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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1890)
8 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE ; THUKSDA/y , DECEMBER 18 , 1S90.-TWELVE PAGES , OimiBTMAS IH A WAGON. Youths' Compnnhm : A Bhort procos- ion of roughly-dressed miners , together with a few end-faced women , came slowly nnd quietly down the rocky nnd narrow trait loading from a llttlo gtajip of gloomy nnd stunted pines to n dozen or moro amiill log houses , and thrco or four tents hnlf-wuy bptnoon the summit of a lofty nnd dosolnto rocky mountain and the narrow nnd barren gulch bolow. Ono of the women led by the hand a llttlo girl of flvoor six years , on whoso face there wns the questioning und sober ook of ton soon on the faces of children too young to understand what death means , but old enough to bs awed Into silent wonder by Its presence. Bohlnd the woman and child there wnlkod a stoutly built nnd manly-look ing boy of nbout seventeen years , who had given his nrm to a slender , palo- faced girl of fifteen. There were tears In Iholr eyes , und in Iho eyes of the women who had just soon the father of * 5 the children laid In his grave under the ! small group of plnos. Tholr mother had dtod the spring before - ( fore , and tholr father , always a restless , * wandering man , had strayed from mln- J Ing camp to mining camp , anil hud ' reached Camp Fancy but four weeks bo f fore his death. Now his children were J . alone in the world , their only friend * I the few poor minors who were almost ; , Btrangors to thorn , tholr only homo' jj dilapidate ; ! wagon , with -ragged c.m- k vns cover and an equally ragged llttlo * tent , while tholr only fortune w.is a few silver dollars In the boy's pockot. Tholr lot could not Invo boon cast in a drearier or more unpromising place than Camp Fancy a Imlf-dosortud and do- prosslngiy desolate hamlet half-way up the barren sldo of a rocky mountain , ton miles from the nearest town , and ten times as far from the nearest railroad. Us Iwo or three promising mines had gone through the process vulgarly called "petering out , " nndithin a few weeks the camp would bo wholly abandoned. The Haydcns had temporarily taken up their icbidenco in a deserted cabin. , The night nfter the dny on which tholr fnthor was buried , Louis nnd Huldnh Hnydcn sat before the sparkling fire , and soberly discussed tholr future , while Nellie , the llttlo girl , slept peacefully on her bunk filled with pine boughs und buffalo skins in a corner of the cabin. "Wo can't ' stay here , that's certain , ' ' Bald Louis , decidedly. "I don't wnnt to stay , " replied Hul dah. dah."Nor "Nor I , " said Louis. "I'm sick of the mountains. " "Then yon don't ' mean to bo a pros pector , llko father"quoslloncd the girl. "No , I won't. It don't pay. It kept fnthor poor all his life , und I'vo ' often heard mother say she was worn out wan dering round from place to place , and _ never having any place she could call homo. " "Yes , I know , " said Huldnh , with a Blgh. "I wish wo could , have a homo , Bomowhoro , Louis. " "Wo will , but not horo. I wnnt to go back cust to the places I'vo henrd mother und father talk about , and I'm going. " "How ? " "In the wagon. It's the only wny. Wo hnvon't money to go on the curs. Father nnd mother came out here In a wagon fifteen years ago and I guess wo can go back the same way. " "I don't see why wo can't , even if folks don't travel much that way nowa days. If only Old Charley will hold out to got us Ihoro. " Old Charley wns n bony nnd feeble horse , tied nt that moment to a wheel of the cart outside. Ho hud accompanied the Haydons in nil tholr wanderings tor the past ton yours , nnd had drawn the wagon from gulch to gulch und camp to camp. Poorly fed and seldom housed from summer rains and winter snowshis hardships hud boon many. By 0 o'clock the next morning Louis hnd Old Charley hitched to the wngon , In wh ich tholr few poor possessions hnd boon pluccd. A few of the kind-honrtcd minors nnd tholr wives gnthercd around the wngon to say good-by to the chil dren and to wish them good luck. An hour later Louis drove Old Charley around a sharp curve in the mountain road , and they saw the half-deserted log houses nnd touts of Camp Funoy no moro. A cold wind was coming up from the gulch , and there were a few fine tlnkos of enow whirling in the nlr , but the young emigrants honed to find 11 warmer with each descending milo , nstho autumn had been nn unusually mild ono. As they drove along with llttlo Nell Ecatcd between them , wrapped in a great buffalo robe , Louis and Huldah discussed tholr prospects. They were strangely ignorant regard ing the names nnd whereabouts of any of tholr relatives. Their information wns confined to vnguo nnd indefinite re membrances of of the fnct that "ma had a sister in Iowa " and "pa hud u brother In Kansas. " They had heard of Aunt Mary living "somewhere In Missouri , " nnd of an Uncle Hnrvoy in Ohio , but their mother hnd boon much too busy to write , and their fnthor hud BO fur lost track of his own people that of lute yours the did not know where nny of his four brothers or sisters lived if they Blill lived , nnd his children felt themselves to bo utterly alone nnd friendless in the world. But Louis hnd grown a manly , cour- Bgcnts boy , and hardship hnd uiudo Hul dah old nnd wise beyond her years. "We'll got along uomo way , I reckon , " ho eald hopefully. They had now gene well down the rocky trail into the gulch , overhung with resinous pines and noisy with the eplnshlng of the narrow mountain stream , along the banks of which thin edges of ice had formed during the night. "My idea Is to go us far east ns wo can before winter sots In in earnest , and then stop until spring nt some town Where I can lind work. Perhaps you Baking DMA lu millon ot no iOXeantboBttadvd. MOUSE'S. SILVER TEfl SERVICE * , * $10,00 ' - , . ; . "We have only a few of these left for Thurs day and possibly Friday. Think of it , quad ruple plate creamer and spoonholder , gold lined whole set , at $1O. FIFTH DOLLS FLOOR Dolls in this lot 14 inches long , hand some faces , blond hair ; your choice on a table at lOc. Dolls. A special counter on which we have put dolls invariably sold at .BOc. DOLLS Large , beautiful dolls that are worth 7Sc to $1.OO. PARLOR.S. We have opened' a doll parlor on the fifth leer with. a handsomely fitted parlor of fine French dolls. Bring your children' to see it. Open till 9 o'clock. FIFTH FLOOR Billy Bumps , Literary Salad , My Wife and [ , Yankee Peddler , County Auction , Pyramid Puzzle , all worth 28e. Sl.OO QAMEXS. Game of "War , Chivalry , Innocents Abroad , Combmation Board , Hong Kong and Loto , Rex , Royal Arabia , Spanish Main , Office Boy , Brooklyn Bridge. Printing Presses , $1.25 , $2 , $3 , $4 and $6. Writing Desks , $1.25 , $1.75 and $2.5O. Send mail orders. THE MORSE DRY GOODS CO. and Nell can go to school for a few months. I'vo heard mother tell how there was places in Kansas where a fol low can get good farming land frco from the government. I think I'll bo a farmer. I know I'd llko it from what I'vo hoard about that kind of a life. " So they journeyed on down mountain slopes' nnd through long canons until they came out among the low foot-hills , and for the first times In tholr lives , looked out across the wide , unbroken plain that stretched toward the east. It was now' November. The season had boon a warm ono. The prairie before fore them was free from snow ; the days were sunny , nnd the nights not too cold for them to sleep comfortably in the wagon. So they started across the plains , a forlorn little company. Tholr woll-nigh disabled wngon , the horse's too prominent bones , nnd the peculiur- ities of their appearance and method of travel excited both interest and amuse ment In the towns through which they passed. The horse grow bonier nnd moro foo- bio us tholr journey grow longer. They had to travel very slowly. There were some days when Old Charley wtis too Inmo and too tired to carry them on at all. On such days they had a dreary time sitting around the camp-fire or In the wngon while the December wind swept across the plains unbroken by hill or tree. Tholr small store of money grow smullor from day to day , ns they pur chased the food they must have at the widely scattered ranch houses and In the shabby villages through which they passed on their journey whither they know not. At each village Louis tried to find employment , but always unsuccessfully. But often , when they encamped near a town or farm house , curious-minded but kind-hearted men and women came out to the wngon and the children wont on their way with gifts of food and cloth ing , and often they found shelter at night nnd on stormy days ia hospitable ranch-houses. It was the day before Christmas that they found themselves facing a strong , cola wind from the north , as they drove toward a little town far In the distance , but plainly visible in that flat and almost trcoloss country. The wind Happed the ragged cover of the wagon us it rattled along ever the frozen ground , and late in the day flalcos of snow bngun flying In at the opoa front of the wagon , Old Charley walked elowly nnd un steadily along , while Louis sat on the front scat holding the lines la his chilled hands. Huldah and little Nell sat on the straw in the back part of tht > wagon , warmly wrapped In uuCfalo and boar eklns , of which , fortunately , they hud a good supply , Nell was a llpht-licartcd llttlo crea ture , even utnld her dlsmnl surround ings , nnd once her curly head , tied up in a rod nubia , appeared above the of robes in which she sat , as she said , "Say , Louie ? " "Well ? " ho replied. "Is tomorrow Chribtmns ? " "Yes. " "O , goody ! " Louis and Huldah were silent. There were tears in both their eyes , for , poor as their parents had always been , they had always made much of Christmas , "saving up" for it for weeks beforehand. Only last Christmas they had had a tree , the memory of which made llttlo Noll's eyes sparkle und her cheeks glow , nlthongh it had been only a poor llttlo tree , after all , strung with popcorn , and and having fewer things on it than many children find in one of their stock ings.With With the tree still In mind , Nell nskod : "We'll have another tree , won't wo , Louie ? " "I I I'm afraid not. " "Nor nothing in my stocking ? " Louis thought of the thrco or four small plocos of silver , in the pocket of his ragged vest. It was the last of tholr money , but ho said , as choorlly as ho could , "Yos , yes , llttlo ono ; you shall have something in your blocking , any how. " "Can't wo even have a llttlo toonty- tonty tree ? " "l''ll see , dour. " "Ain't there any old Mr. Santa Claus In this country ? " "I guess so. " , "Well , you must send him a letter hs soon ns wo got to that town , and toll him I want a Irco , a big tree , with 40,000 bushels of things on it , nnd I shall go right to work now nnd pray real hard for what I wnnt most What shall I pray for for you , Louie ? " "O , nothing. " "What , not oven some morlnssoB candy ? " "O yes , I'd llko that. " "Well , I'll ask for that for you , nnd for a lovely blue silk drc&s nnd a porlannoto make music on for Huldnh. " There was sllonco for a long time after that. The short , dull day was ending In gloomy dnrkncss when they rcnched the outskirts of the litllo town. They un hitched Old Charley on the low bank of n litllo stream a short distance from the nearest house. The wind had gonn down. A light snow was falling , and it was warmer. Louis built a flro , and while ho went to the town for a loaf of broad Huldah made ten. After tholr frugal supper wna oaten there wus nothing left for them tc do but to "anugglo up"ns Nelllo said , in the buffalo robes and straw in the wagon and go to Bleep. Before she lay flown for the night the little girl wont to ono end of the wagon anil pinned a pair of her ragged Blockings tc the outsldo of the wagon covor. "Thoro now. " she said , when this wnt done to her suusfacllon , "It won't bo the lousiest bit of trouble lor Santy Claus U stop here on his way to Iho town , and lu $1.8O up to > $3.OO These sleds are practically indestructable ; are all iron and steel except the wood top. $1.50 $ The strongest sled made. All iron except the seat. Mail Orders Filled Morse Dry Goods Co. TOILET SETS. . Men's Collar a.ncl Guff Bonces in. 95c , $1.50 , $1.75 JUST ONEX-HAL.R SHOO FLYS , 50c Another lot Thursday at BOc. Don't miss one of these. TOY DISHES Special bargains in little girls' tea and. dinner sets at 5c , 10c , 25c up to l/ELOGIPEDES. / * Boys' Velocipedes , a large assprtment on which , we have cut the prices in half. 25 CENT TABL Visit this on the fifth floor. - You will find Dolls , Toys , etc. , that are worth 50c to 75c , and some $1 $1.50 articles on it. Morse's 16th and Farnam. can fill my stockings without oven gct- ing out of his sleigh. " Louis nnd Zlulaah sat silent around the camp-flro , looking tit the pair of empty stockings dangling from the pins that hold them. Suddenly the boy said , "Wo ain't got but forty cents in the world , Iluldali , but I'd rather spend it all than have her get up In the morn- iug and find them stockings empty. " "So would I , " replied the girl , prompt ly. "I couldn't bear to have her lind nothing at nil in thorn. " "I reckon she'd sleep sound enough nnd not waken if you and I wont up into the town nnd bought her something for her stockings. " "Oh yes ; she never opens her eyes after She once gets to sleep , and there's no danger of her coming to harm horo. " So , after seeing that Nellie was well covered under the robes , nhd the wngon cover closely drawn in front nnd behind , Louis and Huldah walked up the ono un- llghtcd street of the dreary little town , In which there was no sign of Christmas chcor. There was but thrco or four stores , and th6 Christmas toys on sale were few and poor. But they seemed grand and abundant to this boy and girl , who had lived all tholr Uvos in moun tain gulches and on mountain tops. They bought a largo yellow orange and a tin lamb on wheels , and then wont up the street until they came to the small wooden church in which wns a Ghristmns-treo for the chil dren of the town. A woman about to enter saw them trying to poop in at ono of the frosty windows , nnd asked thorn to go in with hor. They shlly accepted the invitation. They were .mistaken In tholr theory that no ono would go near the wagon while they were gono. Hardly had they entered the town , than there came rid ing swiftly and'boisterously across the plain n hilarious company of half a dozen horsemen of the class known throughout the west as cowboys. Tholr hilarity Is not always of the most agreeable sort and It is sometimes dangerous , particularly if it has been in spired by liquor. When they are sober they are not only kindly , but sometimes reckless , In tholr generosity. The men who now came riding across the snowy plain had not the best inten tions in visiting the llttlo town. There was a saloon of the lowest class just out side the village. The riders intended to make a visit to this saloon uf tor that no ono , not oven themselves , could say what form their festivities would take. The old wngon with its flopping cover attracted their attention as they came galloping along. They reined up their horsca before it und began joking gaily about its dilapidated appearance , the Btlll burning catnp-flro revealing its rickety and ragged condition. "That 'd Ire ji gay old rig to rldo up an'down Fifth uvonoo in woukm'tlti" ' said ono of the men. "It's scon mighty tough times , that's sure , " said another. "Wonder where the owner of such nn elegant outfit Is ? If ho ain't careful somobouy'll steal it. It niiit safe to lot valuables lie 'round loose In this country for well , I'll bo ever lastingly ding-fiddled look there ! " Ho pointed his whip at Nellie's stock ings us n sudden flume from the llro re vealed thorn Happing in the breezo. "If omoyoXmgstoralnt hung up itss lockings for Christinasl" The other men draw near. Ono or two of them dismounted , and ono tall , lank man , older than his companions , took ono of the stockings and felt of it.saying , "Well , old Santa Claus aint filled It yet and I don't reckon Hollol" Ho stopped back In surprise as a curly brown head was thrust from the rear of the wagon , und a childish volco ex claimed : "Arc you Mister Santa Glaus ? " The men on the horbcs laughed nnd onoof thorn said , ' 'She caught you that time , Cup. " "Well , who bo you , anyhow ? " asked the man addressed as Cap. "I'm ' Helen May Haydon. " " . bo ? Whore's all 0 you bo. you your folks ? " "I ain't got none , only just Louie nnd Huldah , and I s'poso they've gene off to hunt Santa Claua. Do you s'poso they'll find him ? ' "It's hard tollin' whether they will or not , What if they don't ' ? " The child's lips quivered nnd her volco trembled us she said , "then I s'poso my stockings ' 11 bo empty in the morning , and they nln't never boon empty aChrlstmusyot. " "Whoro'd from ? " you como , anyway "From the mountains way off yonder , " She thrust ono arm out and waved it toward the west in the darkness. "And your dad didn't como with you ? " "Ho couldn't ' ho's dead. " "Nor your murmV" "She's dead too. " "And there ain't nobody In the cart with you ) " "No mam nobody. " "Who's Louie and Huldnh ? " "My brother and sister and they're splendid. They'll find Santa Claus. Louie's got forty cents for him. I heard him toll Sis so. ' ' "Oh , ho has ? Well , I guess you'd bolter crawl back there und snuggle down among the bedclothes till they como buck. That's what you'd bettor do. Good night- " "Good night , mlstor ; if you see Santy Glaus you'll tell him 'bout ' my stock ings ? " "th ) yes. Good nlghtand Plooptlpht. " 'Good night. I wish you a merry Christmas. " The man mounted their horeos und rode nvyay in the darkness , the tall man called Cap dashing silently on ahead of the others. When Louis andHulduh returned they found llttlo Nell sleeping s peacefully us when they loft her. They put the MORSE'S. Lovely Christmas Gifts in Basement. OUR Everything that goes to furnish a din ing room or kitchen. HAVILAND CHINA. Six different decorations. arble CLOCKS A beautiful assortment of French anil American Murblo Clocksfrom $8 to $32. Onyx Clocks. Some of the newest designs in Mexi can Onyx Clocks nnd Candelabra. Till 9 O'clock. Rocking Horses , 5th Floor. Wo have an Immense issortmont that wo will sell at very low pricoa. Open Evenings until 9 O'clock. Ladies' Initial Handker'fe Unlaundried , hemstitched , corded border , hand embroidered , initials , in bundles , 0 for $1.60. Another lot , luun- dried , in Juncy boxes , finest quality lined cambric , six for $2. New Silverware Department open on Main Floor. MAIL ORDERS solicited and promptly filled. DICKENS' Complete Works $3.9B. A splendid edition of 15 volumos.pub- lishou nt $22.60.Vo have talcon our uook room for silverware and art goods , ana will close out books at cost. MORSE'S , i6th&Farnam orange into ono stocking and the toy lumb into the other , together with a llt tlo bag of candy that had boon given them at the church. They climbed up into the wngon and were soon sleeping by Noll's sldo thrco homeless young wnyfaiers under the Christmas skies. It was , after 10 o'clock when n man rode silently nnd slowly out from the town , casting linlf-furtivo glances back , as if fearingho might bo followed by some of the companions who had long ago mlfafacd him from their revels in the saloon. Ho had heard one of them como to the door and call after him as ho stole away , but they kno\y that ho was a man whom It was best for them not to lollow , so they went back to tholr cups , expect ing him to return soon. Ho rode straight to the wagon , dis mounted , and stood for n moment listen ing to make sure that all was silent within. Then ho cautiously tip toed near in the darkness , his arms and pockets full of bundles , lie filled the little stockings to the top , and tied the other bundles to a wheel of the cart. Then ho stood still for n few moments , his head bent forward nnd resting on the cart wheel. A moment later ho mounted his horse and rode u few rods in the direction of the town \vhoolingsuddonly and furiously around , ho dashed madly away In the darkness over the plain in the direction from whence ho and his com panions had como , while they waited in vain for his return. ' "I jest bet yo Cap's wont back to that there wagon , " said ono of the men. "lie's a queer ono , Is Cap. It alnt the first time I'vo knowcd him to act queer after running across Borne llttlo young ster , an' I b'lcovo there's something in that story I'vo hccrd 'bont him once havln'a little girl of his own , nnd her ma and her dyln' , nnd him boln' ' reck less over eonco. Ho'll bo sober for six months now. Die's a qucor ono , any how. " When morning came an a Loul climbed out of the wagon , ho gazed in opon-mouthed su.rprlso at the stockings and the wagon wheel below thorn. In ono stocking was the great doll ho nnd Iluldah had so wished they might buy the night before , and in ono of the bun dles were the dishes Iluldah had said llttlo Nell would " 'most go crusty over. " In the bottom of the stocking were twonty-fivo shining gold dollars in a buckskin purpo , while in the bundle were many good and useful things , They had not had such a breakfast for months , nnd Hnldnh said she should bo able to got up a "real Christmas dinner. " But In the midst of her preparations for it the good woman who hud Invited them to the church the night before found her way down to the wiigon nnd took thorn to her own comfortable llttlo house , nnd that was the end of tholr wanderings for that winter. A place for Louis wns found In ono of 100'boys' capo overcoats reduced frott S3 to $1.75 THE MOItSE DRY GOODS CO , All of our $1 and $5 overcoats rcducoi to $2.75 THE MORSE DRY GOODS CO , 100 boys' ' win tor luieo pant suits , ago" ! 5 to 13 , reduced from $1 to $2,95 TIT15 MORSE DRY GOODS CO. 200 pairs boys' heavy Unco pants rfl duced from 75c to to39c Also our entire stock of flno olothjnff consisting of dross suits , jersey suit * } kilt suits , boys' long punt suits MARKED DOWN. The Morse Dry Goods Co. THE MORSE DRY GOODS CO. Will offer this week in tholt" Men's Furnishing Goods Dep'tjj" ' " " * 200 dozen Men's Fine Infr tial Linen Handkerchiefs at 35c or $1.95 ' Per Half dozen In boxes. 50 dozen Men's Silk Initial Handkerchiefs , good size anqfl fine quality At 75 cents. Silk Mufflers , large size - $1.25 , Our Dollar Neckties for 50c Imported Smoking Jackets - $7.7 $ Silk Suspenders - $ lj' $ Lamb's Wool Lined Kid Gloves 75 centa Lamb's ' Wool Lined Kid Mitts$1 Seal Skin Caps - - $10tolSJ The Morse Dry Goods Co. * - > V JUR RIFLES Mail Orders Filled. Another lot of iho boys' match less air rifles , nickel plntod , flro G5 shots without reloading : comtt early to secure one. This gun is perfect in mechanism , is aa , curate , carries n B B shol Jirtttn proper euro will hist a lifetime. Securely packed , by ox ress , 82.CO. $2.50. MAIL ORDERS FILLED. Don't miss golting ono. You will bo moro than pleased with your purchase. It is not a useless tin gun , but a regular air rifle. the stores , and the kindly disposed people - , plo of the town , with true western nog ? | pitilIty , helped tlioin in so many ways i that the hardships of the past were soon. | forfjolton in what they regarded ns tha ' wonderful prosperity of the present. The llttlo town is a prosperous olty , now , nnd Louis Huydon Is onoof its most nctivo and successful .young buslnesi men. Ho has a homo of his own on tht > very spot on which ho nnd his sister * V , kept their Chrislmns in n wagon. ' Dr. Blrnoy euros catarrh , Boo bldfj. Wliero Artlflcliil Kyes Como From. , Artificial eyes are supplied to nil thf I world from Thuringla , Gormnny. Nonrl * nil the grown inhabltunts of some of the villages nro ciiRnged In their inunu- luro. Four men usually sit at u ta _ 1. each with n pns jot In front of him , nn the oycs nro blown from Lrus plates anu moulded Into shape by hand. The col ors are then traced In with small noooV leg , no faot rule being observed in this coloring ; nnd , ns every man usoa his own fancy , fie Iwo urliliciul eyes , therefor ! nro exactly alike. How Our Forefathers Mvod. Our forefathers had fewer Indoor oo- cupaliona than ourselves and moro ea > forced Idleness. They saw loss of society ! they depended more on homo rosourcoi for amusement. Iloino Iho pilgrim with his licensed exaggeration , the mlnstroli nnd the whole army of jesters , japori. dlsours jong lours , glconion , ribalds ana pollards all the tribe of those whora Pier Plowman calls "Satan's children * were welcome in the baronial hall. The Ordnr ol'llio Tdlstlc. The Order of thoThlHtlo has claimed , a very anclont date for Us foundatlon-fr - ovcn as far back as A. D. 800 ; but it wag cither restored or instituted by Jamet V. , 1610 , when ho with twelve knlghU completed the roll. It now consists o | the sovereign nnd sixteen members ; St. And low is its putron saint , and the color of its dl&tliicttvo ribbon IB durk green , The knights of this order are invariably Scotchmen. , ' The Antlpyroiio Ilulilt. Several physicians assort that the in. cronsointlio morphine habit Is cau&Vl by the UHO of the now febrifuge , imtlpy\ - rone. People who are inclined to experiment - * imont with modlclno , ospoclally younff women , tnko tinltpyrono until It loses lu curallvo power ; tiion they resort to mor * phi no. _ ThuSultcst IVatcr on Mnt-tli. The silltCMt ploco of water upon earth Is the Laho of Uruinlft , in Persia , sit- untcd more than four thousand footabovS tliu BOA level. It is much xaltor than tha Dead son , the water bolng found on niuilysls to contain iioarly " - per cent ol bitt. I ! Dr. Ulrnov curcu caiarrh , Boo bldjj ,