In a message dated 12/9/04 5:16:31 PM, crazygravy@gmail.com writes:
I loved this story. Merry Christmas.
SK

good friend of mine that I would like to share with you all.
Better than a "story," this is taken from a journal entry. I'm sending it in my
friend's own words. Nothing is changed. I won't include his name so as to
protect the innocent. haha I hope you all enjoy it, and I apologize for my lack
of a sense of humor in this year's letter, but considering the message in the
story I didn't think it was appropriate. I'll get you back next year!

Kirby Jonas

grandfather was a rough old trapper who had lived in the wilds all of his life.
My great grandmother was a schoolteacher, who had been sent to marry Carl (my
grandfather) by her father, who was a fur and hide buyer who had dealt with
Carl throughout the years.

and lonely life and the winters in Burns Creek were long and lonely. She wrote
that it was the week before Christmas and Carl had promised her that he would
take his furs and hides to the valley to sell them and bring home some things
she hoped he could find for the children for Christmas. On her list were
peppermint, chocolate and a piece of yard goods for a dress for her baby girl.
Carl told her he would stop and cut down a pine tree on the way home. He left
three days before Christmas to the valley. He left her plenty of chopped wood
for the fire and she only had to go out to the barn and milk the cow.

surrounding the whole front of the cabin. She took the ax and chopped through
the enormous drift. She tied a rope around her waist and one to the doorpost
and tried to cross to the barn to milk the cow. She had only gone a few feet
when the snow became too deep and heavy to continue on. She was "with child"
she wrote and was afraid of harming the baby. She went back to the house and
prayed that they would be all right until Carl returned. She wrote that she
entertained her two little boys and baby girl by making chains for the
Christmas tree that their father would bring home.

home. The later the hour grew, she wrote her heart was heavy as she felt
something had happened to Carl or he would have been home before dark.

opened it prepared to see their father. But, Bess wrote, "Her

Christmas tree was welcomed into their home. The old trapper looked at her and
told her not to be afraid. He told her Carl had trouble with a lame packhorse
and had stayed an extra night at the trapper's lodge, which was halfway between
the valley and Burns Creek. He told her Carl would be home early in the
morning, but that he had asked the old trapper if he would mind bringing the
pack and tree to Bess and the children on his way on up the trapping line. He
told Bess to lookinside the pack to see what Carl had bought in town. She was
delighted. There was peppermint, chocolate and a beautiful piece of yard goods,
enough to make herself and her little girl a dress.

helped them decorate it. The Children fell asleep at his feet as he recited the
nativity story to them. He helped Bess tuck them all

excellent wood carver and had made a doll for his daughter and a beautiful team
of horses and sleigh for his two sons.

would be off in the morning to check his trap lines. She told him that would be
fine and thanked him for helping Carl deliver their Christmas things as not to
disappoint the children.

breakfast as he had agreed to. But, she was caught up in the children's
excitement and did not give it much thought..

their father with shouts of happiness. They quickly told him that "Santa Claus"
had spent the night in their barn with the cows and horse. Bess Wrote, "Carl
looked perplexed" and sent the children into the house. He turned to Bess and
asked her just who was in the barn. She told him it was just the old trapper he
had sent with the tree and Christmas things from town.

himself. When he took his horses down to the river, an old trapper had fallen
through the mush ice and Carl and two young
trappers had pulled him out. Carl could see that the old man was in
bad shape and would not make it through the night. The other two young men were
in a hurry to get to the valley and back home before Christmas Eve. Carl told
them to go to their families and he would stay with the old man. He told Bess
that he just couldn't leave the old man there alone to die. He told her he knew
that the Children
would be disappointed, but that they would have many more Christmas Eves to
spend together. He said he just sat with the old man and told him about Bess
and his family. He told him about what they wanted from the valley and what the
children were getting for Christmas, He told the old man how much he loved his
family and that he never thought he would have a family of his own.

staying with him on Christmas Eve. He then passed quietly away. He had no
family and no one even cared that he had died.

eyes spilled over with tears of joy and sadness. Sadness for the old trapper
who died and joy at knowing in her heart that the Lord had sent an angel in the
form of a straggly, dirty old trapper to her little family on Christmas Eve
because of the unselfish, unconditional love that Carl had shown a dying old
man on that holiest of nights. She wrote that she had had the honor of
entertaining an angel in her humble home.

unto me. We never know when it may be our choice test to entertain an angel.

Suz
Macmoosette
=^..^=   =^..^=   =^..^=   =^..^=  =^..^=  =^..^=

    "People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life."
    --Faith Resnick

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