And don't forget to visit Carrizozo on Christmas Eve if you can.
And here is a Christmas story with a timeless message:
THE RIFLE - by R. B. Ryan
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means
and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely
in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned
the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world
had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the
rifle that I'd wanted so bad that year for Christmas.
We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a
little extra time so we could read in the Bible So after supper was over I took
my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to
get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest,
I wasn't in much of a mood to read scriptures.
But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I couldn't
figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about
it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.Soon Pa came back in. It
was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he
said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only
wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the
cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the
chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not
on a night like this.
But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told
them to do something, so I got up and put my bootsback on and got my cap,coat,
and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the
house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There infront of the house was the work
team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do
wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell.
We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was
already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The
cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the
sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I
followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me."
The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the
low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger
with the high sideboards on. When we hadexchanged the sideboards Pa went into
the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood--- the wood I'd spent all
summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and
splitting. What was he doing?
Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "What are you doing?" "You been by the
Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down
the road. Her husband had died a yearor so before and left her with three
children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I
said, "Why?" "I rode by just today,"Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging
around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."
That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for
another armload of wood. Ifollowed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began
to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it.
Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa
took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put
them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over
his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in
the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had
gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this
morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas
without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think
through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course,
we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the
form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use
it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't
have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he
doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn't have
been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as
quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We
knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas
Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?" Widow Jensen
opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
The children were wrapped inanother and were sitting infront of the fireplace by
a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled
with a match and finally lit the lamp.
We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I
put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had theshoes in it.
She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a
pair for her and one for each of the children -- sturdy shoes, the best, shoes
that would last.
I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip tokeep it from trembling and then
tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa
like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. Then he turned to me and said,
"Matt, go bring enough in to last for awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and
heat this place up."
I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big
lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes
too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and
their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks and so much
gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a
joy filled my soul that I'd never known before. I had given at Christmas many
times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were
literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started
giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen lookedon
with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally
turned to us. "God bless you," shesaid. "I know the Lord himself has sent you.
The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to
spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my
eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, butafter Widow
Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a
better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the
times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed
endless as I thought onit.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when
they all fit and I wondered how he had known whatsizes to get. Then Iguessed
that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got
the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave.
Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him
and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their pa, and I was glad
that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said,"The Mrs. wanted me to invite you
and the children over for Christmasdinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than
the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey
for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have
some little ones around again. Matt, here,hasn't been little for quite a spell."
I was the youngest. My two older brothers and two older sisters were all
married and had moved away.Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother
Miles. I don't have to say, 'May the Lord bless you.' I know for certain that
He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even
notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt,I want
you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here
and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite
enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by
to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we
could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that.
But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet
wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. So, Son, I spent the
money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well,
and I was so glad Pa had done it. Just then the rifle seemed very low on my list
of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow
Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children.For the rest of my
life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered,
and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that
night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the
best Christmas of my life.
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