Never was the sweet and touching song sung under more suggestive
circumstances, and never was it received into more receptive hearts.
The voice of the repentant vagabond was of the finest quality, a pure,
resonant tenor, and, through the splendid avenue of expression which
the words and music of the song made for his emotions, he poured his
soul forth without restraint. The effect of his effort was what would
be expected when the character of the audience and the occasion is
considered. Many an eye was wet with tears, and the voices that took
up the refrain here and there trembled with emotion. The Old Trapper,
himself, was not unmoved, for, as the song closed, after a few moments
of silence, he said:--
"Ye sang the song well, Shanty Jim, and many be the memories it has
stirred in the breasts of us all. May yer home-comin' be as happy as
was the boy's we read of in the Scriptur', although I never could
conceit why the mother was not there to go forth to meet him, and fall
on his neck with the father, and ef I'd had the writin' of it I'd had
the mother git to him a leetle fust, and hers the fust arms that was
thrown round his neck, for that would be more nateral, as I conceit.
And I sartinly trust, as do all of us here, that ye will find mother
and father both waitin' and watchin' for ye when the curve of the
trail brings ye in the sight of the cabin. And ye sartinly will take
with ye the good wishes of us all. Come, take the chair here by my
side, and we will all talk as we eat; aye, and sing, too, for this be
Christmas, and Christmas be the time for eatin' and singin', but,
above all else, for forgivin' and forgittin'." At the word the happy
feasters went on with the feasting.
* * * * *
Long and merry was the meal. As the hours passed the eating ceased,
and the feast of reason and the flow of soul began. Memories of other
days were recalled, confessions made, sorrow for misdoings felt and
spoken, and, gradually growing, as grows the light of dawn, a fine
atmosphere of hope, charity, and courage spread from heart to heart,
until at last it filled with its genial and illuminating presence
every bosom. In such a mood on the part of the host and guests alike
the feast came to its close. His Christmas dinner had been all that
the Old Trapper had hoped, and his heart was filled with happiness. He
rose from his chair, and, standing erect in his place, said:--
"Ye tell me that the time has come for ye to go, and I dare say ye be
right, but I be sorry we must part, for in partin' we be never sure of
a meetin', and, therefore, as I conceit, all the partin's on the 'arth
be more or less sad, but all parted trails, it may be, will come
together in the eend. But afore ye go I want to thank ye for comin',
and I hope ye will all come agin, and whenever yer needs or yer
feelin's incline ye this way. One thing I want to say to ye in goin',
and I want ye to take it away with ye, for it may help some of ye to
aid some onfortunit man and to feel as happy as I feel to-night. It is
this"--and here the old man paused a moment and looked with the face
of an angel at his guests as they stood gazing at him; then he
impressively said:--
"I've lived nigh on to eighty year, and my head be whitenin' with the
comin' and goin' of the years I have lived, and the Book has long been
in my cabin. I have kept many a Christmas alone and in company, both,
but never afore have I knowed the raal meanin' of the day nor read the
lesson of it aright. And this be the lesson that I have larned and the
one I want ye all to take away with ye as ye go--that Christmas is a
day of feastin' and givin' and laughin', but, above everythin' else,
it is the day for forgivin' and forgittin'. Some of ye be young and
may yer days be long on the 'arth, and some of yer heads be as white
as mine and yer years be not many, but be that as it may, whether our
Christmas days be many or few, when the great day comes round let us
remember in good or ill fortun', alone or with many, that Christmas,
above all else, is the day for forgivin' and forgittin'."
* * * * *
The guests were gone and the Trapper seated himself in front of the
fireplace, and called the two dogs to his side. It was a signal that
they had heard many times and they responded with happy hearts. Each
rested his muzzle on the Trapper's knee, and fixed his large hazel,
love-lighted eyes wistfully on his master's face. The old man placed a
large and age-wrinkled hand on either head, and murmured: "Whether ye
be in sorrer or joy, friends come and go, but, ontil death enters
kennel or cabin, the hunter and his hounds bide together. The lad
camps beyend sight and beyend hearin'. Henry be on the other side of
the world, to-night, and guests be gone. Rover, yer muzzle be as gray
as my head, and few be livin' of the many we have met on the trail."
And the Trapper lifted his eyes and looked around the large and empty
room, and then added:--
"It took me a good many years, yis, it sartinly took me a good many
years, but, if I've larned the lesson of Christmas a leetle late, I've
larned it at last. But the cabin does look a leetle empty now that the
guests be gone. No, the lad can never come back, and Henry is on the
other side of the world, and there is no good in longin'. But I do
wish I could jest tech the boy's hand."
[Illustration: THE OLD TRAPPER AND HIS DOGS.
"Friends come and go, but until death enters kennel or cabin, the
hunter and his hounds bide together."]
* * * * *
Ah, friends, dear friends, as years go on and heads get gray--how fast
the guests do go! Touch hands, touch hands with those that stay.
Strong hands to weak, old hands to young, around the Christmas board,
touch hands. The false forget, the foe forgive, for every guest will
go and every fire burn low and cabin empty stand. Forget, forgive, for
who may say that Christmas day may ever come to host or guest again.
Touch hands.