Show I The Day Before Christmas I Written for Tho The Park Record This story of an old time Park City Christmas will wUl be introduced by a of July day a safe sato time timo for a warm day dayI between I two winters The year Is un un- uncertain uncertain uncertain certain In my memory but well we'll guess It at about 1879 The story chiefly con- con concerns concerns concerns cerns cerns a boy of or about ten or eleven years and his father Tho The namo name has slipped me It may have been Medford or I ley Icy or another A bank bank- Identification Is not necessary anyway and it might em em- embarrass embarrass barrass though these th people moved I em-I I j away or have havo gono gone with the wind though not forgotten 1 That of July was one ono to be bo I remembered remembered on Its own account In Park Parle City In some some- of ot my writings I may my have re- re referred to It before Giant Gian powder had been lavishly provided and when the tho thoi i long strings of Chinese crackers lire had been largely exhausted the small bombs I exploded and the general pistol firing had had some hours of Jubilation stir still I leaving a sort of ot anticlimax with what the small boys had left loft It was then that the giant powder was used by the men It began with about two Inches of or a stick with a short fuse and a cap at attached at- at attached thrown into the middle of Main street As 3 the crack of this began to I raise ralso the earth and dust In the street from about Barney Rileys Riley's saloon along up by Dominick Dignan's saloon salon and I Ion on up the street beyond Judge Streets Street's office the excitement grew with t I sound of mimic battle This was fun and worthy of ot the day I confess to standing within tho fence of our front front I yard and helping in a moderato moderate way But j I Isome some somo ambitious souls souis began using half haIr and perhaps even whole sticks of powder 1 then glass from the frame buildings be be- began began gan to fall be 1 Amidst this earth shaking din and shattered glass I saw a fast fleeing hat hat- hatless hatless a less boy pursued by an enraged man racing close at his heels getting In a alick alick alick lick with a strap at every other Jump on the back of the luckless boy who I ran and dodged across the street around I Ind and nd back again while like the charge of tho the Light Brigade cannon Brigade cannon volleyed and thundered to right and left lett and in front of them bravely or recklessly they ran and Jumped midst dust bang boom and flying pebbles until the man got the boy by the collar and they disappeared disappeared disappeared between two houses on the upper side of the street I recognized the man manas manas manas as the father of the boy and some anger with the man was mixed with my pity for the tho boy and what he ho was sure to get This brief season was followed by anold an anold anold old fashioned winter that began In the fall and lingered In the spring with snow twelve feet teet deep In mid winter about town to eighteen feet in the hills But But did the boys mind It Ill I'll say not No moro more than they minded that air shattering of or July There came to my notice again the boy Jimmie of the Main street dash He had broken his sled runner and was afraid to go home That high tempered father of his was a carpenter and had made it for him My brother Waddy was wasI clever with tools and he liked Jimmie I So Jimmie sneaked st piece u a from where his father worked and the tho sled was made new as to runner but all of It had to be painted to make It look the same and the paint was anew color but It saved saTed back and he was grateful gra There was a long swift sled road that winter ranging along down and across Avenue of a later naming that came camo into the lower Main street turn I near the old Nelson home A prize was to be given giyen to the champion speeder the tho day betor Christmas in the big race roce for tor I boys on that runway It t was doubtful Jimmies Jimmie's old sled would have havo a chance In that race He I had peeked Into his fathers father's shop where he was not wanted and had seen a aI wonderful steel runner Jumper In the I making that had kept him awake nights Jimmies Jimmie's father suspected cur- cur curI I j I and tagged that Jumper as It hung Can- Can Empire on the wall wall Mr Mr Kelly 1 yon on That tag had sent Santa Claus Glaus out of Jimmies Jimmie's sphere of hope He suffered great disappointment I II Jimmie had indulged high hopes He I had I had exit cut c t the wood and and I stacked them up neatly In the shed un un- under under under der the porch He had been almost too anxious to please that rather cross father but he had been cheered by the com com- commending commending commending mending smiles of the patient little mother who never did worse than scold I him some when he plagued his little I sister Jimmie had a a. pang of regret when he thought of his old painted sled I made a little too to good Jimmie was over to see sec the new racer that Waddy Street was making before I I the tag went on the Jumper Jle JIe had boasted a little to his playmate Mike about his Paw and what a n wonderful carpenter he was Comparisons were made Mikes Mike's Irish eyes were no longer smiling as he insisted that his Paw run runa runa a I a pump at the Ontario Huh l I My Paw can cnn build a mill mm said lid Jimmie And Mike I came back back My My Paw runs machinery at atthe atthe the biggest mine in the tho world I Jimmie got over bold bold My My Paw Is building me a Jumper that will win the big race Later ter when Waddy asked Jimmie about I the tho new Jumper he was not so 80 certain and when reminded that the race came camo off ort the day before Christmas Jimmies Jimmie's mind was WM filled with doubts But when the tho tag appeared hope died Jimmie was not a bad boy he was daring and full of mischief doubtless about like his father had been when a aboy aboy aboy boy but bu who had forgotten An overmastering Idea had taken possession pos pos- possession session Bession of Jimmie He wanted to win that race he wanted to try out that at Jumper He reasoned that no harm could come in one race to those thO e polished run run- runners ners nen If ho lie were careful that Paw would not work but a half halt d day dy y on the day before Christmas Chr he knew how to m fix fixa ma a catch on the shop back window the therace therace therace race was to be bo at three o'clock p. p m m. Jimmie seemed to have v all the factors of the problem and he redoubled his re resolution re- re resolution resolution solution to put that jumper back safe safo and sound before dark that night But as was observed by Bobby Burns the tho plans of mice and men gang aft ait agree Jimmie was immensely envied when he appeared with the nest ney steel Jumper every boy wanted to borrow It for tor Just I one ride But Dut Jimmie solemnly avowed that he be was under a promise not to loan It before Christmas There were two men timers one at I each end of the track Boys took their I turns They could take to a n running start of ct ten feet They could ride cither coach charlie or buster belly-buster the latter face taco down with two toes to guide tho the theother other resting re ting on the right thighs thigh left leg crossed over over and extended to guide There were e o J a few t few w snow Jumps ju p permit permit- Continued Con on Page Eight The Thep WB fore Me Christmas Continued from Page Pago One r jo r x ted to add to speed the the last Jump was near the end of the crest of n a steep pitch which Q ga fast travel tra by the last timer r Then the slow up was down trio tho th present valley roadway where teams were barred for the time but no turn turp was to be made toward Main street his hiS Jimmie WM WI getting setting chilly when y r turn came camo chilled too with the tho thought that his might bo among tho the theM M crowd of spectators at the th lower d of at the track Safety suggested that he ride buster belly ruled that he be go elly l but pride coach charlie and dare daro the tho Jumps He was off or to a good start the track was as ashard hard and the steel runners answered j to tho the forward swing ng of at Jimmies Jimmie's s 's head j as ns ho bowed his his flying steed onward With a set Jaw arid and a d a death grip he ho clung I IBS as BS the Jumps k him He was wa making terrific speed as the elastic runners runnelS of round steel bounded bonded bo forward From the lat last off Jump ho he bounded Into Int e to air airy struck tho track a little off center e where side yielded enough to the tho snow on one lower that side and shoot him off oft course cour o toward Main street tho the timer barely himself l Tho The crowd opened with a a went through like a o JimmIe rush as rocket but right side up only to tear through a team and bob sled There was wasa wasn I a n cry of horror from the crowd as Jim Jim- Jimmie and mio mie crashed over tho trio trees double-trees the team started to run Tho The beautiful Jumper Jammed and clung the boy shot beyond be ond and lay a n. prostrate form torm In- In I By Dy a strange coincidence his approach approaCh- approaching I ing father was vas the first to reach him When he discovered that It was was his his own boy bop b y tho the shock so 50 unnerved him bim that he ho dropped on his knees beside the quiet body After all it was not so 80 T bed ad s arm was broken a n long gash across his head and numerous bruises was eras all the damage to him The Jumper was badly twisted but could be fixed By New Years Year's day JImmie met some cf his boj bojt bo friends In his front yard n his hla arm In in a sling u lie R Lie was iraa not cast cas' down ho was ws quite tb the hero he ro among mong his fellows He lie had made mado the tho best race time but did not score Jimmie was Just Justa a little proud as ns ho he stood erect and said said said- Yes knocked me mo cold boys but Doc McFalls sewed up my head and set my arm and Paw fixed Weed up the Jumper as good aa as 1 new and he be never licked mo me either cither cause Maw cried so much Tho The juniper Jumper was my Christmas present after all nIl only I had it the day before Christ Ch mas CHARLES E. E E STREET Salt Lake City Utah |