,^o |
jJl&iis AND_ALA«;i|^
better to oive than receive: 'm\
words make a DOOP telfow
#M. A feffow so smitten.
gave the couuettish uouna thino
heart and a diamond rino: ds&ff
oave me the mitten
A POSTPONED
CHRISTMAS.!
BY P. M' ARTHUR.
[Copyright, 189S, by the Author.]
story of the
postponed < "hrist
mas is a tradition
it;|S of tho Preston
xTfo ■?&. family; but, like
'■ T V 83 most traditions,
!)■ yY 1 it requires a few
- _/y>-n words of expla-
V "-W' nation to make it
'ft" H clear how such
* Jj<r" an unaccountable
: V thing could hap
____________ P en -
Seventy years
ago, when Henry Preston, tho patriarch
of an important Canadian family, set
tled iu Kemoka, tho strangely directed
energy of Colonel Talbot was changing
tho wilderness on the northern shore of
LakeErio intoafruitful province. Year
by year shiploads of peasants came from
Great Britain to take upland in the ter
ritory where he was almost an absolute
monarch, and with them camo many
younger sons of noble families who
wore ambitious to make their fortunes
in tho new world. Among tho latter
camo our hero, and it was in the first
year of his exile that tho little adven
ture occurred that all who enjoyed his
acquaintance often heard him describe.
In those days a Canadian winter had
many terrors that have sinco become a
memory. The autumnal rains changed
tho level country into a series of vast
swamps, and when these miry reaches
were frozen to a depth of several feet
tho winter had a foundation on which
to build. In consequence, from the Ist
of December to the middle of March
there was almost uninterrupted cold
weather, when tho thermometer remain
ed steadily at a point it cannot now
reach without the aid of a cold wave
from the northwest, but tho swamps
are now drained, the forests that held
the snow have been cleared away and a
variable climate has taken the place of
the earnest weather that was then tho
rule. Even worse than tho cold, how
ever, was the almost unimaginablo lone
liness. When tho winter hail fairly set
in, tho intense frost put a check on all
communication, even though it solidified
and improved the roads that were usual
-3E 1
'sifeisi
wmkf\
7^ l
.
\>/ir
LETTERS THAT WE UK NOT REDEEMED WERE
EXPOSED IN THE WINDOW,
ly quito as bad as those of Scotland "be
fore they were made." As neighbors in
the early twenties often lived ten miles
apart visits were infrequent, and during
the dreary winters not a few of the
hardy pioneers went mad from sheer
loneliness. And to this desolation was
added a suffocating feeling of being
buried alive. Tho dark forests rose 011
every side and travel where they might
the pioneers could find no relief from
the inclosing walls. Eor almost 100
miles in every direction there was 110
elevation sufficiently great to overlook
the forest and gladden the eye with a
view that would give the imagination
tho sense of freedom it craved. What
wonder that in such a situation the pio
neers were sometimes known to climb
the loftiest trees at the risk of their
lives so as to gain a wider prospect such
as they were accustomed to in tho civi
lized and pleasingly diversified countries
from which they came.
But this distressing state of affairs is
now a thing of tho past. Instead of tho
isolation that tortured the pioneers
tlieie is now a danger of overcrowding,
instead of monotony there is overmuch
variety, where lumbering stagecoaches
toiled once a week over corduroy rail
road trains pass every hour, and a
Canadian winter is now a season of
leisure and enjoyment.
Tho village of Kemoka, whero Pres
ton kept stc.e and was the postmaster
from 1820 to 1830, was ono of the
dreariest spots on the continent during
the long winters that then prevailed.
It was deep in that forest that gave a
name to tho Longwoods district, and
the settlers who patronized the store,
blacksmith and inevitable tavern wero
scattered over a large territory. In such
a place, where companionship was so
necessary, it was but natural that a
man who had been ue jtlv nurtured
could not find it, and during his firj".
winter young Preston was often on the
verge of despair. In his position as post
master the poverty of the pioneers was
brought home to him more keenly than
in any other way. At that time the
young colony was so misgoverned and
every department of the public service
was so scandalously conducted for the
benefit of private individuals that the
extortionate fees charged by officials
frequently made letters cost from 5 to 7
m
t**-
"now DID TIN <;KT INTI H THE WRASSLB
wn il MIiLCHISEOEC?"
shillings when they reached tho office
atwlii. ii they wero to be delivered.
Letters (r : 1 homo wero naturally the
greatest •curce of pleasure to these
lonely people, yet many were so poor
that it was impossible for them to pay
these fees. Letters that were not re
deemed wero exposed in the window of
the office, and it was no unusual sight
to see some of the unfortunates to whom
they were addressed gazing at them
with hungry eyes. Sometimes they rec
ognized the handwriting as that of a
loved one beyond the sea, and then tho
disappointment was all the more bitter.
To escape from the thoughts and feel
ings provoked by such surroundings and
social conditions the young postmaster
often put on his skates and found relief
in the exhilaration 110 derived from
skimming through the forest along the
glassy streams, just as a business man
of the present time escapes from big
cares by retreating to his yacht and
racing over tho water under full sail.
On one of these occasions about the
middle of February of a forgotten year
he plunged farther into the wilderness
than ever before, attempting to traco a
frozen creek to its source, and about
noon suddenly emerged into a little
clearing of whose existence he had not
previously been aware. Knowing the
hospitality of the pioneers, he decided
to visit the little log hut that stood on
tho edge of the clearing and get his din
ner before returning to his office.
After unstrapping his skates he start
ed toward the house, from the stone
chimney of which a cheerful smoke was
ascending. Ho had proceeded but a few
steps when he was confronted by an
aggressive apparition that startled him
into headlong activity. Just in time to
escape a gnarled and twisted pair of
horns, he sprang nimbly to the top of a
stump. Beneath him stood tho strangest
creature he had ever seen. Tho head and
horns were tnose of a sheep, but instead
of a woolly fleece tho animal wore a
kind of overcoat made of hempen canvas
sewed roughly with cords of basswood
bark. A careful examination convinced
him that his assailant was the vener
able leader of a small flock of sheep,
though he could by 110 means guess the
meaning of his masquerading appear
ance. Having satisfied himself that the
creature was not supernatural, 110 jump
ed down from tho stump intending to
proceed to tho house, but before he had
taken fivo steps he was sent headlong
into a snowdrift. He was blinded and
"THAT'S THE LITTLE MAN THAT GOT MEL
CHISEDEC INTO TROUBLE.''
half smothered by the dry snow, and as
he partly rose to his feet, spluttering
and clawing, ho was bowled over again
by his aggressive enemy.
Now Preston had heard in his youth
that when attacked by a butting raui
one should lie still and wait for the
brute togo away. He decided to try the
plan, but ho made tho mistake of his
life. He had barely flattened himself
out on tho ground when the ram landed
on tho small of his back with tho force
of apiledriver. Tho ram seemed inclin
ed to use him as tho circus clowns do
tho cushion on which they turn somer
saults, and ho quickly realized that
though such a scheme might have been
all right with a bellwether roared in
the lap of luxury, it was a complete
failure with this crook pated, cross
grained old wretch who had taken to
wearing a burlap overcoat and had a
pair of horns that would have dono
credit to a dilemma. As soon as Preston
recovered his breath he uttered a yell
that roused tho echoes for miles and
with his tormentor. Ho caught
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1898.
tiiiu Dy tno norns ana together they
rolled through tho drifts, collided with
stumps and sent the snow flying in
clouds, while Preston's yells mingled
with tho frightened bleating of the ram.
Tho uproar brought tho farmer on tho
scene, and with a few well directed
kicks lie made the ram lose interest in
tho battle and return to his neglected
flock, with his coat trailing after him.
Tho farmer helped Preston to his feet
and inquired:
"How did yeh get inteh tho wrassle
with Melchisedec?"
"Beelzebub, you mean, don't you? I
was coming up to your house when the
freak bunted me."
"Well, yeh mustn't be too harden
him, if yeh ain't hurt. Yeh ain't, are
yeh?"
"No."
"Yeh seo, he's had a lot to try his
speerit this winter. Tho wind may be
tempered to the shorn lamb, asthesayin
is, but it ain't by a long shot for a
shorn ram, and I kinder guess tho fit of
his overcoat ain't exactly to his likin.
But 'sense me for talkin so much before
wishin yeh a merry Christmas."
"A what?" asked Preston as he look
ed at the farmer with an air of bewil
derment.
"A merry Christmas."
"Nonsense, man. This is almost tho
end of February. Christmas was over
two months ago."
"Not by a loug shot it ain't. Today
is Christmas, I tell yeh. Yeh must have
got twisted when bavin it out with
Melchisedec. Ho didn't hit yeh on the
head, did he?"
"Now, see here, what sort of non
sense is this you aro talking about
Christmas?" asked Preston, with the
air of a man who was ready to get
angry.
"None at all. Yeh must come to tho
house and have Christmas dinner with
us, and maybe that'll convince yeh."
Preston did what ho could to remove
from his clothing tho effects of the en
counter with Mi lchisedec and followed
tho farmer to his house. The man was
one of those natural pioneers who had
moved into Ontario because tho settle
ments on the St. Lawrence iiver were
becoming uncomfortably civilized—a
man who was at homo with nature and
bad a way of making the best of the
rougher side of life. His wife was a
woman who was in everyway in accord
with him, and when Preston was usher
ed into tho one room of tho hut she re
turned his greeting shyly, but still
frankly.
"This is tho new postmaster, Jane,"
the farmer had said by way of intro
duction, "and old Melchisedec went at
him as if he'd been keepin back a
registered letter, and do yeh know,"he
added, with a wink that required fully
half of his whiskered face to execute,
"he didn't know that today was Christ
mas until I told him."
The woman looked at her husband
laughingly and, understanding the
meaning of his wink, she chimed in :
"That is funny, but I don't suppose
he'll object to havin his Christmas
dinner with us just the same."
"Well," replied Preston, looking
hungrily at a huge wild turkey that
was browning in a heavy iron pan on
tho coals beforo tho roaring fireplace,
"you may be poking fun at me, but
that old gobbler is no joke, and he
smells appetizing."
Tho bill of fare, though brief, was of
a kind to satisfy an appetite sharpened
by vigorous exercise in tho open air.
The savory turkey was stuffed with
chestnuts, and there was a large wooden
dish full of steaming potatoes that had
been saved for tho occasion. These, with
fresh scones of johnnycake, completed
tho homely banquet.
While they were at tho table there
was a sudden stir in tho pieces of blan
ket that covered a largo sap trough in
the corner, and tho querulous cry of a
baby was heard. The mother hastened
to tako her child from its primitive
cradle, and while sho was hushing him
the father explained to tho guest:
"That's tho little man that got Mel
chisedec into trouble and made us post
pono Christmas.''
"But I don't understand how," said
Preston.
"Well," replied his host half humor
ously, half defiantly, "hardworkin
folks liko us never have time for Christ
mas, but when this little fellow came
along it didn't seem just right that he
shouldn't havo one. But things wasn't
ready just in time. Yeh know yourself
there couldn't be no Christmas without
baby havin socks to bo hung up, so we
had to shear old Melchisedec to get
wool, and as tho socks didn't get mado
till this week we just naturally had to
postpone Christmas until wo wero ready
for it."
Preston entered into the spirit of the
occasion and added a handful of pennies
to the little doll and string of glass
beads that Santu Claus had left iu the
stiff little pair of stockings, and the
shadows were long before he passed the
guard of Melchisedec and returned to
his lonely office.
The ChrintmiiM Spirit.
O !
'''l
"Peace on oarth, eh?" growled old
Crusty to his wife tho day after Christ
mas.
"Peace on earth, eh? And you bought
that boy a drum I"
ISI
K£^G)l
JORDAN BROS,
iljl
j, Dealers in
«l| (ill Staple and Fancy Groceries, Dry |
H |«J Oo<»fl8, Fresh, Halt and Smoked
ll liil Meats » ' 4 ' ru ' t in season, Tobacco,
■ I J i| Cigars, Confectionery and School
11 11 Supplies.
« pi A complete line of Fall and
Winter Goods.
J:| llil We would be pleased to have
I I 11 you rail and inspect our stock
I I l J whether you purchase or not.
Ml 111 Goods delivered anywhere in
Jaj lovvn » ree °f charge.
'l '| JORDAN BROS.,
111 ' I No. 43, W. Fifth St., Emporium. I
Traveler's Guide.
BUFFALO & SUSQUEHANNA 112?. ft
Time Table taking Effect June 6th, 18H8.
•'The Grand Scenic Route."
I yx~- I
I •'y \ |
| ' '' "I' \•j j
j x_/ i
I "}*
j
HEAD UP.
A. M.IP. M. P. M.IP. M.l !
nr.K't'ngSmt... 855 7 .38 ... 12 25 I
.... Austin 8 lu 7 08 .. 12 00 I Costello
Costello 700 ... 11 53 .... |
. .Wharton, 6 46 11 41 i
Cross Fork J'ct 600 .... 10 56 i
....Corbett 5 31 10 29 i
.. Germania 520 10 18 j
do..Galeton P.M. 5 13 10 12 j
ar. 44 .... 7 10 12 55 10 00 .... j
. . Gaines, ... (» 55 12 41 942 ! |
..Sabinsville,.. 630 12 17 006 !
.. West field, . . 6 19' 12 OH 852 !
.. Knoxvllle... 605 ..... 11 50 8 30 !
....Osceola 555 —. 11 41 807 I
.. .Elkland, ... 551 11 30 758
Lv Addison,— 5 15 ... . 11 05 7 15 j
I'. M. P. M. A. M. A. M
READ DOWN.
A. M. P. M. P. M.l A. M j
LvK'tiugSmt 12 40 7 50 9 10 |
Austin 040 1 05 820 950
. .Costello 0 47 1 12 i
....Wharton ... 659 1 24, |
Cross Fork Jet.! 7 41 2 09 1
... Corbett 8 11 236
....Germania... 822 2 47 .... !
Lv. 1 (,ul(ton ' 111 258 ..!.. !!!!! ! !!!'. '
Gaines 8 52 3 08
. Sabinsville.... 921 333
.. West field ... 933 343 '
.. Knoxville.. 947 356
....Osceola ... 958 1 06 j
Elkland ... 10 (»3 111
lr .Addison.... 10 34 4 43;
A. M. P. M
Head up. Head down.
P. M. P. M. A. M. v; A. Ml I'. M
P.M. A.M. A. M. I'. M
STATIONS. A.M.
'P.M. A.M. ar dp A. M. P.II
1 00 6 30 dp Cross Fork ar 12 00 7 00
All trains run daily except Sunday.
CONNE' TIONS.
At Keating Summit with W. N. Y. &P. R. R.
for all points north and south.
At Ansonia with Fall Brook It. R. for all points
north and south.
At Newfield Junction with C. & I». A. R. R.
west for Coudersport, east for Ulysses and points
cn Cowanesque Valley branch of Fall Brook R.R.
At Genesee for points on the New York j
Pennsylvania H. R.
At Addison with Erie R. R., for points east !
and west.
At Wellsville with Erie R. R. for points east i
and west.
H.C. UNDERHILL,Gen'I Pass.Agt.BufTalo, N.Y 1
O.W. GOODYEAR, Gen*l Man'gr. Buffalo, i
W. W. AT WOOD, Supt. Addison. N. Y.
W. c. Park, Supt. Austin, Pa.
TIME TABLE No. 23.
COUDERSPORT &. PORT ALLEGANY R. R. j
Takintr effect June 15th. 1898.
EASTWARD.
I 10 I 4 I d | 2~
STATIONS.
P. M. P. M. A. M. P. M.
Port Allegany, Lv. 3 15 7 18 12 10
Coleman, *3 23 00 *l2 15 i
Hurtville »3 30 7 '-'9 12 22 j
Roulette 3 10 7 36 12 30 I
Knowlton's, »3 45 00 «12 33
Mina *3 59 7 46 12 40 |
Olmsted 4 05 *7 50 »12 44
Hammonds, 00 °° «12 49
Coudersnort /Ar. 420 7 57; i1253 j
oouaerapon. , v fi ]5 tOQ ,
North Coudersport, 00 *1 05
Frlnk's, «B 29 »l 14 :
Colesburg, *6 36 121 -
Seven Bridges,. *6 39 *1 24 j
Raymonds's, »6 49 135
Gold. t j6 54 141 i
Newfield 1 1 45
Newfield Junction, i 702 150
Perkins, 00 »i S3 I
Carpenter's, i 00 »1 56 I
Croweli's, j i «7 10 *1 59 I
Ulysses, Ar.j j ! 7 18! 2 10
I I i I
WESTWARD.
_|ll 5 | • I
STATIONS. ; 1,
A. M. P. M. A. M
Ulj-sses, Lv. 7 32 2 30 10 05
Croweli's, *7 41 »2 39 *lO 15
Carpenter's, 00 *2 41 *lO 18
Perkins, ■ *2 41 *lO 21
NewfieldlJunction, 7 47 2 46 10 25 !
Newfield, *7 51 2 50 *lO 30
Uoid 7 55 2 54 10 35 I
Raymond's *7 59 2 59 *lO 40 J
Seven Bridges, *8 11 *3 11 *lO 55 !
Colesburg, *8 11 3 14 *ll 00 1
Frink's, *8 22 *3 22 *ll 09 !
North Coudersport, °° *3 31 *ll 20 j
( Ar. 8 36 3 36 11 301
Coudersport < P.M. ....
( Lv. 841 600 120 I
Hanum nds 00 00 |
Olmsted, «8 46 »6 00 *1 27 I
Mina, 850 610 131 i
Knowlton's, °o »«j 18 °° i
Roulette 900 621 145
Burtville 908 629 255 |
Coleman, 00 *6 35 °° j
Port Allegany, 921 640 2 351 j
(*) Flag stations, f 00 ) Trains do not stop. j
Connections—At Ulysses with Fall Brook R'y. |
for points north and south. At Newfield Junc
tion with Buffalo & Susquehanna R. It., north of
Wellsville, south of Galeton and Ansonia. At
Port Allegany with W. N. Y. & P. R. R., north
for Buffalo, Olean, Bradford and Smethport;
south for Keating Summit, Austin, Emporium
and Penn'a R. R., points.
B. A. McCLURE, Gen'l Supt.
Coudersport, Pa.
i^o: ♦ 3oc<spc&^cc+
ID. E. «IKI GOODS SHE. 112
'Jf NEAR ODD FELLOWS HALL. ; '* :
* Pari of our Fall Goods arc here and more are on the $*
u way. Come and see is the cordial invitation we extend to all. Jvl
The goods are new and the prices are right. u|
A large assortment of W
**** ** * * c't tt'i't • • a®-S - S''SS« •a S 'r^j
Men's, Women's «ra»rfi ■)•>•" „ Table Cloths,
rf and Childrens* V Sheetings, y
* Underwear, * -C_ Blankets arid W
U Art |- ,I | lens » '*'112 Bed Comfortables, j..
'p' p
A s.'<»B 8 ••«••■•••§•« [;} - Pt ' BMBBBBSBB* 888
I $
- Offerings for CASH Only. .0
T*f $
p Ladies, set, white wool vests and pants, usually sold at ft
SI.OO, for 6o cents.
Ladies' set, white wool vests and pants, usually sold at «
$1.25, for 75 cents. &
W Ladies' set, white wool vests and pants, usually sold at
& $1.50, for 90 cents. Jvl,
u' Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usuallv sold at I' j
,0, 65c, for 45 cents. ft
W Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at yf
5, 75 c > for 5° cents.. _
3r~ Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at
•C- 85c, for 60 cents.
w Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at
. j#! $1.15, for 70 cents. U
vM. Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at
Z r soc»5 oc » for . 35 cents. _ 7f
n Childrens' white wool vests and pants, usually sold at Q
* 45c, for 30 cents.
These arc all perfect goods. Come early.
| D. E. OLMSTED, 112
p* Near Odd Fellows Hall, East Fourth St. p
* J£s#>zsD*Z j 4
C. B. HOWARD CO.I
V- Our line ot Groceries is complete, ill
I: °ur aim is to P nrcliase nothing but the M
i£; tolfenplLl best a »d keep our stock fresh. Come and jfj
# TfA examine our goods.
!§> Our shoes are from the
V best manufactures in the ■ / r^u [§ll
1 W country. They comprise LMsI 3&
if?" all tlie latest st Y les a "dj
ft colors i„ footwear. iQg I j
I Our lines ol linens and ' I
DOMDTICS. £ga<loinestics are carefully
j»u»I-:.W ]ip selected from large stocks »■£§§>" , 4 .
« Mi j and are the best goods for '■ '■' ft
Wv__A!fe|| f£J the money obtainable. If in need ot such |f;
jfp give.us a tria. M
fill Our notion department Jff
is made up of only reliable
f M tgoods at medium prices. J W
|i|| Examine and let us name you prices.
0 A M
It'! Our stock of Fall and (
Winter Clothing has ar- S
HI / V S } rived. In it you will find ijM
/ ('• j ?(\ ) ie latest cloths. Call Q)
j and examine before line is 3
We have shirts and lots of them at
®| all prices. Let us show them to you and M
name our prices.
l|j If you want to save money, give us a call. j!|:!
jjP We defy competition. All goods guaran-
|c. B. HOWARD coj