The sun was just peeking over the mounds of snow when Kitty woke. She reached for him, but he was not laying beside her. This was no surprise. She often woke up alone. Going to the window she scraped a hole in the frost. The jail looked dark cold and lonesome. Matt must not be back. She thought about going back to bed but knew she would not be able to sleep. Might as well get some work done.
The saloon was empty as she checked supplies, cleaned glasses, and checked her paperwork. Sam came in about 10 o'clock and helped set up the bar. "Christmas Eve is always a big night," Sam said as he brought out an extra tray of glasses. "Yeah, followed by the annual fight. Hope the partying does not get out of hand this year" Kitty could not stop herself from looking at the door, knowing he would not be coming in. "Well if we're all set up I guess I will go make myself presentable." As she walked up the long steep stairs, she thought how lucky she was to have friends who understood her loneliness.
Up in her room, she chose her outfit for tonight's party then scraped another hole in the frosted window. The jail was still dark. She slipped out the back door and went to the stable where she found Matt's horse. "I wish you were with him. To protect him" she said as she gave him some sugar. Moss heard her but stay out of site Kitty slipped out of the stable. Moss came to the horse and rubbed his head. "He will be back. Don't you worry."
Matt sank down in the back of the sleigh to stop the snow from hitting him in the face. The sound of sleigh bells did nothing to improve his mood. His insides were jarred by the bouncing of the sleigh. The only thing keeping him from throwing up was his lack of food.
Suddenly the sleigh came to an abrupt stop. In front of them was the supply train frozen to the tracks. The conductor explained the train stopped to clear the track of snow. When they tried to go again the train was frozen to the track.
Matt knew all too well what that meant for Dodge and to the homesteaders. It could be summed up in one-word - starvation.
It was decided to unload as many supplies as they could into the sleigh. Perhaps it would be enough to stop people from starving until other arrangements could be made. "Please tell Miss Kitty how sorry I am about the tree," the conductor said as Matt climbed on top of the filled sleigh.
The Bartender said they could not go by Tom's farm as the Moose were being taxed beyond endurance. Matt agreed. In truth, Matt was happy. It was his responsibility to keep Tom in jail until a new trial could be held.
Heading for Dodge and not the farm, he may make it home for a late Christmas dinner with Kitty. The thought of her in that red sparkly dress sitting across the table in candlelight, the room all aglow from the fireplace, gave him a warm feeling as he struggled to keep his balance on top of the goods. Before jumping in the sleigh, Tom grabbed a sack of mail.
The first stop was old Mr. Roberts' place. Mr. Roberts was a crabby aggressive, robust, man who did not like to be bothered by people in general. Matt wondered if they might be met by some buckshot as they approached. The hut was strong and well-built with only small windows just about the right size to fend off any unwanted visitors. Mrs. Roberts came to
the door as Mr. Roberts held back with his sawed off shot gun. Tom seemed to have a way with these homesteaders. Perhaps it was because he was one of them. The Misses' eyes lit up when she was given a sack of flower, sugar, baking powder, beans, and a sack of coal, but words cannot describe the sheer delight brought to her face when Tom gave her a letter from her daughter. Matt thought for a moment he saw old Mr. Roberts smile. Mr. Roberts gave them a jar of honey and some white shine. Matt was truly happy to often he had bad news when he visited the homesteaders.
Kitty went about her Christmas duties. She hung up holly and put a wreath on the door. Mistletoe was hung in the door way to insure every man got a holiday kiss. A cowboy brought in a tumble weed to dress up with bottle corks, popcorn, and candles. Kitty took her place at the front door. She put a smile on her face and greeted all with a welcome, a free drink, a wink, and a promise of good cheer sealed with a holiday kiss. Most took the kiss as it was intended.
The night was going great. Kitty found herself starting to enjoy it. She did not even get mad when she realized the cowboys were sneaking out the back door and coming back in the front to get a second kiss and free drink. The third time, she started to lose her smile. When Festus and Doc came through the fourth time around, she gave them both a big kiss and a free bottle. Kitty gave the welcome duty to her newest girl. She went to stand by the back door but was swept out onto the dance floor. She found herself laughing, for it was a time to rejoice and let business and personal woes fall by the wayside, if only for a few hours.
Kitty expected the crowd to thin out when midnight church bells rang bringing in Christmas, but the storm froze the bell rope so when it was pulled it broke. The parson was thinking of calling off service, anyway, fearing for the health of his flock He did so. The party raged on.
Matt also was beginning to feel the joy of the season. It seemed to get bigger with every stop they made. He enjoyed most the kids who mistook him for Santa Clause. Tom somehow came up with a gift for every child. Matt was most pleased with Tom until he gave one child a tan hat just like the one Matt lost. His anger was tempered by the child who gave them a gift of a song.
The great powerful moose were starting to show signs of being over taxed. The bartender thought it best to rest them for a while. Looking at the sky, Matt realized it had to be close to midnight. The cold of the freezing night was beginning to sink into him. The snow turned a soft color of ice blue. While the sky turned a deep dark blue with twinkling white stars, blue gray shadows filled the woods. A feeling of peace filled the old marshal's heart.
A soft amber glow in the distance told Matt he would soon be in Dodge. He thought of laying in Kitty's soft warm bed that smelled of roses. Her soft warm body providing him a soft pillow as she rubbed his back. He wondered if she knew how important she was to him.
Jeff lay in his bed wondering what he could do to improve the sad mood permeating his home. He worried about his father's safety in that Ellwood prison. He heard a deer in the field. Grabbing his 58 caliber Springfield rifle Muskie he, ran to the field and fired as the dear raised his head. The gun exploded, for Jeff forgot to remove a spent cartage. Jeff's mother rushed to his side and packed his face in snow. "Get the wagon and the children. We have to get him to a doctor."
Leaving the children in the wagon, Mrs. Mayfield ran into the Long Branch knowing Doc would be there. He started barking orders. "Kitty, coffee, bring it up to the office. I may need your help."
Doc was relieved after examining the boy. The burns were superficial. He was more scared then anything. The problem then became where could they house the Mayfield family. They could not stay at Doc's because of the annual fight. Doc would soon be knee deep in drunken cowboys. With the party in full swing the Long Branch was no place for young children. The Dodge house was packed, with cowboys sleeping in the lobby. The jail would be needed for out of control drunken cowboys. "How about the stable?" Kitty said. "It is warm, and Moss keeps it clean." Doc agreed.
The children were delighted, for the locals had brought all their baby animals to the stables to protect them from the storm. There were baby lambs, goats, sheep, and donkeys. Off to the side a few hungry deer feasted on some dropped hay and corn. Moss used horse blankets and hay to make suitable bedding for the children. He gave Mrs. Mayfield his room. A feeding cradle was fashioned for her baby.
Kitty got Mr. Jones out of bed to open his store. Although mostly sold out, Kitty was able to get three gifts for each child. As she made her way back to the stable, she stopped in to check on the Long Branch. She got some ham and sweet bread from the food layout. The cowboys felt the children needed the tumbleweed tree more than they did. Most of the cowboys knew Tom and each found something to give to the family. A debate ensued as to whether Tom was guilty, setting off the annual fight.
Matt was very glad to get on the road again. Rested and with the sleigh being lighter, the moose took off with a dash. The sleigh bells rang so loud they could be heard across the land. The bars emptied into the streets in Dodge as everyone debated what was coming. The children of the town ran to their windows with no doubt as to what was coming. Christmas was finally here.
In the dark far off the rack of the fast approaching moose frightened the drunken crowd. The moose got a little out of control. Instead of following the road into town, they ended coming over boot hill. The giant animals topped the hill so fast the sleigh flew high in the sky. It seemed that the rig was descending out of the heavens as it fell back to the earth only to hit a large rock causing it to jump high into the air again. In the night light the moose eyes glowed a bright red. Their breath was pumping
like steam from a freight train. Tom was enjoying the ride and began to yell "Hee Haw." Matt, seeing Dodge and the silhouette of the Long Branch joined in. Hee Haw " he yelled at the top of his breath. The bartender trying to control the moose yelled" whoa ho ho "
The moose smelled the fresh feed and hay of the stable and were unstoppable. Everyone feared for the residents of the stable. The moose come to a fast stop at the feeding cradle of the Mayfield child. For the giant animals had never seen a human child before and were in awe of the sight.
The abrupt stop caused Matt to fall off the back. The red cap drooped over his face. Kitty's red cape was covered with black coal dust and white snow. His boots were black from coal dust. His beard was full of white snow. He fell at Kitty's feet. The drunken cowboys said, "It is Santa Clause!" Kitty stood spellbound. "Matt?"
The Mayfield children began to yell "Pa, Pa!" Mrs. Mayfield Yelled "Tom! how …Did you escape?" Tom explained he was home to stay. Mrs. Mayfield, after the shock wore off, asked the children if they had asked Santa Clause for their father to return. "No," Jeff explained, "We knew he could not do it for he is only a man. We asked God."
Festus handed out the much-needed goods. While Matt telegraphed the governor to set aside Toms conviction.
Christmas had indeed came to Dodge. The fierce wind died down. It stopped snowing and the wonderful peace and good will of Christmas spread throughout the town. The cowboys boarded up the window of the Long Branch broken in the fight. The city seemed better somehow. Everyone was happy.
As the long night turned into a long day, everyone ended up in the Long Branch for one last drink before ending Christmas. Cowboys stomped of the snow as they entered the warm Long Branch. It smelled like cooking, making everyone hungry. Kitty was keeping vigil on the oven as a turkey turned crispy golden brown. Cookies sat on every table with some
homemade candy and a free bottle. Kitty could not help but sing as she helped the girls set the food table.
Matt finally got a chance to change and felt more conformable in his jeans. He was going to shave, but Kitty asked him not to. After the town quieted down and all duties were attended to, Kitty finally got a chance to give her friends their gifts. "I am sorry Kitty. I lost your present," Matt said with sad puppy dog eyes. Kitty smiled with eyes that would melt snow. "Having you home safe is all I wanted for Christmas." Sam picked up the brightly wrapped box marked Kitty that Tom conveniently left just inside the door. "Here it is Marshall."
Kitty smiled. "It's too big for a comb." Opening the present, an unmistakable look of surprise came over her face. She turned her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "I received a few nightgowns in my time, but in all my life no one got me any long johns." She pulled the pink double coached long johns out of the box. Matt's eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open. Everyone in the saloon started to laugh. Even Sam found it hard not to smile. Festus while laughing said, "Look, it's a good pair and has a back door and everything." This brought another round of laughter.
Tom ran into the bar. "You forgot your card marshal." Kitty was almost afraid to open the card. A giant smile came over her face for there were two tickets to winter festival in Wampum and the card said, "your sleigh awaits." Kitty smiled kind of confused. "The two of us? You're taking New Year's off so we can go to a party? For real Matt?" Matt choked on his beer. Tom made a hasty retreat towards the door. "Someone has to return the sleigh and get the buckboard and horses."