The Christmas wish
I do not own any part of gunsmoke
Miss Kitty was in a good mood of late. Her steady very good friend the U. had to go to Hays City to give the end of the year report and get the year's end pay for himself and those the government owed. He asked
her to go with him. Visions of a romantic stage ride, fancy restaurants, and a very private hotel room danced in her head.
Matt, the object of Miss Russell's dreams, was having similar dreams. The thoughts of wide open spaces and getting away from the reasonability of Dodge City and a very private hotel room, filled his head.
Kitty was rushing around making sure the Long Branch would run smoothly without her. She paid Festus to help Sam with an overdue shipment. She gave the girls orders as to who they could sit with, and who to avoid. She stocked the counter with everything Sam (her friend and trusted employee) would need for the next five days.
Matt told Festus( his deputy) he had the town and deputized Newly to help out. No one was in the jail, and the town was quiet. Matt finished his end of the year reports and wrote a request for funds for needed repairs to the jail.
Kitty went to the shipping office. She had Matt's gift sent with a shipment for the Long Branch and was delighted when she was told the order was in.
Matt rode out to the Richards' ranch. He was playing checkers with old man Richards when Mrs. Richards brought out a box. "The shawl you had me make is finished, I hope she likes it." Matt smiled. He asked Mrs. Richards to make a shawl last summer, but was not going to pick it up until the following week. His heart felt light when Mrs. Richards told him it was finished.
As Matt rode off, Mrs. Richards yelled at her husband for making Matt play checkers. said, "How
often do you get to see Matt Dillon sweat? I thought he might have a stroke trying to get up the nerve to ask if you were done with that thing. You know if I didn't know better, I think our Marshall is in love." Mrs. Richards laughed. "No kidding."
Matt sat on on a hill looking down on Dodge City. Everything was going so right. The town looked like Christmas with lights aglow in the windows, and the small church was lit up welcoming the faithful. A newly fallen snow gave a soft tone to the rough cow town. The street was covered with about four inches of white powder. Red bows tied to fresh cut pine hung on the
porch post and the gas lights. Redbirds sat on the second-floor guardrail of the longbranch. The Birds had been eating the popcorn strings Miss Kitty and the girls had strung along the guardrail. For a moment a peaceful warm feeling swept over the aging Marshal. Matt then felt an all too familiar chill rip through him.
Kitty finished everything she needed to do before the trip. Stepping into the street to take some air, her heart was lightened by the sound of children singing in the church. All of the sudden she got a way too familiar chill. She went back into the bar and downed a double. It did nothing to warm her bones or ease her mind.
It was early morning. The sun filled the city with a rainbow of color which was reflected in the glittering snow. The temperature dropped overnight. Kitty put extra socks and gloves in a hat box, along with her new white muff. She picked a green velvet street dress, one that covered her from head to toe instead of the off the shoulder silk one she planned on.
Matt put on an extra pair of socks and his corduroy vest and cowhide coat, instead of the silk vest and his courting coat. He loved Kitty's sparkly soft off the shoulder dresses, but hoped she wore one with a little more material. He had a moment when he thought she might not want to go due to the cold. No lady in her right mind would ride a stage in the dead of winter. No, he thought, she will be on that stage come hell or high water, and if he knew what was good for him he would be freezing right beside her.
Festus, Doc, and Kitty were already seated when Matt made it to the cafe. Doc and Festus said good morning. Kitty said, "Let's hear it. What totally reasonable excuse do you have for not going?" Matt smiled. "I think it is really cold. It is probably best if you don't go. It is just too cold for a lady to go on such a long ride on a stagecoach." Festus said, "Fiddlesticks!"
Doc just shook his head. " It is kind of cold," he said as he ducked in case Kitty might decide to take her disapointment out on him. Kitty put her hand on her hip, squinted her eyes, and said, "I got my long underwear on and I ain't no lady." Matt laughed. "I am packed and ready to go."
Jerkens looked out the window. "Stage is coming in Marshall." Kitty headed for the Long Branch as the men finished their coffee. Festus was acting kind of fidgety when Doc asked, "What's wrong with you?" Festus responded, "well...just what does she-males long underwear look like? Do they have a back door like ours or how do they ?" Matt thought about it for a moment.
Matt finally said, "I don't rightly know." Doc shook his head. "You better get going or we may never find out." Festus perked up. "You mean there is something you don't know?"
The stage tracks were the only ones on Front Street. Tom ,the stage driver, said he was none too happy to have a female along. It was going to be a long trip they have to go slow so the horse's legs won't be cut by the ice and snow, and the stage won't slip.
Kitty and Matt took their seats on the small stage. Sam brought out a picnic basket and a heavy quilt to cover their legs. With a crack of a whip, they were off. Kitty could hardly believe it. Matt pulled her close, put his arm around her, and said, "It is too cold to have the flaps up, so we have nothing to look at. Let's start this vacation with a nap. When I get you to that hotel you will be too busy for sleep." Kitty smiled up at Matt. " Nap? Why Matt, I think we are getting old." In truth, she got little sleep of late and the idea sounded really good. Matt smiled. "You know Kitty, we have done it all. Traveled many roads. We have had some trouble, but always came through it. We did everything that was asked of us, and stood tall. I have
been in love with you as long as I can remember. It is like my life started the day you came to Dodge."
He reached into his pocket for his mother's ring. He got ready to say the speech he had rehearsed when he heard the soft sound of Kitty snoring. Laying her head on his chest he whispered, "A nap first."
The stage rocked as the wind blew and snow fell. Matt and Kitty were warm under the quilt, both snoring to high heaven. They felt safe, warm, and in love. It would not last as two miles out of town the stage came to a swift stop. Tom opened the door. "I hope you all don't mind, we are going to give a lift to these folks." The cold wind sent a chill through the stage.
An old couple climbed in pulling a gunny sack in behind them. "Hi folks. I am sure glad for the ride. My wife is freezing and I am about spent." Matt moved things around the small stage. "Welcome. I am Matt Dillion and this is Miss Russell. What are you doing out on a night like this?" The man smiled. " Pleased to know you. I'm Jim Kippers and this is my misses, Mary."
Kitty looked at these intruders. He had calloused hands, lips chapped and cut bleeding. His boots had a large crack exposing bare feet. His coat had holes in it and was very thin. Mary's dress had snow embedded in the bottom
where it dragged in the snow. Her hands were blistered and cracked a bright red. She was thin, too thin. Her coat was too small and patched in many places. Her bonnet made of cotton was soaked with icicles dangling off of them.
Kitty put the quilt on the couple's legs. Jim explained, "It will be Christmas soon. We went to Dodge to sell a pig to get things for the Children for Christmas. Did right well - got some candy, canned fruit, and condensed milk. Mary got some material to make the kids a new outfit. I have some toys I made out of wood at home. It is going to be a great Christmas."
Kitty asked, "How many young ones do you have?" Mary spoke, "We have been blessed twelve times, but we lost three to illness. My youngest is two."
Kitty lied, "Are you hungry? We have already eaten and have food that will spoil if it is not eaten soon."
Jim began to say no when Matt said they would be doing them a favor as the stage would start to stink if the food went to waste. Kitty opened the basket. Mary and Jim feasted on chicken and cheese. Kitty took out a bottle of whiskey. Mary declined but Kitty told her it would warm her insides. Mary took a drink and choked as she never drank whiskey before.
Ice formed on the inside of the coach. Jim suggested The women use the quilt, so Matt and Mary changed places. The Men finished the bottle. Jim fell fast asleep. Matt lowered his hat to cover his eyes. Kitty did not think him asleep as his boot keep sliding up her leg under the quilt.
Mary was explaining the gifts that they had for the children with all the excitement of a child looking for Santa Clause. Mary wanted to give her kids a nice Christmas. "The kids worked hard all year. But it was not a good year. Too much rain in the spring, too hot and dry in the summer-fall brought an early frost and now this storm. I know it is kind of irresponsible of me to use most of our resources for one day when we need so much, but I think the children need one day to celebrate the great gift
of life and to look forward to the life that is to come."
Mary asked, "What was your favorite Christmas memory?" Kitty smiled. "My mother died when I was very young. I do not remember any Christmas with her. I do remember her reading the Bible to me. She laid down on my bed as she read it to me. It was the part about the Crist child's birth. She gave me a glass baby figurine and we set it in the nativity on the dresser." Mary
inquired, "Do you still have it?" Kitty smiled. " When I first arrived in Dodge I was sick. The local Doctor treated me for free. That Christmas he was putting up his nativity and broke his Christ child figurine. He looked so broken hearted. I gave it to him. He said he would only take it as a loan, but when we packed up the Christmas decorations, I did not want the baby to be without his mother. I remember Doc putting it in the box. He wrapped both the Holy mother with the child in the same paper. Every year we take some time off from our busy lives to put up the nativity together."
"That's a nice Christmas memory with your Mother."
"It was not Christmas, it was the night my mother died. Christmas, when I was young, was a night I could go to sleep early. Panacea, a friend of my father, took me in. She ran a gambling house. My job was to clean the spittoons, ashtrays, and glasses. On Christmas Eve, Panacea would close the main room. kick all the married gamblers out so I would get done early.
The single gamblers and the ladies who worked in the houses would have a private party. I was left alone and everyone would sleep in late. Christmas day we cleaned the main room, as it was the only day it would be closed. It was not as bad as it sounds."
Mary: "You never had a good Christmas?"
"There was one Christmas the married gamblers were all mad. The ones that were winning did not want Panacea to close because they were hot. The ones that were losing wanted the chance to get their winnings back. Panacea had a hard night. She came to hide in my room, laid with me, and told me all kinds of stories about how great life could be. After the house got quiet, we went out on the balcony and looked for the north star. She said that star was where my mother was. She told me as long as I could see that star my mother could see me and would protect me wherever life took me."
The stage came to a sudden stop. The door opened. "Marshal, can I speak with you a moment?" Tom the driver asked.
The stage rocked as Matt stepped out. Tom brushed the snow off his hat. " the pass through the hill is bound to be clogged with all this snow. The horses are almost spent. I know you and Miss Russell wanted to get to Hays by morning, but I think we should find some shelter and sit out the night before we get you into real trouble."
Matt looked around at the blizzard conditions. Heavy snow sat on the trees. The road ahead was not visible. Matt looked behind. The tracks from the stage all but disappeared. "Do you know any where to hole up? I do not wish to have Miss Russell in this coach all night. It is very cold already." Jim opened the door. "I do. My farm is about a mile up the road. The men and the horses can stay in the barn. Miss Russell can stay in the house." It was agreed . Matt rubbed his head. "I'll tell Kitty."
Matt looked like a scolded schoolboy as he got back in the coach. " Kitty ,I am sorry. I know how much you wanted to.. "
Kitty interrupted: "If we are going to make it to the farm, you need to stop talking and get going before this stage freezes to the ground."
Matt looked upset. "The stage is too heavy. It is dragging in all this snow. Some of us are going to have to walk." Kitty started getting out. Matt took her arm. "Jim and me." Kitty pulled her arm away. "Jim's feet are frozen already. If he walks in
this cold he will lose them, and no way are you getting away from me. If you walk, I walk."
The falling white and fluffy snow fluttered around them growing deeper with every step. The Snow had a gentleness, about it, giving them both a time of peace. Although the walk was taxing, it was a time of relaxation.
Matt was amazed looking at Kitty high heels as she skillfully walked in the ruts of the stage. Her dress was sliding across the glistening snow giving the impression she was floating.
The wind was blowing sheets of snow off the trees. As they walked hand in hand, he pulled her hand around his waist and slid his hand over the curves of her hip. His heart beat faster. As the fog rose to blind them followed by the pitch black of a night, Matt stole a kiss. It was soft and sweet. She giggled a little, for it came as a surprise.
He dug in his pocket for that little rock, but his thoughts disappeared as the stage became high pocked in the snow. Matt ran ahead started pushing the stage. Tom cracked the whip, Kitty came up to push. The stage jumped forward. Kitty fell. Matt came to her rescue just to find her laughing. Matt was concerned. "You cannot lie down. You will freeze." Kitty laughed harder. "It is my Christmas wish. I wished we could be together away from Dodge. No drunks, and no one shooting at you. It came
true. I got my Christmas wish." He pulled her to her feet and reached into his pocket, but she fell again. He picked her up in his arms." Put me down. I am too heavy ," she yelled. He kissed her once again. "You're not heavy." He lied. In truth her wet
clothes and the deep snow made her almost impossible to carry. They both fell, and both laughed. "We have to get up. Next time you make a wish, ask for warm weather." Kitty smiled and kissed him softly. "No... tonight is just perfect." Matt laid down next to her and looked up at the star-studded sky. He found the north star shining brighter than any other, hovering over the
farmhouse. "Ok, we will rest but only for a minute."
Tom looked back and saw the two laying in the snow. He stopped the stage (which sunk in the deep snow). Jumping off, he yelled for help. Tom, Mary, and Jim ran to the Marshal's aid. Matt jumped up and pulled Kitty up. Jim suggested they cut through the field. He would send his kids back for the horses. Everyone agreed.
Kitty's good mood was infectious. As the farm grew closer, Kitty began to sing and was joined by the others. "This is the best Christmas ever," she said.
Matt suddenly threw her down in the snow as he pulled his gun." Stay down," he ordered. Tom pulled his gun. "What is it, Matt?"
Matt, "I think I saw an Indian in that window." Jim took off running. Matt tackled him. "It is not a war party. They probably just want out of the snow." Mary yelled, "The kids!" Kitty tried to quiet her and dragged her into a snow bank. "Matt is the marshal from Dodge City. He knows what to do. The best thing for us to do is stay out of the way. Kitty had to sit on the
distressed woman. Jim calmed down. "The kids would not let them in. They are supposed to go
in the tunnel we built under the floor if there is trouble