chrismas.html

This story was submitted for use here by Mrs. Violet Thompson.

CHRISTMAS STORY - CHRISTMAS 1903

Well, girlies, you think that all the stories I know is camp stories. So I'll just tell you a Christmas story.
It was Dorothea's first Christmas. She wasn't quite 1 year old. Uncle Frank was clerk of the school board and we were to have a new school house and the bids for the bonds were to be sold the 24th of December. That was the day before Christmas and Uncle Frank had to go to Goldendale to be there and that day and the snow was deep, so he and Mr. Albert Bertschi, one of the other directors, went horseback. Uncle rode my little pony and they started on the morning of the 23rd. You know it was 38 or 40 miles.
Well, Dorothea and I were alone and we were all very much disappointed as we had planned on having a Merry Christmas together and now papa was to be absent. Did you ever have plans spoiled that way? You kind of feel like crying and trying to get the blues. But you know when papa is gone there is so much more to do, as all the chores were to be done and I had to do them when Dorothea was asleep. She wasn't much help those days, only she kept me company when papa was gone and that is lots of help, more than words can tell.
On an Xmas eve there was a Christmas tree at the church, so Uncle Ed hitched up the horses to the sleigh and took us all down. The tree was beautiful. Dorothea got a little red brick box of candy with Santa Claus sitting right up on the top. I had went out and cut a pretty fir tree and fixed a little tree at home, but I felt like I hadn't enjoyed myself much because Uncle was not with us. Of course Dorothea was happy. She wasn't old enough to know the difference.
But say, when we were coming home and got in sight of the house, we saw a light in the house and we thought Santa was surely there or had been there and forgot to blow the light out. I said it couldn't be Frank, because he just couldn't possibly get back until tomorrow. But when we got to the gate I got out and took Dorothea and hurried in. And who do you think old Santa was but Uncle Frank! And now we were all so trickled.
He brought Dorothea a little dog with a wooly neck. I mean a play dog. It looked like a lion and she was afraid of it, but it wasn't long until she liked that dog. He brought me a yard of linen cloth to embroidery on. So we lit the candles on our tree and had a real Christmas Eve at home.
Well, I had prepared for Christmas anyhow. I mean I had baked up like we always do, so our Christmas wasn't spoiled after all.
Ed and Buelah Andrews ate dinner with us and we had a jolly Christmas with papa at home when we thought he would be away over to Goldendale. But this has taught me to always try and have a brave heart and not give up.

With love,
Aunt Mary