Show the editors christmas party by charles frederick wadsworth U ills 1911 western union prospect for a mern christmas eve was nol not bright for tho the three hun bun dred odd pas passengers on the continental limited to ix b sure the butchee 1 woe was all but sold out and all tho th biddles on tho the train had been provided for but the grownup grown up folks who at christmas time are fire not grown up ae as they appear at other times had not much in prospect that would he be like other years yeam hero hem they were almost two miles up pp toward the sky with two locomotives pushing dushin the long train from tram behind and two pulling in front with a rotary ahead trying to bore a thoroughfare ough fare through tho deep drifts on ono one of the highest passes of the rocky mountains the train was hours late and none of the passengers hoped to reach destination ti for the celebration with rela lives tives and friends which had bad been looked forward to with joyous anticipations pat ions it seemed that of the assorted company aboard there should have bare been many who might have suggested something in hi the nature of christmas entertainment to make the evening memorable snowbound party but all seemed to bo be too homesick with disappointment to start the ball rolling strangely enough it was not one 0 the youns young folls who inelly cot got things going but a grizzled lumberman from the northwest who started it and Gran grandma diva howard from new iceland england who pronounced the boil diction dinner had been and the passengers wore were dettling ling buck in their ants with when tho bic big voice boomed through end in HUC mue 1 all you folkert who can warble conio como back in tho the parlor car i we W are going to have a community sing the heartiness of tho the invitation and the novelty of the idea changed gyuru 1 6 g L 3 gathered in the parlor car I 1 ness to expectancy and frowns to grins ae as the travelers rushed the alslee to bo first to accept I 1 crowded to the doors with every seat sent full and somo some propped against the arms of tho the big upholstered chairs chalm this parlor car soon was ringing with the gangs all here item it needed just that klud idad of starter to act the disappointed ones fully awake to the me opportunity of yet having a it real christmas party then followed dvm bong song that could bo be re recalled catica ilium sunday school doys days to dexl dixie and hot time in tho the old town tonight the sing sine was a success but songs were giving out and it was coin comparatively pam early in tho the evening some one tell a christmas etoral et oryl it woe was the voice of a little old woman sitting near tho the writing desk who brought the halt in festivities to re interest all right said the big lumberman w who ho had tacitly accepted the role of master of ceremonies who will be first firs t r 7 there was a good deal of kidding but no one volunteered and who would have expected it to bo be the big banker going to the coast that would famish furnish a storytelling story telling host unknown to all and thousands of miles away at that he arose and put his hand band inside his coat pocket and brought forth a newspaper and hand ed it to the cli chairman nirman My friends said be 1 I wish to introduce to you a man who has been telling me christmas stories for years his name matters not he lives in a little town in eastern pennsylvania where be he publishes tho the little home town paper that has been my pleasure considerable inspiration and afforded me a good deal of entertainment since I 1 was a boy it happened that I 1 bad had a copy of his paper here in my pocket and I 1 suggest that some of the splendid christmas stories and poems it contains be read by members of our COMPEL company I 1 am sure all will enjoy them the bankers little speech was rewarded by generous applause the reading began first brat by one then another and many a silent tear was loosed in memory of other christmas parties and not a little humor was mixed in too at midnight the little woman by tho the writing desk arose and asked the big lumberman iberman to take up a collection of a nickel apiece from those gathered in the parlor car glances of wonder were directed her way but it was thought just a whim of a little old lady who vaa nas far from homo home in all but distressing circumstances while the collection was being taken she turned to the desk and began to write on a sheet of the elegant stationery of the railroad and this was wair what sho she wrote snowbound in the rocky mountains dec dee 24 unconsciously you have been the host at a christmas storytelling stor telling party in the snowdrifts of the rocky mountains the passengers gees of the continental limited render gratitude to you for a pleasant evening afforded by the christmas stories in your paper we wish you ond and yours a merry christmas god bless you just as she finished writing the big lumberman dumped the coins collected on oll the writing desk in front of her keep the money she said and at the first station send this telegram to the newspaper man who has entertained us so well this evening the car soon was in an uproar and the little old woman was embarrassed by the attention shown her then the big lumberman suggested that tho the message should have a signature A number of proposals were made but the chairman turned to the writer of the message and asked what Is your name we will sign it with that just sign it grandma howard and he will know it might be any one of a million grandmas admas grand mas and pretty much alike especially at christmas time away from home bome |