Show STUDENT LIFE 81 thought The “green cloth” of the oker table was out of use ami the “cyards” and chips were piled There was no whir of the roulette wheel : it was quiet for the first time in weeks The only activity was in the direction of the “Tom and Terry’’ bowl and the pitcher of hot water It was Christmas eve Strange isn’t it the effect that Christmas has on humanity? It seems to bring out the better side of a fellow and it makes him feel as if he could love his neighbor in spite of anything This was the spirit which prompted the gathering at the “Gold Xugget’’ and put a damper on the usual congenial games and intercourse After I had finally settled myself before the fire and was sipping a “refresher” one of these rough clad mountaineers arose It was Jenkins one of the mine foremen “Fellers” he said “this is Christmas eve We can’t have much of a Santy Clause up in this hole but we can have a little of the old spirit We ain’t kids no more we’re men hut we fellers remember when our mothers used to tell us about old Santy and what he did Can’t any of you fellers give us a good God-forsak- en story about Christmas?” ” came forward The “bar-keep- and wiping his hands on his apron much the worse for wear said: “Fellers I' believe that I am one of the oldest inhabitants of the ‘Flat’ I came with the fust rush and am goin’ to stay till the gophers dig holes agin where we now stand I saw the first Christmas up here and I am goin’ to see the last one at this place Did you fellers ever hear of Dutch Flat’s first Christmas?” As there were cries of “Xo” and “Go ahead” the “keep” sipping a steaming “Tom” began his tale “It was in the fall of ’89 that the ‘Flat’ was settled There were a lot of fellows up this way buckin’ timber and the lumber company decided to start a tradin’ store I was only a kid but had spunk Finally one day in ’Frisco I fell in with a pardner Mike Tren-hert- li we called him and came up here We opened the Gold Nugget There was only the little store and our saloon here and T tell you it was desolate The timbermcn came down every night and Mike and I did a good trade “Things went on a good deal the same until Christmas All of the fellers had got their pay on the day before Christmas and had come down to spend it Lots of them had been drinking all day and along with them was Mike Right here I’m goin’ to tell you about Mike He was a good natured cuss with a heart like an ox but he used to get drunk ami then lie wanted to kill everyone in sight I met him in a boardin’ house in ’Frisco and bein’ a kid without a friend or chick I took to him He was |