The Colfax gazette. [volume], December 24, 1909, Image 1

About The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
me COLFAX GAZETTE.
THIRTY-THIRD YEAR.
AN IIP TC DATE
SANTA CLAUS
By SUSAN BROWN ROBBINS.
PATT. FLETCHER was In the
drawing room waiting r":' i.ii.i
t«> come. Lida lived with her
brother, and every time Flet< h
t called to Bee her either the brother's
wife or bis children were in the room,
k<i :ii .■ \ never a chance to say
an> i hing i" !:■!' alone.
At last, however, his opportunity had
come, it was the day before ''liri^i
nias, and Mrs. feafford and the children
had gone t<> Ijit mother's fur several
days.
Now, with Lida left at h<>M<> witb
the two servants and her brother not
coming till evening, Fletcher could say
t<> her those things he had been long-
Ing t<> Bay, but which he could not
Jirin^ himself t<> write in n letter nor
t<> declare before tin- assembled family.
At length, after what seemed a very
long waiting, some one was coming.
F He stood up and looked eagerly to
ward the doorway. The portiere was
thrust aside, and in walked Teddy
Teddy, who, iv Fletcher's opinion, was
the worst pill in the whole box as fai
ns staying power and keen observa
tion were concerned.
"Hello, Teddy," he said, not very
cordially. "I thought you bad gone to
spend Christmas with your grandma."
"I didn't go," said Teddy.
"Do you expect a visit from Santa
Clans tonight?"
"Oh, 1 s'pose so." wearily. "I'd just
like t <. Bee him, though!" His manner
grew more animated.
"Why, what would you do?"
•Til tell him what I think of him."
"And what is UiatV"
"Oh, that I think he's a fraud! Tre
tending he comes in a sleigh when the
ground has been bare for a month:
And reindeers too! Who does bethink
is going to believe that? Why doesn't
lie come on a bicycle?"
"Hi-, fur overcoat would bo rather in
the way." said Fletcher gravely. "And
It^Jut-M
SANTA CIiAUS STOOD BEFORE HIM.
he's pretty old. too, and maybe does
not know hew t • ride, and. besides,
bow would lie bring the presents?"
"What's the use of presents, any
way? 1 never have anything that's
any good."
'•I think you have the blues today."
said Fletcher, and th n he did not
speak again, though Teddy tried to
draw him out.
He seemed to be in a brown study,
and nothing roused him till Lida came
in. and even then he * 11* I not say much
ami staj ed only a short time.
It was in the evening that a card
vas brought to Teddy. Ob it was
written "Santa Claus." Teddy's eyes
sparkled. "Tell him to come in." be
saiii grandly.
A B.onieni later Santa Claus si -,i
before hi:::, a tall, fur dad fisurp
flow ing I ard. Teddy -
hai ds aid lntr< duced the guest to his
aunt.
■•pjtl ■ ; ling?"
•y . <! how are the rein
de<
••! „ me on rui i i
innn." said Sai ' ; - .v"«
did not km w that there is no snow on
the -
"Bicycl. d Teddy.
•4No; 1 came in a motor carriage."
••.v motor carriage!" cried Teddy in
credulously. Then he ran to the win
dow and looked out. "It is. Aunt
Lida," he said excitedly, coming back.
■You can see it just as plain out un
der the electric light."
••I did not bring you any presents."
said Santa Claus, "as I heard you did
not care for them, but I would like to
Take you for a little ride, if your aunt
will go too. I came early." glancing
: .t the clock. "■;" that 1 can get ba<-k
and attend to the boys and girls who
o have presents."
••«'! . arse we will go," said Teddy
promptly "I have never been in a
motor carriage."
lv a few moments the t |: • >■ were on
their way. m >11 protected from the
bracing air by an abundance of
fnrs and wraj s. There was no moon.
but after the lighted streets of the
{own were past ; lie stars shone down
on them brightly.
Teddy was wild with delight, and L:<
ie ran on rapidly. At length there
were occasional pauses, then longer
ones interrupted by disjointed remarks.
Finally there was, total silence. Fletch
Inpls Sang Peat* m tmkkd Will Coward Deri
[Copyright, 1900, by J. Wells Champney.
From a Copley print, copyright, 1900, by
Curtis & Cameron.]
or bent over so that he could see the
child's face; then he looked at Lida
and smiled.
They went on for a little iv silence.
Fletcher was trying to compose his
speech.
i;I don't know how to say it," he
burst out desperately at length. "1
keep forgetting how 1 look, and if I
say if. the way 1 want to it will be per
fectly ridiculous. And yet I must
say it. for I may never have another
chance."
She was looking at him. her startled
eyes dark and luminous iv the star
light.
"Perhaps you do not need to say it,"
she said gently.
"Do you mean that you understand
without my telling you." he asked
eagerly.
"Yes." she answered very low.
When they reached the house Fletch
er took Teddy in his arms and carried
him in. He laid him gently oil the
couch in the hall and turned away,
thinking the child still slept.
"I can stop only a moment,'' Fletch
er said. "Is it late?"
At that instant Teddy sat bolt up
right, staring about him wildly. lie
caught sight of his father iv an ad
joining room.
"Oh. papal" lie cried, his voice ring
ing out clear and shrill. "Oh, papa.
Banta Clans is kissing Aunt Lida:"—
Boston Herald.
That Christmas Pie.
It bad been our family custom to put
brandy in all the mince pies and to
pui j'i at Christmas time a sufficient
tint to enable the partakers thereof
!«> detect that there was really some
thing in it. It often went so far as to
deserve the remark of my grandfather
that we put mince pie In our brandy.
With this as the family precedent.
imagine the consternation when it was
[earned that Rev. Jeremiah Seroggins,
our new minister and an avowed tee
totaler, had accepted mother's invita
tion to Christmas dinner. A vote was
taken at the family table (we were a
democratic household), and it was de
cided that out of respect to our guest
the brandy would be omitted from the
big mince pie.
Now, each of us in his heart of hearts
felt that the [lie would be Improved it"
just a wee bit of brandy were added.
So I, for one, resolved to d ■ the deed.
Accordingly I sought out the big stone
crock in which reposed the mince
meat and poured in what i thought
was a moderate quantity of brandy.
It's wonderful how true is the adage
about great minds running in similar
for every other member of
the family, in< tn r, sur
reptitiously did the same thing. Lat< r
we figured that the mincemeat i
beeu treafe ■ to a quart.
Mother reserved her brandy until
■ (lay. when, bef< re th
was baked, she added a -
amount of the strong stuff.
With hearts as high as the flaky pie
crust Itself we all watched mother
carve that pie and serve it.
The Rev. Jeremiah Seroggins, be
cause of an expressed fondness for pie,
was given a big portion.
No sooner had we tasted of the fine
dish than we discovered that that pie
was nothing short of a small sized dis
tillery, h was brandied as no other
pie had b* en since the birth of time.
You can imatrine the cold chills which
went round th t festal board as we
watched the Rev. Jeremiah begin to
eat. I believe I actually shivered as
the first forkful went mouthward.
The first mouthful was followed by
a second and the second by a third.
Finally he had finished the whole por
tion, ami he settled back in his chair.
We saw he was ■ bit embarrassed and
expected a real old fashioned temper
ance lecture right then and there.
The Rev. Jeremiah Scroggins cleared
his thro.n. and. turning to mother,
paid: "Ah er—BBJ good sister, permit
me to compliment you upon the ex
cellence of this pie. It has a mosr
delicious Savor. I confess 1 never
tasied anything like it. Would you
think me overbold if I asked for an
other piece?"— New York Mail aud Ex
press.
COLFAX, WASHINGTON, FKIDvY, DKCKMBEK 24, 1909.
ICopyright, li*i2, by J. Wells Charnpney. From a Copley print, copyright, 1902, by
Servants of
By JAMES A. EDGERTON. (Copyrigi
THE usual conception of Santa
Claus is that of a rather inno
cent, unsophisticated, though
benevolent old gentleman who
visits all the houses in Christendom
the night of Dec. 24 and leaves pres
ents for all pood children and even re
members some who are not so good.
But this idea fails to do the busy old
saint full justice. As a matter of fact,
he has to be quite up to date to attend
his numerous customers. He is so
much a man of affairs that it is neces
sary for him to adopt modern meth
ods. Nowadays it is essential for
every largo business to bo carried out
through an army of assistants and
deputies, and who, pray, has a larger
business than Santa Clans? When he
first started in the Christmas line it
might have been possible for him to
make a personal visit to all the homes
where his gifts were expected, but
now all that is changed. So be drafts
the expressman, the messenger boy.
1^2.) ~~*~—
SANTA DRAFTS THE EXPBESSMAN.
the postman, the delivery man and a
whole lot of other folks into his serv
ice.
For example, ho appoints us depu
ties at leasi half a million extra ex
pressmen in the United States alone.
Ordinarily the express companies have
about that number of employees, but
during the two weeks before Christ
mas, when Santa calls on them to car
ry so many of his packages, they have
to double their forces. To pain an idea
of the immensity of the burdens the
old gentleman imposes on them a few
figures are necessary. The Christmas
packages delivered by the express
companies in the city of New York
alone amount to over two millions, in
Chicago and Philadelphia about a mil
lion and a half each, in Boston over a
million and in other cities a propor
tionate number. When it is reflected
that this is an average of ueariy one
package for every man. woman and
child and that there are something
over eighty millions of men, women
and children in Uncle Sam's domain.
the stupendous proportions of this
Christmas business ian be realized.
On account of the expense of sending
packages by express it is estimated
that few if any of these Christmas
bundles are worth less than $2. while
same of them are valued at hundreds
of d-.ikirs It is thus seen that the
Curtis & Cameron, Boston.J
Santa Claus
19C9, by American Press Association.)
Chrfsfmas business Dandled by ttie ex
press companies alone represents a
value of hundreds of millious.
This cloes not take into account the
jrreat number of bundles carried by
the messenger boys. In the four cities
above mentioned these amount to near
ly a half million in number. The jo
vial old saint could scarcely get along
wuhout their help.
i.: addition, it is necessary for Santa
Claus to enlist the services of an army
of extra store clerks, delivery wagons
and teamsters. It can readily be seen
that for a couple of weeks he is about
the biggest business man on earth. If
his army were one of war rather than
peace he could conquer the world.
Then he musters in a large array of
Salvation Army and Volunteer lads
and lasses to gather and cook Christ
mas dinners for the poor and to help
distribute his presents in the tenement
districts. He never forgets the needy.
But. among his jrreat array of jdepn-
U\>9 &_
THE SArSI iSV TOE ME SESGKB BOY.
ties Het as di ■ 'i! 1 i'" <:
Who baa not seen the faithful servant
staggering under his great loadi
Christmas morning? The business
done by Cncie Sam's postoffiee for tbe
two weeks before Christmas is just
about doable what it Is at ordinary
times. All this is bemuse of Santa
Claus. so the extra clerks and postmen
needed must be credited up to hi n.
Bear Up Gracefully.
Don't take the tone that you are
"cut up" if some one for whom you
have nothing Lives you a present. The
thing is not supposed to be a matter
of bargaining. Preserve a decent sem
blance of a Christmas spirit and repay
the obligation, not by a tardy respond
ing gift, but in some other waj at
some other time, if you want to.
Christmas With Stevenson.
Pas--:.. rd the steamship
Lubeck unexpei tedly spent Christmas
at sea in tbe year is.**, but the fact
that Hubert Louis Stevenson, tbe fa
mous story writer, was among them
made that a most memorable holiday.
The Lubeck was en route from Austra
lia to Samoa. She b'oke a shaft and
limped along several days under saii.
"Mr. Stereusou," says the captain in
relating the incident, "cheered every-
[Copyright, 1909, by O. A. Witte, New
York.]
body up by telling funny stories that
were better, (tuning offhand from his
lips, than most literary men coulu
write if they worked over them for
weeks. lie knew, too. that it was only
a question of a short time before he
would die of consumption and that he
could never again go home for more
than n brief visit, it was simply won
derful what a difference that one man
made among the passengers, and 1
gues . almost all of us woutd gladly
spend the time to uake port under
sail, with machinery disabled, if we
could have a Stevenson aboard."
Charles Dickens on Christmas.
"It is a wonderful tiling." wrote
Charles Pit kens, "the period of Christ
mas! I wonder how many hundreds
of thousands of parents have discov
ered at Christmas time, under the
magic of the season—through some lit
tle, little thing done by son or daugh
ter—that those they thought estranged
from them, by those things which
come between, still loved them with a
memory more tender than they had
dreamed of.
"I wonder how many sons and
(laughters, under the magic influence
of Christmas, have had their hearts
softened so as to be moved by some
little manifestation of love by father
or mother, which they would have
thought little of. perhaps despised, at
nny other season."
Some Holiday Don'ts
Don't give presents that are a pleas
ure for ten minutes and a burden and
a worry for ten years.
Don't, young women, buy neckties
for your men folk: don't encourage
them in being bigger guys than neces
sary.
Don't give a drum to the children of
your enemy who works nights. A
watchman's rattle is just as good, and
it is cheaper.
Don't give your wife something she
doesn't care for just because yon want
it yourself. This '"don't" works the
other way just as well.
Don't forget that a basket of fruit or
a box of flowers is just as nice a pres
ent in ninny cases as something that
will last a good deal longer.
Don't try to find the price marks on
the gifts you receive. If the gifts are
worth having they mean something
nir \ c dollars •■•:r! cents.
I Xiii forget the Bob Cratcbits ar.d
the Tiny Tims tl ai is. Qi less you are
unregenerate Old Scr< . In which
case forget fulness can 1 c explained.
Don't put ■ EC everything to the hist.
because y< n bad better for the joy of
your friends give nothing than wear
yourself out and be as < ross as two
?ed day > ■
Don't v • ■ of your pity on the
ion.: haired youths who lie at the bot
tom of the heap in f< otball scrim
ps. You will need all ; Ity for
yourself in the rush al the h
ter.
Don't check off each gift yon receive
against each present that you gave
and calculate whether you made or
lost. Christmas is not the time to be
any smaller or meaner than you can
help.
Don't oppress children who are sa
tiated to sadness with toys already by
giving them more. There are other
ways of making them happy, or if
there are not it Is because they are
spoiled with man; pleasures and are
the most pitiful beings alive. In that
case let them try doing something
for poor children, who are blessed In
powers of enjoyment, and see if the
capacity won'l prove catching.
I>. n"r neglect, if you are a woman,
t<> lay in a stock <>f some simple things
like handkerchiefs and sachet bags for
unexpected emergencies if you like to
meet various people with a reasonable
token.
I »-.i;'r set your own happiness up as
the chief thing to be looked out for at
Christmas time. Try to make other
people happy and forget yourself, then
you will be surprised to see how really
happy you are.
Here'e a Merry Christmas to all.
PRICE KIVK CENTS.
OUR CHRISTMAS
ON IE PLAINS
I NEVER Bhall forget our Christmas
din; onstruetion camp in
the year 1900, said a former Colo*
radoan. We were building a n-s
--ervolr cut on the plains about ten
miles vast of Pueblo. We bad 150 men
on tii>' jcli. all white men.
We bad a poor cook <>n the job and
couldn't seem to Bod any other. As ;i
result there had been men leaving
every day and constant grumbling all
the tall, and it came to a head Christ
mas day.
It was a beautiful, l>ri;;!it Colorado
Christmas;. The men were to work
in the morning, have a turkey dinner
at noon ami lay off in the afternoon.
The old man had bought three pounds
of turkey per man 450 pounds. The
birds had come out the day before.
About ten minutes after ooon I heard
a kind of an angry roar outside. I
never heard anything like it before,
and it made me jump. It meant trou
ble of some kind. I hurried out and
saw a sur^irii; mob at the door of the.
cook tent. The men were all shaking
their fists in the air and yelling with
one steady, hoarse, prolonged yell. I
went around behind the tent and slip
ped in. There stood the cook raging,
fighting drunk, brandishing a moat ax
and emitting a steady stream of pro
fanity. In front of him surged the
mob. just out of reach of the meat ax,
crazy mad. I didn't blame them.
They had come off work with their
months all made up for turkey, and
noi a table waa set. not a spark of fire
in the stove and 150 pounds of turkey
scattered over the section of alkali
plain which formed the floor.
The battle was short. The men ran
in behind the cook, tripped him and
the minute he was down had a rope
around him.
"Hans him. bang him!" they roared
and started off with him to the meat
pole.
In all my life T nover was so scared
as I was that day. I didn't can- In
the least whether ttir man was hang
ed, drowned or died in his bed. Vet
civilization rose up in mo, and I knew
I had to save him. I ran like a deer
t<< get around the crowd and reach the
meat pule tirst, and all the while 1
BIiANDISHING A MEAT AX.
ran 1 was cursing the cook. When
they got to the meat pole they fouud
me on a box facing them with a gun.
"What do you want?" they roared.
"Get quiet," said I.
Those in front called out, "Shut up:' 1
When they were still I said: "Boys, I'm
sorry this thing has happened. Its
my fault f<>r not watching this fool
closer. But we can wash those tur
keys and have a good dinner yet if
some "f you'll turn in and help me.
They aren't hurt any. As for this
scum ■■!" a cook, I don't care any more
about him than you do. But I'm in
charge here and I can't let Mm Ik 1
hanged. Y< v can go ahead and bang
him if :■' ii wanl to, but you'll have t*>
kill me flrst. Xow iS'< ahead."
I waited, but no one stirred. There
were plenty of guns in the crowd, but
no one was ready t" undertake the
j< !■ "f killing me. 1 gave nly a
minute t>> think. Then I said to the
man Hint held the rope. "Untie him."
He did ir. "Get out cf here." J said
to the c< ok. Tli*' fellow ■^•■\ up, white
as death with fear.
Then I turned to the men and asked
if there were any who had ever
any cooking, who would help me. Half
a dozen volunteered. We washed the
turkeys and put them on to bolL I
never worked over anything In my
life as I did that Christmas dinner.
The men were still silent and sullen,
and I didn't know but they'd bang me
if the dinner didn't suit them. I tried
desperately to remember all the cook
ing id ever seeu my mother do, and
thanked God when I found that one
uf the men could make pies and an
other soda biscuit. About 5 o'clock we
had the best dinner the camp could
turn out, boiled turkey, boiled potatoes.
canned squash, canned corn, canned
peaches, dried apple pie, hot biscuit
md coffee-New York Press.
Sentence Commuted.
"But." said the men bant to the ap
plicant, "you don't furnish any refer
ence from your last place."
■■You needn't worry about that." re
plied the man with the close cropped
head and strange pallor. "I wouldn't
be here now if it hadn't been for ivy
good behavior in my last place."—
Catholic Standard and Times.