VOL. VII.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1907.
o
might bring me some present that was
light, Hattie?”
"Yes, he shall,” said Hattie, with
determination.
She was only the hired girl wrho had
come in friendly pioneer fashion to
help the settler’s wife through her
sickness; but to the inmates of the
little cabin she was a ministering
angel. Strong and faithful and effi
cient, an angel could hardly have
done more in that prairie home. Yet
she did not look in the least like an
angel as she put on the pioneer’s old
cap and coat, tied a red woolen scarf
around her neck, drew old stockings
over her shoes and floundered out
through the drifts, stout and rosy in
the wind, to do the chores for the
night. Not a glimpse of the near by
barn could be obtained from the cabin
door. Hattie tied a long rope to the
door knob and carefully held the other
end as she walked toward it. She
knew too well how more than one
pioneer had lost their way in the
trackless whiteness at no greater dis
tance than this from their homes, and
been frozen to death.
She pulled down hay and fed the
stock a.id milked. She brought out
pails full of the snow water she had
melted in the big wash boiler for
them to drink. She brought in a
great supply of fuel and made every
thing outdoors and in as snug and
cheery as possible. Then she cooked
the supper—that did not take long
for there was little to cook—and
washed up the dishes and cared for
the sick woman and the little babe.
She put Lillie to bed in the queer
little trundle-bed—the child chattering
about Santa Claus every minute—and
tucked her in as happy as if there
were no fear or anxiety in the world;
oh, what would the pioneer families
have, done without the “girls” of that
time?
The mercury ranged 4 and 5 de
grees below zero. The storm outside
howled with the fury of a legion of
demons. In some drift out there in
the whiteness John Carver might be
sinking to death now,
, The baby cried and the sick woman
moaned. There was no lack of occu
pation for the young helper. Hattie’s
strong arms held the child till it was
quieted and at the same time heated
flannels, brought water, smoothed pil
lows, and did everything that could
be done for the anxious young
mother.
“Hattie, you haven’t anything to
worry you,” cried the sick woman, en
viously.
"Not a thing except what worries
other people,’ answered Hattie. But
she knew that all the time she car
ried beneath her songs and cheery
words a heartache that wa3 as hard
to bear as the young wife’s own.
It was Mark for whom her heart
ached. A year ago she had thought
that by this time she and Mark would
be settled in a pioneer cabin of their
own. Her quilts were all quilted, her
store of household goods was ready,
but a coldness had come between
them, and Mark had gone away—
“back east where girls were plenty."
Since then she had been learning to
live without him and it was a bitter
lesson. True she did not speak of
it, not even to her best friends, but
the ache was always there.
Her work was done at last. She
had time to look at little Lillie slum
bering in her law trundle-bed with
her stocking spread out trustingly on
the pillow beside her. Now was the
time for Santa Claus to come. But
the sick mother was too ill and broken
with anxiety to be bothered. There
was nobody to fill that stocking but
Hattie, and nothing to fill it with ex
cept what her girl's wit might devise.
She was very tired. All day she
had been battling against storm and
sickness, doing a woman’s work and
a man’s too. Now she must do Santa
Claus’ work. Was ever a Santa
Claus so sleepy? Oh, what would she
not give to throw herself on the bed,
dressed as she was, and sleep? But
there was no time for that Santa
Claus must come to the waiting child.
She knew that in a little while the
sick woman would rouse again and
need her. Softly and wearily she lift
ed the one little drop-leaf table over
to the window farthest from the sick
mother and placed the lamp upon it.
Then she got out her precious, dimin
ishing store of letter paper that had to
be brought to her from 6 miles away,
’TWAS JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS
like the rest of the supplies, and tht
clumsy shears, and began to make
paper dolls.
Clip, clip, went the big shears. That
and the rustle of the paper were the
only sounds to be heard. Gradually she
realized that the howling of the wind
had ceased and the blizzard had gone
down.
Lillie’s words kept repeating them
selves sleepily in her tired brain. “A
light load.” Surely this Christmas
gift would be light enough for Santa
Claus to take anywhere. Clip, clip,
went the shears, and wonderful crea
tions fell from Hattie's hands. There
was a father with a miniature news
paper spread out before him. There
was a mother with a baby in her arms
and another in a tiny paper cradle at
her feet. There were brothers and
sisters.
Snip—snip—Her hands went slower
and slower until the last of the paper
family trailed off into aimless cut
ting. Then Hattie’s weary head sank
down on the table and Hattie was
asleep. Asleep and dreaming of Mark.
In the daytime she could keep the
thought of him away from her with
fierce determination. In the night it
would come. She was dreaming and
she knew it. She had dreamed of
him too often not to know. And in
her dream the door burst open and
Mark stood before her. Of course it
could not be real. Or, rather, it was
a dream of Mark’s ghost all deathly
white. Hut even Mark’s ghost was
welcome. There could not be any
harm in embracing a ghost in a
dream. She threw her arms around &//)
neck—
But this was no dream. It wa3 too
solid and it was too cold. It was a
real man who stood before her, be
numbed with cold, and covered with
snow from head to foot.
In a flash she came out of her
dream. It was well for Mark that
she was just what she was, and that
she knew what to do. She brought
the great tub of melting snow-water,
cut off the frozen footwear and mit
tens and plunged his feet and hands
in it. She rubbed his face with snow.
She made hot coffee—blessing the
forethought that had kept the kettle
filled with boiling water for the sick
woman's use—and forced him to drink
it. Little by little life and strength
came back to him and incoherent
words.
“Started—with Craver. He wanted
—to see—his wife. I wanted—to see
—you. Blizzard came up. Lost our
way. Dug a hole in the snow and
stayed two night. Went a long while
—and came to Smith’s farm. Craver—
too badly frozen—to go on. Will be
all right after awhile, but couldn’t go
on then. Wanted to like fury. Smith
had to hold him back. Good thing.
He couldn’t have come on his frozen
feet. I—came on—alone. Got lost
again. Been lost all day. Pretty near
—gave out. Thought I’d have—to
give up. So dark and cold. Saw—
your light when wind went down.
Came to—you.”
The words might be jerky and dis
jointed, but Hattie understood it and
never words sounded sweeter.
“Santa Claus did come in the night,”
chirruped Lillie. “I saw him. He was
all white. And he brought me this.”
She held up the precious paper doll
family.
“Aren't they lubbly. I fought he
could get froo with a light load.”
Then another thought came to her.
“But he didn't bring anyfing to
you. Hattie. That's too bad.”
“No, no, it’s as good as it could be.”
Hattie laughed out in pure joy. “He
brought me the one thing I wanted
most in the world. And I shall be
thankful to him every day I live; for
if I had not kept my lamp burning in
the window while I was working—
I mean waiting for him—Mark would
not have found the way.”
Willing to Prove It.
The Christmas spirit warmed the
old lady’s heart, and she said to the
tattered, shivering tramp:
“If I give you a nickel how can I
be sure that you won't go straight off
and get intoxicated with it?”
"Madam,” the man answered, point
ing to the laurel-decked corner saloon,
"it would give me great pleasure to af
ford you practical demonstration that
the sum isn’t enough for the purpose.”
On this evening many children may
be seen standing about in groups, and
gazing wistfully up into the sky, look
ing for the heavenly messengers of
“Peace on earth, good will to men.”
Burglars At Work.
Two bold burglaries were perpetrat
ed at Corinth six miles from Nashville,
recently, by unknown parties. The
store of McClannahan & Co., was en
tered and robbed of $125 in cash, a
gold watch valued at $100 and a lodge
emblem charm valued at $75 belong
ing to a member of the firm. The
money and valuables were locked in
the safe which was blown open and
completely wrecked. The robbers also
broke into the postoflice and made
away with cash and stamps to the ag
gregate of $50.
Mail Pouch Robbed.
A mail pouch on a Paragould South
eastern train was robbed at some point
between Cardwell and Paragould. It
was not discovered until the train
reached its destination when it was
found that a remittance of $600 from
the postmaster at Cardwell had been
abstracted. Two government secret
service men are investigating, but have
found no clue.
To Protect Her Visitors.
The Visitors’ Protective League has
been organized at Hot Springs for the
purpose of protecting the visitors from
the drummers and swindlers. As the
organization is purely benevolent in
character, there will be no source of
revenue but it will be supported by
contributions from its members from
time to time.
A Sudden Death.
S. M. Wright, a well-known mer
chant of De Queen died recently with
out previous illness. He was in ap
parent good health up to a few min
utes pTior to his death, but had lain
down on a couch to rest, when he
was suddenly stricken, dying before
medical assistance could be secured.
Timber Man Killed.
John Hyde, son of Col. Job Hyde,
prominent in U. C. V. affairs, and an
old resident of Desha county, shot and
killed E. Gent, a timber man, about
three miles below Tillar. Some mys
tery surrounds the cause of the trage
dy, as Hyde is said to be a quiet and
unassuming young man.
Baptists Finish Business.
The General Association of Baptist
Churches of the United States has
closed its convention at Argenta. Dur
ing its sessions addresses were made
by prominent visitors from all parts of
the South. The next meeting of the
Association will be held at Fulton, Mo.,
in 190S.
Negro Woman Shoots Husband.
Haywood Baker, a negro living on a
farm near Newport, was shot by his
wife, Mollie Baker, and died a few
hours later from the effects of the
wounds. The shooting occurred during
a quarrel between the parties, and
the woman claims she did it in self
defense.
An Unusual Accident.
Bob Moss, who lives at Austin, built
a fire in his field against a large rock,
j The heat caused the rock to exjilode
: and one of the fragments struck Mr.
Moss on the head with such force
that he was rendered unconscious for
a time, but escaped serious injury.
May Be Counterfeiters.
Three men, John Miner, R. A. White
and H. D. Anderson, are under arrest
at Newport on the charge of having
in their possession a counterfeiting
outfit. In the outfit seized were a
sack of plaster paris, hinges and half
of a one-dollar mould.
Three Brothers In Fight.
Three brothers, John. Hugh and
Mack Law, engaged in a fight ifl
lumber camp. 10 miles north of Earle
in Cross county, and Hugh was killed,
Mack so cut up by a knife that he will
die, and John blew off his own head
by firing a shotgun under his chin.
The quarrel is alleged to have occurred
over a sister-in-law of Hugh’s.
New School For Hoxie.
The contract has been let for a new
$18,000 school house at Hoxie.
Prizes For Arkansas Poultry.
Dr. I. M. Martin of Eureka Springs,
proprietor of the Ozark poultry ranch,
won first prize on the one entry of
cockerels, anl took first, second, third,
fourth, and fifth on the five entries of
pullets at the Fort Worth Poultry
show. j
Annual Meeting.
The State Federation of Labor is
holding its annual meeting in Pine
Bluff with about 50 delegates, repre
senting various unions in the State,
In attendance.
Saves Two Trains.
Millie Tarver, the 12-year-old daugh
ter of Milton Tarver, a sawmill man
residing on the line of the Hot Springs
Western road, saved two trains from
running into a burning bridge near
Benton. She discovered the burning
bridge, and catching up a little red
shawl, she hurried over the track to
the west to flag a freight train which
she saw approaching. After seeing the
train come to a standstill within a few
feet of the burning bridge, the little
heroine hurried up the tracks to the
east where a passenger train was
looming up in the distance, and again
frantically waving the red shawl, tho
other train, and probably hundreds of
lives were saved from disaster. The
railroad officials say that Santa Claus
will visit the little cabin home, and
the heart of one brave little girl will
revel in all that heart could wish for
during the holiday season.
False Teeth Found In Stomach.
Mrs. .Taney Hyde, a lady about G5
years of age, living at Wilson, re
cently underwent a surgical operation
for an affection of the stomach. The
operation revealed a full set of false
teeth for the roof of the mouth, in the
sufferer’s stomach. Mrs. Hyde says
she missed her teeth five years ago
but did not realize that she had swal
lowed them.
Short Fall Fatal.
M. F. Reber, a carpenter at Winslow,
fell from the roof of a one-story build
ing and was instantly killed. In
strange contrast to this was the fall
of John Murphy, of Winslow', who fell
from a trestle into a rocky gulch 76
feet below and the only injury he
sustained w'as a broken leg.
Boy Kills Companion.
Earl Spencer, a 12-year-old white
hoy of Fayetteville, was shot and kill
ed, while out hunting by Charlie
Vaughan, a 14-year-old negro. After
the killing the negro telephoned for
a physician and then disappeared.
Sentiment is divided as to whether the
killing was accidental.
To Establish Canning Factory.
A company is being organized at
Waldron for the purpose of establish
ing a canning, pickling and evaporat
ing plant at that place.
Profitable Farming.
Will Holland, who owns a farm near
Neely, planted 14 acres in cotton this
year on which he made 13 bales of
good cotton by his own labor, and in
addition, he cultivated 20 acres in corn,
which yielded him 500 bushels.
Saloon Man Turns.
George Kilgore of Hot Springs, one
of the best known saloon men in Gar
land county, has sold his interests
and announced his intention of vot
ing the prohibition ticket hereafter.
Killed In Boiler Explosion.
John Donaldson, a negro, was killed,
and J. B. Washington, George Cullwell
and an unknown negro boy, were
scalded in the explosion of a boiler in
a gin near Earle.
Ran Into Open Switch.
A freight train ran into an open
switch at Crickett, killing Lee King,
engineer, and J. C. Freeman, fireman,
also injuring two others whose names
could not be learned.
Threw Himself In Well.
Thomas Toon, a wrellto-do farm
er living near Cove, committed suicide
by leaping into a well. He had been a
sufferer from Bright's disease for
years and is supposed to have be
come despondent over his condition.
Handsome School Building.
The Mammoth Spring school build
ing. which is being built almost en
tirely of native stone, will, it is said,
be one of the handsomest in the State,
when completed.
Sentenced On Libel Charge.
E. C. Ritchey, a farmer living near
Dexiter, Jefferson county, was sen
tenced to serve three years in the
state penitentiary on the charge of
slandering Miss Bertha Kelly, 18 years
old, his own sister-in-law.
Found Dead Near Home.
William Harp, a farmer, living near
Van Buren, was found dead near his
home recently. It is believed he was
struck by a passing train, as his body
was lying by the railroad track.
Jail Completed.
The Greene county jail at Para
gould has been completed and turned
over to the county. The building is
fireproof and is provided with steel
cells. The floor and ceiling are of
concrete, four and eight inches thick.
Engaged In Quarrel.
Samuel Laurence and Marion
Bridges, who live near Piggott, en
gaged in a quarrel recently over a tri
vial matter, and Bridges shot Laurence
twice, the bullets taking effect in the
arm and shoulder.
I