and pole her over the shoals and carry her across the bends and see if we
can get to good going in deep water. When the channel will permit, we can
put in a steam engine.'

"We love this big awkward giant. His feet are set in the straight way and
we think that he is going to make his mark in the world.

"When I went to sleep he lay in the trundle bed, with two candles burning
on the stand beside him, reading that big green book of mine entitled
_The Works of William Shakespeare_. He had brought a law book with him,
but he got interested in William Shakespeare and couldn't let it alone.
He said that he was like a mired horse whenever he began to read a play
of the immortal bard, and that he had to take his time in getting out.
When he went away next morning he borrowed Samson's pack basket. I felt
bad because we couldn't go and make any arrangements with Santa Claus for
the children. Joe was dreadfully worried, for Betsey had told him that
Santa Claus never came to children whose father and mother were sick.
Christmas Eve Abe came with the pack basket chock-full of good things
after the children were asleep. He took out a turkey and knit caps and
mittens and packages of candy and raisins for the children and some cloth
for a new dress for me. Mrs. Kelso had come to spend the night with us,
although Samson and I were so much better it really wasn't necessary. I
made her go up the ladder to bed before midnight. That evening a short,
fat Santa Claus came in with a loaded pack. He had a long, brown beard
and a red nose and carried a new clay pipe in his mouth and was very much
bundled up.

"We called the children. They stood looking at Santa Claus, and Santa
Claus stood looking at them. He gave them mufflers and some candy hearts
and tried to pick them up. They ran away and he chased them under our bed