Soapweed
Well-known member
I posted this true Christmas story back in 2007, but it is worth sharing again.
#221 FRIENDS AND FANCIES
by Bob Moreland
Searching my mind for a good Christmas story I remembered a story my uncle, Joy Fairhead, wrote in his book "Hi Stranger, Get off Your Horse and Come in." The story took place about 1900. Uncle Joy was about 8 years old at the time.. The Fairhead family lived on Bear Creek three miles east of Merriman in a sod house. At that time a diphtheria epidemic caused the deaths of several in the community including two of the Fairhead children. That leads up to the story Uncle Joy wrote:
"There was a family by the name of Tuck Alder, living on a homestead some six or eight miles from us. They were poor homesteaders but wonderful people. Mrs. Alder heard we were all sick so she left her little family with her husband and came to help mother take care of us children. She stayed until the epidemic was over and we knew she was worried about her little family at home and many times we saw her crying and we asked why she cried and she would answer "Oh nothing, I was wondering how my family was doing at home". At last she was able to go home and her family never had the diphtheria.
"We all appreciated her help. My mother said many times 'I just had to have help and Mrs. Alder left her family to help me.' As I said before, the Alders were very hard up. I think Mr. Alder may have been a poor manager. His team was always thin, Usually his garden dried up and died. They had a few cattle but their pasture was short and they sold their cattle to pay the storekeeper for groceries.
"Mother did a lot of sewing for the family and took them meat and groceries. Well, Christmas was drawing near and one morning my father asked my mother what she would like to have for Christmas. 'You have had a rough time this year and I would like to get you something really nice.' We were at the breakfast table at the time and we young folks were all ears to see what she would like to have for Christmas. Mother thought a minute then she asked, 'Do you mean that?' My father replied 'Sure I mean it. You ask it and it is yours if I can get it.' My mother answered, 'O.K., I want you to give me the big roan milk cow.' My father said, 'Why in the world would you ask for the milk cow?' My mother replied, 'Because I am going to give her to Mrs. Alder. Her little family is hungry and have no milk.' My father replied, 'Of course you can have the cow, but I wanted to give you something nice for yourself.'
"Now we only milked two cows. Most all our range cows were wild and not good milkers. I don't know where Dad got this roan four year old cow but she was the best cow we had ever milked. She would give a three gallon bucket of milk twice a day. Our other cow was just a range cow broke to milk and probably gave us a third of a bucket of milk. I know we children sure hoped Mother was just fooling around about giving her away. Well, Christmas morning came. It was a beautiful day; It was Sunday and we were having Christmas dinner for our relatives---uncles, aunts and cousins.
"Mother said at breakfast, 'Joy, I want you to drive the roan milk cow over to Alders. Just say 'Merry Christmas;' Mother wants you to have this cow for Christmas.'
"I just threw a fit. I said, 'Mom, you don't mean you are going to give our best cow away? We never had such a nice cow and, another thing, I want to be home for dinner.
"Mother said, 'Get your horse and get riding. It is only about seven miles. Take it easy and don't hurt the cow. You can be back in four hours.' I said, 'Mom don't give Roanie away. Give the red cow. She is no good.'
"Mother again replied, 'That's why I'm giving the Roan. Those children are hungry so they get our best. We will get along. Now get going.'
I did and I went slow and I hated every minute of that ride through the hills that morning. When I got there I put the cow in the corral. The dog barked and the family came out. I said, 'Merry Christmas, Mrs. Alder. Mom sent you this cow for Christmas.'
"For a few moments no one said a word. Then Mrs. Alder began to cry. Then she said, 'Oh thanks, thanks. No one ever needed a milk cow worse than we do. Tell your mother thank you and tell her I'll see she is fed and taken care of.'
"I got on my horse and headed across the hills for home and I learned a lesson that morning. I'll never forget the look of happiness on Mrs. Alder's face as I rode away. I have always felt that was probably the most wonderful Christmas of my life and I delivered my message to Mom and was home for dinner. I had seen real happiness." Joy J. Fairhead 1892-1986
#221 FRIENDS AND FANCIES
by Bob Moreland
Searching my mind for a good Christmas story I remembered a story my uncle, Joy Fairhead, wrote in his book "Hi Stranger, Get off Your Horse and Come in." The story took place about 1900. Uncle Joy was about 8 years old at the time.. The Fairhead family lived on Bear Creek three miles east of Merriman in a sod house. At that time a diphtheria epidemic caused the deaths of several in the community including two of the Fairhead children. That leads up to the story Uncle Joy wrote:
"There was a family by the name of Tuck Alder, living on a homestead some six or eight miles from us. They were poor homesteaders but wonderful people. Mrs. Alder heard we were all sick so she left her little family with her husband and came to help mother take care of us children. She stayed until the epidemic was over and we knew she was worried about her little family at home and many times we saw her crying and we asked why she cried and she would answer "Oh nothing, I was wondering how my family was doing at home". At last she was able to go home and her family never had the diphtheria.
"We all appreciated her help. My mother said many times 'I just had to have help and Mrs. Alder left her family to help me.' As I said before, the Alders were very hard up. I think Mr. Alder may have been a poor manager. His team was always thin, Usually his garden dried up and died. They had a few cattle but their pasture was short and they sold their cattle to pay the storekeeper for groceries.
"Mother did a lot of sewing for the family and took them meat and groceries. Well, Christmas was drawing near and one morning my father asked my mother what she would like to have for Christmas. 'You have had a rough time this year and I would like to get you something really nice.' We were at the breakfast table at the time and we young folks were all ears to see what she would like to have for Christmas. Mother thought a minute then she asked, 'Do you mean that?' My father replied 'Sure I mean it. You ask it and it is yours if I can get it.' My mother answered, 'O.K., I want you to give me the big roan milk cow.' My father said, 'Why in the world would you ask for the milk cow?' My mother replied, 'Because I am going to give her to Mrs. Alder. Her little family is hungry and have no milk.' My father replied, 'Of course you can have the cow, but I wanted to give you something nice for yourself.'
"Now we only milked two cows. Most all our range cows were wild and not good milkers. I don't know where Dad got this roan four year old cow but she was the best cow we had ever milked. She would give a three gallon bucket of milk twice a day. Our other cow was just a range cow broke to milk and probably gave us a third of a bucket of milk. I know we children sure hoped Mother was just fooling around about giving her away. Well, Christmas morning came. It was a beautiful day; It was Sunday and we were having Christmas dinner for our relatives---uncles, aunts and cousins.
"Mother said at breakfast, 'Joy, I want you to drive the roan milk cow over to Alders. Just say 'Merry Christmas;' Mother wants you to have this cow for Christmas.'
"I just threw a fit. I said, 'Mom, you don't mean you are going to give our best cow away? We never had such a nice cow and, another thing, I want to be home for dinner.
"Mother said, 'Get your horse and get riding. It is only about seven miles. Take it easy and don't hurt the cow. You can be back in four hours.' I said, 'Mom don't give Roanie away. Give the red cow. She is no good.'
"Mother again replied, 'That's why I'm giving the Roan. Those children are hungry so they get our best. We will get along. Now get going.'
I did and I went slow and I hated every minute of that ride through the hills that morning. When I got there I put the cow in the corral. The dog barked and the family came out. I said, 'Merry Christmas, Mrs. Alder. Mom sent you this cow for Christmas.'
"For a few moments no one said a word. Then Mrs. Alder began to cry. Then she said, 'Oh thanks, thanks. No one ever needed a milk cow worse than we do. Tell your mother thank you and tell her I'll see she is fed and taken care of.'
"I got on my horse and headed across the hills for home and I learned a lesson that morning. I'll never forget the look of happiness on Mrs. Alder's face as I rode away. I have always felt that was probably the most wonderful Christmas of my life and I delivered my message to Mom and was home for dinner. I had seen real happiness." Joy J. Fairhead 1892-1986