The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 20, 1903, Page 3

LURE » (¢ Y ¥DIANA, Tve just been think- ing 'way back to the time I fust s u. You was hoeing corn I was leaning on the you for a long y out from under et and saw me. You worked as well as any man with that hoe, and you was 80 cheerful-like that I said to myself right then and there, “That's the wife for me, if she’ll have me.’ And you take me, though you was only for better, for wus- ser,” mostly at fust. But things has changed a heap since the tre yoked us for life in the middie e road down by Uncle Roberts’. ve been & good wife, as I reckoned 11d be. And now, as Christmas I feel happy clear through, w what Christmas means we, Indiana?” now, don BSo spake Columbus Smith as he sat in the doorway of his log cabin home in the settlement ey £ of Possum Trot, far n the railway, in the midst ny Mountains, a portion t y known as Ine country, from the produced & great deal 7, distilled at night for fear of the “revenue” officers. Col s Smith had been a wild, and young man, fond of h had helped him earn e “crack shot of the His dog and a bottle also ant companions, even to “meeting.” Religion him with opportunities for excitements. When the ed or otherwise met with , he was a ringleader ose who were ready to break up the services. One of his most suo- cessful exploits in this line was ac- complished in the following manner: Early one morning he, with three oth- ers, had collected 2 number of lengths of old stovepipe and several pieces of heavy scrap iron. These were ingen- jously fastened together and then placed on the beams above the ceiling in the “meeting house.” A hole was bored in the front and another in the back of the upper part of the building. Wires were attached to the mass of old metal so that it could be pulled back- ward and forward over the beams above the audience below. That night es the “Campbellite” brother was in the midst of a vivid portrayal of the terrors of the infernal regions, a mys- terious and terrific din, which made the house tremble, caused men, women and children, in an agony of fear, to rush screaming from the building. A search was made for the offenders, who could be errested if caught, but the wires reached to the woods before and behind the “meeting house” so that the two pairs of young mischief makers were concealed and safe. W he preacher began again the n recommenced until finaily, in des the congrega- tion was dismissed. For several weeks after his marriage Smith had settled down to hard work. Then back again he went to the old wild life, and was often away days at a time. His wife k his absence had something to do with the “moonshine” whisky business. In a few years there were twelve little Smiths. Four times twins had come Into the family, and four times the little strangers had ar- rived singly. The settlement of Pos- sum Trot for many years had had an evil reputation. No one seemed to de- sire, or look for, the coming of better things. The children were growing up THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL—CHRISTMAS NUMBER. bl Al to know very little that was good or beautiful. In fact, the favorite game of the Ilittle ones was ‘“’stilling,” in which, copying their elders, certain of the boys and girls bullt imitation dis- tilleries in the woods. Others were sup- posed to be officers of the law, and raided the “’stil,” smashing it to pieces. The proprietors were arrested and put in a place called “jail.” After a short interval the prisoners were lib- erated, and immediately went back into the pretended manufacture of ‘“moon- shine,” and the game repeated itself on the same lines. The community knew little of real happiness, and a great deal of down- right misery existed. Beveral murders hed been committed and other outrages — | WITH A FOURTH REEF By Sidney H. Cole P - (Copyright, 1802, by Bidney H. Cole. ARRIET ATHER- TON stood on the end of the frail little pler, looking over the choppy water of the bay flecked with an- gry, hissing white- caps. Save for these touches of white the water had taken on the leaden hue of the low clouds which hung the sky. The wind whipped her skirts about smartly and took untoward liberties with her hair, blowing & vagrant L own strand now this way, now that, in charming aban- don, bringing the color to ber cheeks and the sparkle to her eyes ’u the thought of a seil in wind and water like this. On either side of the pler was & cat- boat, triple reefed, and in either cat- bost was a young man prepared to buffet the gale in the open water out- side “Am I going out?” cried Harriet, in response to a query from Stanley Drake. “Indecd I am. It'll be gor- geous. Ralil under; shower-bath with every sea, and glorious shivers every time she heels to a flaw. You don't imagine I'd let a chance like this go by, do you?" “And who's the lucky man?" called John Frisby from the other boat. “I believe I'm scheduled for your su- percargo, Jack,” she laughed. “All right,” he satd, “I'll be ready in & trice.” He scrambled from the cockpit and began to put another reef in the sail. “What's that for?” .she asked he answered simply. “I'm not taking any chances if you are going.” “If you won't take me along just as you were going yourself I won't go,” she announced: “I should have put in the fourth reef anyway,” he sald. Her lips curved disdainfully. SBhe looked at Drake's sall. He was pre- - paring to start with three reefs. “Three reefs, and Ill go with you,” she said to Frisby. “I'm afrald you wom't go, then,” he sald calmly, as he continued tying the stops. “This is a four-reef sephyr.” “T'm going out with three reefs,” she said impatiently. “Not with me,” he remarked with a firmness that surprised her. Bhe had known Jack Frisby for five years, and during those flve years her word had been law to him. She had never seen him lke this before. It piqued her pride, and a stubborn gleam came into her eyes. “You're afrald,” she mocked. “I am,” he assented cheerfully. “Then I shall go with some one who isn’t timid.” Frisby sald nothing, but in deter- mined fashion continued his reefing. Drake was all ready to start. “‘Oh, Stanley,” she called, “I think T'll go with you, may I?"” “Come on,” sald Drake, with a grin in Frisby’'s direction. He helped heeling out over the bay. der four reefs, followed. still hard and set, gave no hint of the tumult {n his mind. With the tiller in one hand and the straining sheet in the other he followed Drake's cat- boat across the bay. He could see the spray come over her bows in bucketfuls as the wash struck her, and with every flaw she lay over untll her boom dipped. He saw Harrlet close to Drake in the cockpit, and once, when the flaw heeled them over more than usual, he heard the girl’s little scream and her nervous laughter after it. He shut his teeth. “Don’t wonder the papers get plenty of scare-head drownings,” he growled. “It’s such girls as she makes 'em,” he added bitterly. they would study the life of One who came into the world long ago with a ‘wonderful message of good news. The pecple gathered at the house of the strangers, at first from curiosity, but gredually there arose a deep interest . and In the past twenty school had been .held but six weeks. Very few had learned to read print and not one in the place could writs. Following the school tame a church. In the “raising” all hands had Joined. A new interest was manifest. ik FE ’3;;? f gt ey elefel Beived g i ] ! : §s§§§ Al i H 1l i H El 2R% if ] E ] ! i if gk RE = CouNTRY A CHRISTFIAS. STORY - OF ROSSOM TROT ~ BY THE V. ERNEST WAL Z PASTOR OF THE FOURTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHH Columbus Smith and Indians, his wife, were among the first to enter the membership of the little church. The woman’s face lost its worn and weary expression, taking on & new and spir- itual beauty. The man was now as in. tense in his desire to do good as he had formerly been active in evil. Literally lke his Master, he went about doing good dafly. The wildest of his ‘old companions at first doubted the reality and permanency of the change. But when they were convinced that their former companion would follow their ways no longer they decided to “get some fun out of him.” The plot was carefully concealed and the time for fts execution set for Christmas eve, and it was Christmas eve when Colum- bus Smith spoke the words recorded at the beginning of this story: *“We know what Christmas means now, don’t we, Indiana?” The sun was setting iIn glory behind the hazy hills and the light shed its radiance upon the father and mother and their children as they ‘were grouped at the cabin door. When the sun had disappeared they ali @ropped to their knees and the father poured out his heart in gratitude and love for all the joy and sunshine that had come into their horie since they bad known the Savior, whose birthday thiey were to celebrate on the morrow. Quietly they went to their beds in the one room of the cabin and quickly they all fell asleep. Toward midnight the father awoke, feeling that he had Rheard sounds coming from the dirdotion of his barn and orchard. He listened anxifously, for Christmas eve was a time of riotous dissipation in that mountain country. Buddenly the report of a rifle rang out and a bullet crashed through the wall. Rapid firing followed and the children began to cry. For a moment the old spirit of anger and re- venge gained the upper hand, and, springing from his bed, Smith reached for his rifle. Then, with the loaded weapon in his hand, he paused and the epirit of Christ spoke to him, The rifle was put back over the door with the words, “I can’t use you against those for whom Christ died, when it's just the hour when he was born.” Frightened by the quiet in the cabin and fearing they had killed some or all of the Smiths. the crowd broke up and made for their homes. When the light of the birthday of the Prince of Peace came flooding over the moun- tains and valleys the Smith family one by one came out of the cabin and gazed upon a scene of desolation. The fences were wrecked, the fruit trees had been chopped down and the horse which had been sheared or deprived of tail and mane Dpesented a Iudicrous and pathetic spectacle. And this was Christ- mas day! Mrs. Smith brought from the house a bullet she had found in the bed of the younger children. Co- lumbus breathed hard, and then began to examine the footprints on the ground. “Indiana,” he sald, “here’s the 1y, as he bent over Drake. He worked over the pnnconscious man, and when at last the eyelids opened waveringly, he put his brandy- flask between Drake's teeth. Then he turned to the girl. She stood herolo- ally at the tiller, wet, disheveled and shivering pitifully, while great tears rolled down her cheeks. “Keep yourself together,” Frisby said sharply. “Better take some brandy.” Bhe shook her head miserably. Frisby caught the tiller and held out the flask. “Take it,” he sald shortly. Meekly track of big Bud Bruoce and he was at the head of this fuss, I'm dead certain.” The sharp eye of the mountaineer en- abled him to know accurately the make-up of the party that had brought all this trouble and loss. What could he do? Yes, It was Christmas day. ‘With his hands over his face, Colum- bus Smith sat and struggled. Through the storm of his thoughts came one word, faint at first, and then louder, and the word was “forgive.” Hand In hand, husband and wife walked back and forth before thelr littie place. By and by the frightened children noticed an eager, happy look on their parents’ faces, and presently the father called. “Talmadge, put the bridle on old Bun- comb and come here,” and as the ex- cited youngsters gathered in a pushing group Columbus Smith spoke: “Children, ma and I has decided we must some way have a happy Christ- mas and we are going to invite tho whole settlement to celebrate with us. ‘We've got a heap of ples and pork and sorghum, and I reckon some will bring ‘snacks’ with them. Talmadge can rid> up all the coves and call out the in- vite and the rest of us will clear up and get ready for company. And, Tal- madge, don’t forget to ask Bud Bruce and his friends. We want everybody.” And they came. The news' of the night had spread. Many had already decided to talk it over at headquarters. To stay away would be a sure indica- tion of gullt. The gullty ones were tréubled. What could it mean? They met and talked it over. The result was that they declared “Smith has always been a kindly sort of a fellow. We'll do the right thing by him now.” They forthwith “chipped in" and an old salt bag was nearly filled with money, for every pocket was emptied. With other gifts, including wild turkeys, squirrels, cornmeal, potatoes, the trouble makers of the night before jolned their neigh- bors in the big party at Smith’s. Mr. and Mrs. Best were there, and after games and songs Mr. Best told the story of the birth of the Savior. “Men,” he said, in closing his remarks, “Jesus lived a beautiful life, but not an easy one, He was cursed, whipped, spit upon, tormented. You know he always forgave those who wers mean to him. His life was full of peace and joy. All who came to know him were made bet- ter. Friends, one and all, to-day we know that Christ has come to our set- tlement. The message Christ brings is that God forgives and pardons even his enemies. This is what makes Christ- mas joyous. Here In our settlement to-day there is forgiveness and thers i happiness.” There were tears in many eyes, and big Bud Bruce elbowed his way through the crowd and threw his arms around Columbus Smith and shouts and sobs were mingled and handshakings began in all directions. Thus the glad- dest Christmas season Possum Trot had ever seen ended with a feast and a fellowship that will never be forgot- bole “I'm too wicked to marry anybody,” she said. “You're not,” he replied sternly. “I'll marry you, anyway,” she said