I ^anta’fl |
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W By R. RAY BAKER 1%
(Copyright, 1919, by tiie McClure News '
paper Syndicate.)
EIE tall, rawboned sailor
stopped whistling when
he saw the automobile,
although Ills lips re
mained pursed and va
por continued to form
before his mouth.
He halted midway
between the fog-bell
and the lighthouse, and
stamped his feet ener
getically on the beaten
snow path, for they
were cold In spite of heavy overshoes.
"Ben Clark’s automobile," he said,
and he did not say It joyfully. "He's
callin’ on Marie ag’in."
The door of the dwelling part of the
lighthouse opened and a young man,
dressed In a fur coat, came out, placing
a cap, also of fur, on his head. He
paused w’hen he saw the sailor.
“Merry Christmas,” said the fur-clad
one, grinning, and he passed on to
the automobile, climbed In, and soon
was whirling away.
“Same to yuh,” sang out the sailor,
although he scowled as he approached
the door through which the other had
A Light Shone Forth Into the Winter
Night.
emerged. "Seems he’s gettin’ In a
hurry about it. Christmas don’t come
till tomorrow.”
There was nothing about the sailor
to denote that he was a seafaring
man, unless it was his rolling gait, for
he was bundled up much as the other
man, although his. coat, Instead of
being fur, was an old fuzzy blue one.
Navigation had closed some months
ago, because a large share of the
lake had an icy blanket, and
Harry Hammond was obliged to find
other pursuits till spring. So he
fished through the ice and helped keep
the village of Bennett supplied with
fond.
His knock was answered by a dark
eyed girl of three years, who smiled
brightly.
_ “Hello, Emeline,” he said, and he
took her in his arms and asked her
about Santa and what she expected
the old gentleman from the North to
bring her.
“Big doll’s what I want,” she fold
him, trying to spoil the part in his
hair, and failing because there was
not any there to begin with. “Dat’s
all—just big doll.”
From the adjoining room came an
other dark-eyed girl of nineteen wip
ing her hands on an apron.
Harry placed the tot on the floor,
and as he did so he discovered a pic
ture standing on tile table. It was
of a very good looking young man.
“I see Mr. Clark left a present,"
Harry said, and immediately wished
He had kept his thoughts to himself,
for the girl flared up.
"Yes,” she said with a tinge of de
fiance. “Ben Clark left me his pic
ture. I hope you don’t object.”
The sailor studied the blue pattern
In the faded red carpet.
“Wouldn t do much good if I did,
he responded. “You an’ he’s gettin’
pretty thick, Marie. I thought things
was pretty well understood between
yon an’ me—but that was before Ben
commenced takln’ you ridtn’ and
shinin’ up to you. A man with a car
certainly does have an advantage over
ns poor guys..
Marie’s cheeks grew red and .she
tapped her foot.
“Look here, Harry Hammond,”
she said in a voice that sounded like
a ringmaster’s whip cracking, "you
nor no man is going to dictate to me
Mr. Clark has been very nice. Besides,
he’s a highly refined gentleman, and
yon—well, you’re not, and you know
it.”
Ben turned toward the door.
“Mebhe I better step out o’ It alto
gether,” he observed.
He opened the door and was about
to step out, when Emeline sprang Into
bis arms. He kissed the child on the
forehead, then put her back on the
floor and went out, remarking to him
self that "this sure is some merry
Christmas.”
That afternoon a storm that hud
been brewing for days vented its spite
on the village and Its surroundings,
which Included Clayton Point and the
lighthouse. A raw, stiff wind carried
biting pieces of hard snow.
“Mebbe Santa Claus tan’t tome, ’said
the tot, as she snuggled up to the
older girl and listened to the howl
ing wind.
“Probably not,” replied Marie, who
was gazing abstractedly from the
living room window out over the
frozen lake.
Marie was quite sure Santa would
not come. Santa would have to be
her brother Frank, who was Emellne’s
father, and he was at Sloan City, 2u
miles away, helping an ice company
put up next summer’s supply. He
had promised to bring something for
Emeline’s Christmas, but Marie knew
he would not attempt the trip In the
storm.
Frank was the lightkeeper and the
government records showed Marie to
he his assistant. Frank kept the light
burning during the summer and in the
winter found jobs of various kinds to
perform.
About five o'clock, through the
storm, Marie heard an automobile
horn, and presently came a knock on
the door. Ben Clark, blanketed with
snow, stood there when she opened it.
“I can’t stay,” he said, “or I won’t
he able to drive back, because the road
is drifting badly. I came because I
heard some news you'll be interested
in. Harry Hammond wenf out on the
Ice this morning with his dog team,
and up at the village a fisherman just
came in with the news that the Ice
had cracked and part of It went out.
Hammond didn't iiave a chance In a
thousand, especially in this storm. He
surely must have drowned.”
Marie started back, horror In her
eyes.
"Harry drowned I” she cried. "It
doesn’t seem possible. Are you sure.?
Can’t you do something? Take me out
on the Ice In your car. Perhaps he’s
still alive, lying somewhere on the Ice
freezing. The ice must be firm for a
long ways out.’.’
“What?" exclaimed Ben. "Go out
there In this howling blizznrd? The
Ice might hold up for a long ways,
but I’d ruin the car and we’d stand a
good chance of getting pneumonia. If
we didn’t get lost and wander Into
open water.”
Early that night the villagers were
startled to see a red bar of light shoot
from Clayton Point. It was the first
time In history that that light, which
had guided many a ship through sum
mer gales, had shone forth into a win
ter night.
Up in the light tower stood Marie
looking through the great glass wall,
striving to pierce the darkness and
storm with eyes that were red from
weeping.
"There’s not much hope,” she mused,
"but there’s just a chance he’s still
alive and the old light might help
him."
For hours site remained at the post,
watching and waiting, all but hopeless.
Midnight found her asleep in a chair
close by the light, exhausted by her
long vigil.
A scream from below made her wide
awake. She stumbled down the stairs
and groped her way to Emeline’s room.
To her surprise a lamp was burning
and there was Emeline seated on the
bed, bouncing a doll, fully as large as
herself, on her knee.
“Santa tame!” cried the little girl,
and now Marie realized that It had
been a scream of joy that awak
ened her.
“Santa tame!” repeated the tot. “I
found this right on my bed."
Unable to understand, Marie went
out into the living rboin and lighted a
/C\ ^
On the Lounge Lay a Man, His
Clothes Crusted With Ice.
larup. On the lounge lay a man, his
clothes crusted with ice.
She went to him und put her arms
nrhund him.
“Harry,” she sobbed. “They told
me you were dead; that the Ice
cracked and let you through.”
The big sailor opened his eyes and
yawned.
“I’m dead, all right—dead sleepy,"
he grinned. “The Ice opened up, all
right, but 1 was on the other side of
the crack, an’ by drlvln’ the dogs like
the dickens I got over the danger
place before she cracked on the other
side. I got to Sloan City without trou
ble, an' cornin' back I skirted the
shore. At that, I'd got lost only for
the ol’ light.”
She took one of his hands and
found It cold, and rubbed It vigorously.
“Hut why—wtny did you go?” she de
manded.
Jle tried to stifle another yawn, but
didn't supceed.
“Well, -Emellne was lookin’ for
Santa.” be answered, “an’ I couldn’t let
her be disappointed.”
__ I
m
Something “She”
Wants 1
will prove the most acceptable present you can
give. This store is cram full of dainty
Christmas suggestions, all of which were cho
sen to make man’s gift-buying easily accom
plished. Come and see how inexpensively
j you can buy the gift she most admires, one
that shows you understand “her” unspoken
desires.
NORTHERN DRUG CO.
“THE DRUG STORE OF ALASKA"
“SERVICE" la our motto
...
I I
I Merry Christmas |
| to All 1
B H
m H
m ii
Bank of Alaska 1
CAPITAL $170,000.00 ] ? ||
Branches at Skagway, Wrangell and Anchorage ? ,
jiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMaffliiiiiiiiiiiiiim
I ALASKA TRANSFER COMPANY
‘ TRANSFER AND STORAGE
COAL AND WOOD
AUTO SERVICE
DAY OR NIGHT
Office, Northern Hotel Bldg. Phone 85
ARE YOU GOING OUT THIS FALL?
Visit San Francisco and Stop with
Mark C. Thompson
at his new hotel in the heart of the city between
Powell and Mason Streets.
The Dale-Tallac Hotel
140 ELLIS STREET
11 Special Rates and Headquarters for Alaskans.
CITY BAKERY LUNCH ROOM 1
Special Carefully-Prepared Lunch served from 11:30 a. m. Our Fine
French Rolls with every meal
Big Variety of Pastries and Cakes, Always Fresh
Sanitary Machinery of T.»test Model. Patent Brick Oven. . Best Ma
terials used by Expert WorknuM, producing our Famous Cream Loaf
Best Coffee in Town
French Bread Rye Bread
~ - ,7. -- - - -- ' ,
Alaska
Steamship Company
Regular Sailings Between 8eattle,
Ketchikan, Juneau, Cordova, Valdez,
Ellamar, Liscum, Latouche, Seward
FROM SEATTLE— 8AIL8 80UTH
DEC. 20 . ALASKA DEC. 28
DEC. 30. NORTHWESTERN JAN. 8
JAN. 10. ALASKA JAN. 18
JAN. 20. ALAMEDA JAN. 23
JAN. 30. ALASKA FEB. 8
Frequent sailings of 'freighters carrying explosives.
This schedule subject to change without notice.
F. B. TRACY, Agent
[1— ^PACIFIC STEAMSHIP COM PAN Yr_If
Alaska—Washington—California ALASKA ROUTE
8afety Courtesy 8ervlce 8peed
OFFICE EMPRE8S BUILDING
WE8T BOUND SOUTH BOUND
LEAVE CORDOVA LEAVE CORDOVA
DEC. 29. WATSON . JAN. 5
Three Sailings per Week from Seattle for San Francisco, Los An
geles and 8an Diego. For further Information call
L. A. COUNTS, AGENT Res. Lathrop Apts.
Phones: Office 223, Residence 2 23—2 rings. ..
Copper River and
Northwestern Ry.
Trains leave Cordova for Chitina Monday and Thursday.
Trains leave Chitina for Kennecott Tuesday and Friday.
Trains leave Kennecott for Chitina Sunday and Thursday.
Trains leave Chitina for Cordova Tuesday and Friday.
• >
Dining Car in Connection with all Regular
Passenger Trains between Cordova and Chitina.
Freight received and delivered at Cordova
Wharf from 9 a. m. to 5 p m., except Sundays.
Tickets on sale at Second Street Depot office
mi' hour before departure of trains.
CALEB CORSER Superintendent
D. L. LEATON, Ticket Agent
THE NORTHERN CLUB
FRED HAEF, PROP.
POOL, CARDS, TOBACCO
Soft Drinks of All Kinds
The Popular Corner
PHONE 47 CORDOVA, ALASKA
%
JUST RECEIVED, A LINE OF
MASTER-MADE
DRESS SHOES
FOR MEN. CALL AND GET THE PRICES AT
THE BARGAIN STORE
JOHN RAW80N
Sixty Steam-Heated Rooms, Electric-Lighted
Hot and Cold Water in Every Room
With or Without Bath
Cordova House
DOOLEY & GREENIG
*
Headquarters for Railroad and Mining Men
Satisfaction Guaranteed :: Rates Reasonable