The Chickasha daily express., December 24, 1900, Image 6

About The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current

Image provided by: Oklahoma Historical Society

                
S nuunnnV II
5NTHEB
Passenger train No. 2 was whirling
It load of humanity over the Mohavo
desert, a great, wide expanse of mid
mountain country whose parched
bosom has exposed many an uncanny
Becret of death from thirst and Indian
deviltry. Wearied with the monoto
nous view of treeless, waterless plains,
the passengers gladly welcomed the
approach of twilight. The sun went
down in an angry glare, outlining the
bare peaks of a far-away range In
fantastic forms, and gradually.as night
came on. there were more hopeful
signs of vegetation. It was the 24th
of December, and most of the passen
gers were imilding on spending a mer
ry Christmas in the favored spots of
the land of sunshine and flowers
California. Suddenly we heard the warning
shriek of the engine, and saw a scat
tered band of cattle flying away in
terror from either side of the trtack.
Again the engine shrieked, the train
jerked nervously and seemed to sway
uncertainly on its course.
The next moment we were bounding
along the ties in an uncomfortable and
terrifying manner. The cries of star
tled women were drowned in the roar
of escaping steam, and panic-stricken
men looked vainly for means of es
cape. A group of Mexicans, awakened
from sleep by the Jar, plunged head
long through an open window as
though the devil were after them. The
train finally spent its speed, and the
thoroughly frightened passengers
emerged to learn the number of the
dead and wounded, and to tender what
aid they could. The engine was com
pletely hidden in a great cloud of
steam, which marked its position about
half the length of the train. When
the steam Anally exhausted Itself, a
sad wreck was exposed. The tender
of the engine was upturned, and the
engineer sat upon a piece of wreckage
dazedly nursing an injured hand. Tin'
fireman was some distance away, his
hair and whiskers singed by the hot
outpour from the engine. Neither was
seriously injured, and not a passenger
was scratched. Beside the track, shiv
ering In the throes of death, lay a
handsome steer the cause of all the
trouble. His neck had oecn twisted by
a mad rush at the cowcatcher. As the
engineer's eyes fell upon ihe form of
the animal a smile of satisfaction
spread over his wan face, as he said:
"That critter must nave been in the
bull fights at some time in his career,
for when he spied that red flag yonder"
on the cowcatcher, be shook his head
viciously and refused to leave the track
with the rest of them. I slowed up
and whistled several times to give him
a chance, bnt he only snorted defiantly,
kicked his heels in the air and kept on
his stubborn course. Finally he turn
ed, and I opened the throttle wide,
thinking that the best method of
throwing him clear of the tack. With
an angry roar he came full at the en
gine, his head bent low to the track.
We all know the rest."
The steer at once bocame an object
of great Interest to the relic flend. One
man secured a horn and another cut
out a tooth, and the next day various
camera views were taken of the vali
ant animal that had wrecked a train.
We were twenty miles from the next
station, and the eastbound passenger
was due within an hour. Luckily a
telegraph operator was on the train
and the wires were hastily tapped so
that the dispatchers could be Inform
of the accident and bold the trains
both ways.
We passed a cheerless night on the
desert, and Christmas morning found
us a difvonsolat
dining car attai
ty. There was no
to the train, and
were not provided
railed at the 111
i them in so mis
ally, some of them
those travelers that i
with lunch baskets l
luck that bad placed
erable a plight. Finn
went on a foraging
expedition, and
down the tra. k a few miles they locit
ed a section house controlled by Mex
ican. Here they appeased their hun
ger on frljoles, chile con carne and
the other warm dishes of the natives.'
A wrecking train at length arrived on
the scene, but the work of repair was
slow and tedious. Several yards of
track bad been torn up, and It was
necoaeary to construct a "shoo-fly"
around the wreck. This took the
greater part of the day. Meanwhile
the passengers looked on in a helpless
way, and all vowed that they had never
passed a Christmas amid such desolate
surroundings. C. N. Stark.
For Christmas Giving.
The Hopkins family were out of
match boxes, and if there is one thing
on which the Independent and diverse
minded Hopkins family stands as a
unit It is that a match box be provided
tor every room. One by one the boxes
had disappeared The tin ones had
fallen to pieces and the china ones had
broken and for two weeks the Hopkins
family trotted to the saucer of matches
on the parlor mantel or to the paste
board bos in the kitchen when they
wanted a light Theii gas bill In
Lisasil perceptibly, tor with no much
trouble an It took to light the gas -one
RISTMAS
could not turn It off so instantaneous
ly as the gas companies have trained
householders into doing. Consequent
ly inquisitive neighbors from beneath
or above, or across the way, gossiped
over the amount of company the Hop
kinses seemed to be having lately, for
a regular glare of illumination stream
ed out nightly from their windows.
It was a queer thing that no one
seemed able to think of the family
necessity till twilight came. Then reg
ular remarks would be made, and Ma
rlon would blame Alice, and Alice
would ask Tom why In the world he
couldn't take a little responsibility,
and Mr. Hopkins would inquire of his
wife if there was no one in the family
who could so surety for the appearance
of some match boxes by the next even
ing. And then next day Alice would
come home from down town and her
mother would ask her If she had re
membered the match boxes, and blank
Is too feeble a word to describe the
expression of her face on those several
occasions.
For two weeks they said things un
der their breaths In the luky dark
ness, or burned gas recklessly. Then
one morning Marion departed for her
semi-weekly music lesson down town
and said the same old thing -"I'm go
ing to get some match boxes today"
and her mother smiled Jiatlently and
replied: "If you should happen to re
member it, dear, you might get the
whole number eight"
That noon Alice came home from
the nortij side, where she had been
staying for a few days, and laid a par
cel triumphantly iu her mother's lap.
"I didn't even have them sent out,"
she said, gleefully. "I was -a deter
mined to have them here tonight. I
was Just getting on a car and hap
pened to think of them by seeing a
man light his cigar, so I got off. There
are eight of them."
Mrs. Hopkins wa3 properly glad and
they laughed together over Marlon's
declaration that morning, and of how
for the last time they would call that
blatik'ejprtssloii Into play before they
showed her that tome one In the fam
ily. iMtV at lit t remembered, lly and
she called.
"The
"Sixteen match boxes," said Mrs.
Hopkins, with, resignation. "Choose
the prettiest, girls, and we'll put the
rest away for another such emer
gency." That eveuinjf Mr. Hopkins came In
with his face wreathed in smiles.
"The young fry are so hot-headed
these days," he remarked, as he com
placently laid a knobby bundle in his
wife's lap. "I'm sorry for Tom."
What abaut Tom?" asked Mrs.
Hopkins, as she felt suspiciously of the
package.
"We had started home together,"
said Tom's father, the keenest enjoy
ment In his voice, "and were up to
Van Buren, when Tom Jumped up and
made for the p:atform. I called to him
and he yelled back Match boxe!' and
shot out the door. I tried to get to
THEN HIS EYE FELL ON THE
TABLE.
mtro to tell him that I'd got the batch,
but he was gone. What's the matter?
Didn't I get enough?"
Alien exerted herself feverishly to
get the twenty-four receptacles ar
ranged on a table before Tom's arrival,
and when Tom came he didn't for a
minute understand his reception. Then
hit eye fe.l on the tableful of distorted
shapes and he slowly added his quota
to the general contribution, while his
father gave an impromptu lecture on
haste vs. waste. The Hopkins family
have concluded to give match boxen
(or Ch.lstmas presents this mar.
A L
W
Since you cannot, win
dear.
Give your tricksy honrt.
Let me murmur In your ear
joy you may Impart.
Write to kind old Santa Claus
Plead as I would woo
Bag him Just to send to me
Christmas dream of yon.
Some people are willing to be good if
paid for It and others ar good for
nothing
Scaring Santa Claw.
Ton afraid of Santa Claus? Goodness
me, I'm not! ,
I'd. lots too big to let him make me
scared,
Sides, a year ago I saw him, right on
Christmas eve.
So now he wouldn't scold me if he
dared!
Yes, slrree! He's big an' fat, like his
pictures are:
An' I was sittin' by the chimley, too
When he lit rieht on the hearth, shook
the snow flakes off.
An' turned to ine, an says: "Why,
howdy do?" '
Nen I run back to the door bo's to
lock him in
"I'm pretty well," I says; an' nen we
at
An' talked a lot about his work, an'
he told me, ho did,
'Twas hard to get around when
you're so fat.
Blme-by I says, "I hope you won't tor
.get me Christmas day,
Although I'm not the best of chil
dren, 'cause
If you should do so, I'm afraid I'd have
to tell the boys
That b'lieve In you There ain't no
Santa Claua!' "
My! Didn'e he turn pale! He caught
holt o' my hand;
SaB "Don't do that, please, for I
like you.
I'll give you heaps o' things you want,
'f you'll b'lieve in me,
An" let the other childien do so too!"
So we made a 'greement, an' I will
have some things
At Christmas time, you bet! What's
that you say?
Don't b'lieve 1 ever -cared old. Santa
Claus? Well now.
Jest ask him, if you see him Christ
mas day!
Selected.
DABtSER
MA V
Nobody's like old Santa Claus
With hlB red and Jnlly face;
There's not another around the globe
Can travel so swift a pace.
His twinkling eyes, and his merry
laugh,
His chuckle of bubbling glee
Nobody else Is so dear by htlf
To Dad and Mother and Me.
He doesn't forget the baby sweet
As Bhe rocks In her cradle white;
He has time to wait for the lagging
feet
Of his old. by candle-light
He hns gifts and gifts for the young
and gay.
Who encircle the Christmas Tree;
And he has the love to his latest day
Of Dad and Mother and Me.
The frost is chill in the nipping blast,
Smooth Is the Icy mere;
The short fleet days go hurrying past
To the last of the waning year.
And never was nose of the summer's
prime
So royally fair to see
A the rose that blooms In the winter's
rime
For Did and Mother and Me.
Collier's Weekly.
tSht Christmas Tm.
The Christmas tree which enters
very largely into our festival comes to
us from Germany, where, on the eve
of the anniversary, a tree la set up In
nearly every household, bright with
candles and paper decorations of vari
ous colors. Underneath the tree are
put the presents that each member of
the family is to give to the other, and
when the tree is still burning, amid
the laughter and shouting of the chil
dren, the present are distributed.
In Germany, too, St Nicholas come
around three weeks before Christmas.
It is St. Nicholas' day, and the chil
dren on this day make known their
wants for the Christmas season. Then
he is supposed to drive away to an un
known land and get his load of goods,
bringing them back for the ChrWtmau
stockings.
JK Child's Query.
In all the Santa Claus pictures,
I've seen in my little day,
He's traveling aero the snow-drift
With a reindeer before a sleigh.
And this is the thing about it,
I'd really like to know
Doe he travel in a wagon
When there isn't any enow?
Newspaper Clipping.
A.rutmtr.
There ain't no Hies us Santa CUua.
He' neither old-fashioned nor slow,
I know bow be coma to our bonnes,
When there isn't nay mow.
He come not In any old wagon.
He' smart and as sharp as an teteln.
He straps his pack tight on hhj back
And wheel into town on hi bicycle.
Carrie S Mutton.
Only the life that has
height to tap th clouds can nam
fruitful valleys
TWO FRIENDS wSANTACLAUS
There were two of us and we had
between us a surplus of three or four
dollars. We cast about for something
to do with our money. Suddenly an
idea occurred to the Three-Spot It
isn't very often that this happens, but
the surplus probably did it on this
occasion.
"I have it," he said. He didn't mean
the money, for the Two-Spot was care
ful to keep that In his pocket. "I have
It," he repeated. "Let's go along the
Btreet until we find some poor, ragged
children looking eagerly In the Ehop
windows. Then we'll find out what
they want most and go In and buy
it"
"Good," replied the Two-Spot, "but
what shall we do with the rest of the
money?"
"We'll go till we're tired, and I
guess they'll be no 'rest' for tho
weary."
And so we started out. And let It be
recorded here that we had visions of
swarms of ragged children gazing Into
every window along the business
street. But In this we were doomed
to disappointment. Early In the aft
ernoon there was not one poor look
ing child who was not trudging along
beside its mother. The latter gener
ally had an armful of parcels and
was evidently intent on porchasing
more. Up and down the entire length
of Woodward avenue we went with
out spying one" child who was a likely
looking candidate for our magnanim
ity. Then we tried Gratiot avenue.
Surely there would be lots of them, we
thought, on Gratiot avenue, little Poles
and German children. But we walked
nearly out to the railroad tracks, up
one side and down the other, and set
eyes on never a one.
The Three-Spot was beginning to
cast eyes on some new pipes in the
store windows and made several re
marks about the desirability of having
a stein on one's mantel.
"Do you know," said he to the Two
Spot, "I don't believe there are auy
poor, ragged children looking into
store windows."
The Two-Spot replied that It wasn't
time, yet; that their hours for looking
into windows did not begin until
three-thirty or four. Then we came to
the front of a very big store, with a
Santa Claus scene up over the great
entrance and sleigh bell jingling
away pleasantly. Here we stood for
some minutes.
"There they are!" ejaculated the
Two-Spot
Where, where?" asked the Three
Spot. "Bight there In the corner of the
window."
"OH, LOOK AT THAT FIRB
ENGINK!"
And sure enough, there were four
poorly clLd, cold-looking little urchin,
three little boys and a girl somewhat
larger, gazing as earnestly at the gay
thlsgs within as If they were priceless
jewels. We crossed the Btreet and
came near to them from behind.
"Oh, look at that fire engine." the
biggest boy was saying, and the oth
er were pointing out so many thing
that they were all talking at once.
"What are you going to get for
Christmas?" asked the Three-Spot of
the littllest one. The lad glanced up,
smiled, and looked into the window
again without speaking- The question
was repeated.
"I don't know," came the answer
lowly and softly.
"Well, what would you like to get
tor C brtsUnan ?"
The little one smiled and looked
hard Into the window again without
answering.
Finally he whispered softly, "A
home."
"And what would yon Ilk, my lit
tle man?" aaked the Two-Spot of tan
next largest boy. This boy had beau
tiful big brown eye and a clean face,
though evidently pinched by hunger.
"A hook and ladder," was the an
swer And th i third wanted n Br engine
and the little girl would Ilk to ret a
dotl So the Spot took tit covey hi
Into the entrance at
V 1
ma
the big building, where the crowd
were (urging to and fro, and the
elevator took the whole party to the
floor where toys were dispensed to
purchasers. Then the march up. the
long aisles between tables covered
with bright and tempting things was
begun, until the "horse" department
was reached. The littllest one was
hanging on to the Two-Spot's thumb
with a grip that made sure he was
n't going to lose the chance, unless the
thumb gave way.
"Oh, gimme that!" exclaimed the
biggest boy, pointing to a Are engine
with real hose. But It coat as many
dollars as the Spots had with them,
and it was out of the question.
"Wouldn't this do?" asked the
Three-Spot, with a considerate tender
ness in his tones that waa unusual,
as he took up a toy hors and sulky.
"Yes, sor," said the boy, and one
purchase was made.
The next boy wa satisfied with a
harvesting machine and the biggest
wanted a drum, not being able to get
the Ore engine. Then he set eyes on
a policeman's uniform which he
thought would be line. Bnt his broth
er scorned a policeman's uniform
when "you don't get no club," and th
other dropped the Idea and took the
drum. There was very little difficulty
In plckine out the little girl's doll.
"DOBS IT GO TO SLEEP?"
She was shown several- samples, some
with golden hair, som with dark
hair.
"Doc it go to sleep?" she aaked, a
one was handed to her. She was as
sured it did go to sleep when It lay
on Its back, for then the eyes were
closed. Then she took It In her arms
and fairly hugged It aad her eyeu wen
dancing with Joy. By thin time all
four ware standing In open mouthed
astonishment to see tbemsclvea the
possessors of so many things. Each
wa holding his selection tightly In his
arms.
"Don't we get them right now?"
they aaked. And they laughed out
right when they were told that this
wa to be the cane. Th Two-Spot
handed the money to the clerk, who
took the things aad had them wrapped
up. Two of the littl one were look
in; up at th Two-Spot, two at the
Three-Spot. Almost simultaneously
from four little mouth came the ques
tion, "Who art you?" Aad th an
swer wa the mm In both case "Oh,
I am a friend at Santa Claus "
"I this the store where Saata Clan
lire?"
"Yea."
Then the table were tnrned and
the Spot found out from the children
that they lived on Woodbrldge street
and had ten brother and sisters. The
llttlleat tallow clung to the Two-Spot's
thumb on the way out a he had com
ing In. Finally th party came to the
big entrance again.
Now you'll ro home and be good
children, won't you"
"Ye," they nil aald In chore. And
they all turned and smiled good-bye
A the little girl passed the Two- pot
h came close to him and whispered
th smiling word. "Thank you." Then
they craaned the street, hand In hand
a happy littl caravan, each hugging
hi precious bundle.
The Christmas "Dinner.
The Christ n? a dinner 1 generally
repetition of that served on Thanks
giving day, save that turkey may girt
place to goose or chicken, or both, the
latter nerved In "chicken pie;'' aad
that mine ate give place to plum
pudding. A I have no recently given
direction for cooking turkey, etc , j
will devote space to a few suggestions
a to bow som d lakes should be
served.
s CreertinJ to th Htstant
A merry Christmas to "Our Bora"
Ob sapphire ea aad yellow sand.
No chill of winter greets them there
Th wind are warm, th kie are
fair.
God Nam th hero everywhere
Who honor Yankeeland!
A Christmas Courtship.
I tied my stocking to a string
And lowered it down outside, ' 1
Was I expecting anything?
Well, somehow I thought a golden ring
Such exquisite Joy to me would bring;
This much I will confide.
I dreamed all night that a neighbor
boy
Came over the trackless snow; .
His face ablaxe with love-lit Joy,
And he held In his hand a pretty toy.
Which he softly dropped into my de
coy, Then back through the night did go
Next morning when the rooster crew,
I awoke with a sudden start;
I seized the string and my stocking
drew
Up from below, and the window
through;
And (here beheld my present two!
A ring and a candy heart
And the message said, "If you wear
this ring,
And accept this heart of mine.
When you go to church this evening,
And rise to your feet at the opening.
Hold your hymn book when you sing
So that the ring will shine."
I looked out over the broken mow.
All a-tremble, I must confess;
I recognize each hob-nail shoe,
Over the fields whero the footsteps
go.
Shall I wear this ring? My lips said
"No;"
But my heart was whispering "Ye!"
As we sat In the church I let blm see
A glint of that golden band;
And in the starlight he walked with
me
Over the snow, and so close walked w
That none the wiser will ever be
How often he squeezed my hand.
Zelda Radoona.
Hosie VUilcojc's TurKy
Rocle Wilcox was a little girl of 12
years. She lived with her parent on
a thrifty farm In the Mississippi val
ley. She bad one turkey of which she
thought a great deal. He had always
been very tame and waa a great pet
with all the children who lived on the
surrounding farms. His name wan
Bronsie. Ilosie named all of her pete,
according to their most striking fea
ture and his color wa bronse. A all
Mr. Wilcox's turkey were young.
Ilosie never feared for hern.
One day near Christmas Mr. Wilcox
aid:
"I'm ruther sorry, little one, but I'm
a gonter sell yer turkey next week."
Rosle was dumfounded, and her
father, seeing the pained expression on
her face turned away.
When Rosle had partially recovered
her senses she sat down on the bottom
rung of the ladder that led to the gra
nary and thought. At last a bright
thought struck her. 8he would sell
him to Farmer Max. She knew ho
would take good rare of him, a he waa
making a collection of beautiful
fowl of all kinds, and waa not Bromla
beautiful? Certainly.
Arriving at this conclusion, which
greatly comforted her, she got up and
walked slowly toward the house,
where mamma had been railing her
for at least IS minutes. Next morn
ing after a troubled night. Roala aro.
and dressing quickly, hurried down the
road with her turkey. She paused In
front of the large white farm house
to recover her breath, and then went
on to the barns, where she aaw th
farmer milking hi cow. He wa vary
glad to take the turkey and promised
Rosle a good price for blm.
Mr. Wilcox did not see his daughter
until that noon, when he aald:
"Yer turkey didn't like hi new
borne, so he com a-trottln' inter th
yard 'safternoon 's though he owned
th whole world."
Rosle could have cried, bnt she only
hung her head.
"Nvr mind, Roale." aald her fath
er, "I guess yer two good friend far
sure, and I guess, too, that I won't
part you."
Che Christmas "Drum.
Children are very keen these day.
An eight-year-old boy who waa
arousing th house with hi drum laat
Chrlstma day stopped in front of hi
mother and "fixed her with hi gilt
terlng eye."
"Mamma, did Santa Claus bring ma
this drum?"
"Why. ; you heard your father
say so."
"Where did Santa dim get ttr
"I don't know, I'm sura"
"Well. Jonas' (hop baa got a lot of
drum Just Ilk this."
"Inddr
"Did Santa Claus buy It there T
"Parana."
"But isn't Santa Claus a kind of a
fairy V
"I suppose he must hat"
"Wail, how can falriea go Into
Jones' shop and trade there?"
"Oh. don't ask so many questions! "
"But he'd have to pay with fairy
money. Would Mr. Jones take fairy
money?"
"He might"
"How could h7"
"Harold Clifford Hodgklna. don't
let me bear another word out of yon."
"But, mamma, I want to know. And
how could Saata Claus. who Is so fat,
get down our little bit of a chimney I"
"He's a fairy."
"Bnt how can fairies be fat
His mother turned purple aad rout
ed her husband from Mi newspaper
"Henry," tha gasped, "take this
boy down town tomorrow and appren
tice him t a lawyer "
It Is not how match Urn win man
knont- that give him a cinch on yoo-
Ity. but bacaw yoomkulty knew