nnd I'll donato tho lot!" "No, you don't!" Bald tho cowboy. "I'm going to buy what I want and pay for It, too, or olso thoro nln't goln' to bo no Christmas round hero." "That's my Judgment, too," said tho cattloman, and tho minister agreed, So thoy sat down to their task of se lection, They spent hours over It in brcnthlesB interest, and when their gifts woro ready thoro nroBe tho quos- tlon of n Christmas tree. It had ston ped snowing, and tramping out into tho moonlit night, they cut down n groat plcco of sagc-briiBh. Tho mothor adorned It with tlnsol paper and the gifts wero prettily dlsposod, Christmas dawned for two of tho happiest chil dren undor tho sun, nnd a happy moth er, too, for Inside tho big plush album selected for her tho cattleman had slipped a hundred-dollar bill. After Clirlitumi. As a general thing nffectlonato fathers and mothers rojoico in tho hap plncss of their children, but tho rulo has its exceptions. "Is Mr. Smart at all given to drink?" Inquired a merchant, anxiously, ot his confidential clerk. "No, indeed!" wns tho decided nn Bwer, "Ho never touches n drop. But what put such a suspicion Into your mlnd7" "Why, I noticed thnt ho has been two hours lato for tho Inst thrco mornings, and ho looks for nil the world as If ho had been on a regular spreo." "Oh, that's all right," said tho clerk, "Ho gave IiIb boy a drum tor Christmas." A gift ot a fanoy bodockod box of candles Is nt all times a most wolcoino gift, and no bonbon enndlea nro very ox nonslvo to purchase In largo quantities and aro so caMly mndo.a few recipes for Christmas goodlcB may bo tiBoful to our renders. Years ago pco plo bollevod thiU candy was harmful, but that notion was sot aside; and it Is declared really beneficial of course, whon cnton at tho propor tlmo, In propor quantities and mado of puro materials. Homo-mado candles aro al ways puro, tho best materials aro used and tho cost Is much less than is paid for tho samo grade In tho stores, It Is a ntco plan to mako your own ChrlBtmas caudles, and you can Bond boxes away to your friends who will prize things mado for thorn much moro than anything bought To sond candles' awny thoy should bo mado to look as dainty nnd pretty as possible Fancy bctBkota can be cheaply bought that will bo pretty attor tho candy la used, and lined with waxed paper over a fringed inner lin ing or somo delicate colored tis sue paper. In packing plnco waxed paper between tho layers, nnd whon tho baskot la mica wrap tho edges ot tho lining paper over tho top bo that tho caudles aro covered, then gathor tho fringed tlssuo paper into a rosotto, nnd tlo with baby ribbon. In making peanut candy, to ovory half pint of shelled nnd blanched pea nuts uso ono cupful each ot molassoa or mignr. Boll together until tho mix- tttro Is brlttlo whon dropped into cold wntcr; then stir in tho half pint ot poanuta boforo taking from tho flro. Pour into buttered pane and mark oft into squares or lengths boforo It cools. Hickory nuts, English walnuts or al monds muy bo used in place of pea nuts. To blanch nuts Ib to removo tho flno skin which covers tho nut undor tho shell. This will easily rub off In pea nuts, but other nuts roqulro different treatment After removing tho shell cover tho nuts with boiling wator, and lot thorn Btnnd until tho dark akin will easily rub off, thon put them into cold water. Dry botwoen towols. , - I BP doubt If any class of mon in tho world appreciate their holidays so fully as mo juciticH. writes a re tired naval ofllcor. Tho llfo on board a warship Is at best very conflnod and nocessnrlly Etrlct and Bovore, Thcro is the suggestion of a prison In tho stool walls and narrow quarters and tho regularity of tho hours and meals. Tho llfo of tho jacklcs Is mado up almost entirely of work with very llttlo play. Wo learn to enjoy our Chrlstmases tho moro whon at last thoy como round. On Christmas, for onco In tho year at least, all rules, ot which thcro aro so many on board a battleship, are thrown to tho winds nnd tho Jackics aro glvon tho cntlro freedom of tho ship. Tho order which Is usually glv on them is that they can upend tho day exactly as thoy like, and tako any lib erties they choose short of blowing up tho ship. , it sometimes happens when tho ship is in Borno attractlvo port that the Bailors profor to spend tho day on land, and thoy aro of courso always granted leavo of absonce. It Is sel dom, howover, that tho ship is so de serted that tho cabins nre not for tho tlmo converted into a veritable pande monium. There Is no formal celebra tion of tho day ordorod by tho gov ernment. Tho Bailors aro simply giv en their liberty and thoy do the rest If a chaplain chances to bo on board tho day le opened with somo simplo religious services and thoro tho juris diction at tho captain may bo said to end. TlmURlitfoI fc'nnta. Kind old Santa Claus! IIo brings something ovon to tho bad little boys who go fishing on Sunday, PucJt. OIL I MSMii