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determination that something must be
done to put a stop to the holdups by the
desperate highwaymen. So bold had the
robbers become that not infrequently pas
sengers were shot down before they had
even offered the slightest resistance.
Something must be done, nnd G. Frank
Willard, the agent at Flagstaff, finally
made up his mind to drive the coach on
its next trip. He announced his inten
tion to his assistant and told the new
driver that he could lay oil a trip.
"I will find out who are killing our pas
sengers and robbing the company on
almost every trip," said Willard, the
night before his departure, to a group of
ranchmen who had come down the moun
tains to purchase trinkets and proven
der for the Christmas days. Every ef
fort had been made to apprehend the
stage robbers without success. Not even
a trail in the deep snow could be discov
ered. Footprints of a man or men with
in a radius of twenty feet of the robbed
coach were all that was ever seen. Thoy
could be traced nowhere. Only the sin
gle print of an elk's hoof could be found,
and elks, as a rule, do not rob stage
poaches. It was a mystery, but Agent
Willard was determined to unravel it.
When the incoming coach from Volun
teer Springs got into Flagstaff to trans
fer its freight to Willard's care it was
found that he had intrusted to him a
most precious burden wrapped snugly in
warm, soft blankets. Opening the bun
dle a pair of big blue eyes, shaded by
clusters of golden curls, gazed at him in
babyish wonder.
A note pinned to the blanket near the
throat of the little one stated that the
"ALL THESE IS YOUR'U."
baby was named Helen Grace Morris and
that she was sent to her father at Tin
man Valley as a Christmas gift from her
mother, who was too poor in health and
purse to make the trip.
"Truly a precious present if her father
is anything of a man," mused Agent Wil
lard, as he tenderly took the little one in
his arms and placed her In his own com
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ing, and was startled by hearing a wee
little voice say:
"Is you my papa? I'm his Christmus
gif; mamma sent me."
"You bet I'm your papa, and I take you
as the most precious Christmas gift mor
tal man ever got."
Fondly clasping the cooing baby In his
big brawny arms, he leaped froru the
coach, cut loose the dead horse and its
living companion, tnd then lashed the
remaining pair into a run in the direction
of Tittman Valley. A moment later, as
he stood in the middle of the pass, he
gave a shrill whistle, and from a clump
of pine trees on the side of the road
emerged a tall and powerful elk. Without
hesitation the stately animal moved
quickly to the side of the robber, who
hastily tied on its back the box of money,
and then, still hugging the precious bun
dle, he leaped on the elk's back and was
soon lost to sight in the valley below.
The clattering of the maddened coach
horses as they dashed into the little town
of Tittman aroused its citizens, who soon
learned from the -wounded agent, who
had recovered consciousness, what hap
pened. A posse was at once formed, and
with the sheriff in the lead set out for
the scene of the robbery and attempted
murder. Arriving there they were non
plused at failing to find any trail in the
deep snow except the hoofprints of an
elk or stag.
"Don't see how we can mnke a move
without a trail to work on," said the
sheriff. "Might as well give it up."
But this did not suit Wesley Ilawkins,
an old mountain trapper.
"These elk hoofprints are a mystery
to me," he said. "I know positively that
there are no elk this high up in the moun
tains now and haven't been for goin' on
three year. They are all in the valley
below, and for one I think we ought to
follow this trail."
"Mcbbe you're right," said the sheriff,
who set off on the elk trail, followed by
us posse. Two hours of quick walking
brounht them to a cavernous-like open
ing, around which were seen innumerable
human footprints. Cautiously they bent
to their hands and knees and began to
crawl in at the mouth of the cavern. In a
few moments they heard voices and came
to a small, stout door, which stood partly
ajar. The poorly furnU-hed room they
peered into was ablaze with the light of
a huge log fire, and seated in the middle
of the floor was little Ilelen Grace Mor
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ris gazing in rapt wonder at the big
Christmas tree laden with articles which
the highwayman had at various times se
cured iu his forays on the express coach.
"All these things is your'n, little one,"
said the rough-visaged robber as tears
stole down his coarse, weather-beaten
face. "You are my Christmas present,
an' all them things is your'n. I've taken
many a chance for my life to get 'em, but
I never will do it again for your sake,
for I've got somethiu' to live for, an' I'll
raise you like a lady."
The highwayman then knelt on the
ground floor of the cavern and prayed
that he might be forgiven as he stroked
the golden curls of his little companion,
on which his tears glistened like dew.
"Sh sh boys," said the sheriff as he
slowly backed out of the cavern. "Come
on, don't make a noise; we ain't seen
him do nothin. He'll never rob another
coach, for she's made a man of him, and
he got the best Christmas gift Santa
Claus ever had in his big storehouse."
Agent Willard recovered and five years
ago came to Chicago and is the owner of
a small hay and feed store in Belden
avenue. Chicago Tribune.
Bethlehem Shepherd of To-Day.
Presents for the Poor.
"Iu your Christmas purchasing do not
be tempted to forget those who, because
of their poverty, are unable to do any
shopping either for themselves or for
tinues throughout the afternoon and well
into the night in official and private
houses. The official social season is In
augurated on New Year's Day in Wash
ington. It is the grand rallying day of
the neighborly proclivities of the people
of the entire district. Many men make
their first and last visit of the year on
this day, and only see certain of their
friends on this one day of the year. As
they grow older these festival days seem
to come closer and closer together. Lists
are published in the newspapers of the
houses where receptions will be held,
with the names of the ladies who will as
sist in receiving. The assisting lady
often attracts more callers than the
hostess, and newly arrived families are
on the lookout for popular women for
their New Year's Day receptions. There
is no need to interrupt the grand round
of calls for luncheon or dinner; the car
nage is hired for the day. and. dressed
in hi3 very best, the caller must see all
the old friends and make as many new
ones as time will permit. Everywhere
open house is kept in the lavish Southern
fashion. Tables are loaded with viands
hot and cold, supplemented with real
Southern egg-nog, or a bowl filled from
the housekeeper's winter supply of Fish
House punch, mixed from a well-guarded
formula that is an heirloom in Philadel
phia families. The whirl of revelry is
intense, but this gala-day conies for
Washingtonians but once in a year, and
it is celebrated with true Southern
warmth and enthusiasm."
His Awful Fate.
Visitor (in dime museum) Where is
the human' ostrich who was on exhibi
tion here last week?
Lecturer The poor fellow ate some of
the candy that his little son got off from
the Sabbath school Christmas tree and
died in horrible agony soon after. Tuck.
Holiday Troubles.
"What do you intend to got your hus
band for a Christmas gift?"
"I can't make up my mind whether to
give him lace curtains, a dinner set, new
portieres or a drawing room clock." Chi
cago Ilecord.
Ynletido Amenities.
Miss Antique My stocking was so full
they couldn't get anything more in it.
Miss Tert You poor thing! And was
that all you got? American Humorist.
day of thp new
'2' year was of n
much importance
as are Christmas and the Fourth of July
to-day. Especially was the day one of
hilarious rejoicing in merrie England,
Scotland and France, the latter being
now, at the close of the nineteenth cen
tury, about the only nation still continu
ing in the joyous customs of happy fes
tivity. In America and England the
wassail bowl has been forestalled by the
punch bowl and the loving cup; the rich
feast complete in even the slightest de
tail has given way to wafers and tea;
the pretty baskets decked In gay ribbons
and hung below the knockers, in them
selves all the invitation required for a
call and interchange of the compliment
of the season, have been cast aside to bo
superseded by a reign of engraved cards;
the informal New Year's day hospitality
is a thing of the past, and stiff, conven
tional "at homes" are now the rule. The
passing of generations "treading on the
skirts of time" have brought about many
changes that are to be regretted, even
while the customs may have been a iriflo.
barbarous, compared to the state of civil
ization which the world of to-day has at
tained. How jovial and pompous the Old Eng
lish head of the house appeared in tight
kuee-breechrs nnd hivli-heeled shoes, with
the white kerchief wound about his neck,
sitting on New Year's eve surrounded hy
all the members of his family, aud with
the flowing wassail bowl before him.
The words of good cheer that passed on
with the wassail bowl were the ancient
Saxon words, "Wass hael," Bignifyiug
"To your health."
Puzzle.
Find the stocking that Willie hung up.
Discovered.
"Papa," said little Tetie, "does Kriss
Kringle bring little boys toys ahead of
Christmas?"
"No, my son," replied the father.
"Why do you ask?"
"I was a wonderin' what them new
toys wa9 I found away back in the loft
behind the trunks."
Christmas. If
Comes yonrly; fcjJyT
. Coat deurty; kZ
Broke lieurlT. "5v
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