Chinook High School - Breeze Yearbook (Chinook, MT)

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8 THE CHINOOK BREEZE farm as a security, from his well-to-do neighbor Mr. Billings, a stingy, grasping man, who for years had coveted the Reed farm. He now had a good chance of getting the place and would not be put off any longer. “If we only had the boys at home,” sighed the mother. “We haven’t heard from them for months and the reports say they are missing, so we don’t have any idea what has become of them.” “Don’t worry, father,” spoke up Billy. We’ll find some way to pay it. I can haul hay and maybe we can sell some of the calves and horses.” “I am afraid not, my boy,” answered the old man. “You can’t earn more than ten dollars a month, hauling hay, and no one wants to buy stock at this time of the year. I am afraid we’ll have to give up the place unless something turns up.” Although thirteen-year-old Billy had spoken so cheerfully, he did not feel that way. Ever since his father had been injured, all of the work had fallen to him, and he was barely able to earn a living for the family, let alone save enough money to pay the debt. Their clothes were becoming threadbare, and patched and their faces plainly showed hunger. “I am afraid we won’t have much of a Christmas this year,” continued the father. “We can’t spare any money for presents and there i£ no one to send us any. The boys are both gone and we can’t even have a good Christmas din- At last Christmas eve came around. Billy had hauled a load of hay to town that day and was rather late in coming home. He had stopped at the corner store and had spent a quarter for some candy for the younger children. As he was driving slowly along the road, he overtook two men, wrapped in heavy overcoats and carrying numerous bundles and packages. “Want a ride?” he inquired. “You bet” answered one of the men. As they went along, they began

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THE CHINOOK BREEZE 7 the latter from a hard fall. Abner picked himself up at the bottom of the ravine, but when he attempted to walk, found that one of his ankles was sprained. He managed to crawl to the top of the ravine and told his brother what had happened. It looked as though they would have to stay there until some one came. They began to shout for help, but received no response. After several minutes they shouted again, but there was no answer. Finally, completely exhausted, John fell asleep and Abner, although he tried to keep awake, found himself dozing. He tried to rouse himself, but in spite of his efforts, soon fell asleep. Early the next morning, an old man was walking through the forest, when his dog all at once began to bristle and growl. “Sic ’em, Pete,” urged the old man, thinking his dog had scented a bear or some other inhabitant of the woods. The dog slowly walked toward a small clump of trees, growing on the edge of a ravine, and upon reaching them, stopped and began to howl. The old man followed and soon came upon the unconscious forms of the two soldiers. “Hey! Bill!” he yelled. Soon another man came running toward him. “What's the row?” he inquired. “Here’s a coupla sojers as are jist about done fer,” replied the other man. “Help me carry ’em to the shack.” The scene now changes to the Reed house in Pennsylvania. It was on an early December evening and the family were gathered around the fire. The father was just able to sit up in a chair, having broken his leg in falling from a hay stack several weeks previous. “I don’t know what we can do, Minnie,” the old man said. “Billy is able to do the chores and to earn most of our necessities, but he can’t earn enough to stand old Billings off. He’s bound and determined to get this place.” Some time before Mr. Reed, pressed by a lack of money, had borrowed a sum of money, giving his

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THE CHINOOK BREEZE 9 talking and Billy, urged on by the eager questions of the two men, told the whole story of their misfortune. When he had finished, one of the men inquired innocently what the names of the two missing men were. Billy told him and the man exclaimed, “Oh, I know them well.,, “Can you tell me where they are?” asked Billy eagerly. “Right on this wagon,” answered the man. Billy was over-joyed when he discovered that the men were his two long lost brothers, but was not any more elated than the rest of the family, who almost smothered them when they came into the house. Soon the family were again seated around the fire, listening to John and Abner’s story. They had been taken to the ca bin by the two trappers and had been taken care of for almost two months until they were able to travel. Then they had made their way through the Confederate lines by disguising themselves as Confederate soldiers, and had rejoined their own regiment. When their commander heard their story, he gave them six months furlough and they had returned home just in time for Christmas. “Well,” remarked Billy, when they had finished their story, “I guess we’ll have a happy Christmas after all.” —Leo Gesell, ’18. UJterry? Cljrfatmaa When Yule-tide comes around again, It costs me stacks of fives and tens To pay off all my bills. The wife must have a brand new hat, The children long for this and that— My heart with anguish fills. My niece’s cousin’s husband’s unks,