Of Snow and Miracles

Silence descended upon the fields and forest as the snow fell in large, white fluffy flakes across the land. Celesta sat at the at the front room window, looking out across the Halverson farm. She knew, this would be the family's last Christmas on the old farm. Three days after Thanksgiving, Parker was kicked in the head, by a gray mare he was attempting to hitch to the carriage, and died instantly. Charlie, the hired hand, went to town, brought back the undertaker, and the sheriff before turning in his resignation. She could not blame Charlie, he had a wife and two children to support. Parker had paid him only half of his November wages, and then told him that he would have to wait until January or February for the rest.

Sheriff Nelson, after consulting with Undertaker Martin, had declared the death an accident. Nelson wrote the report, and had Mr. Martin sign it while they were drinking coffee in the kitchen. Celesta was relieved that the sheriff had not put anything in the report about Parker being drunk when he tried to hitch up the mare. At least, that secret was safe, for a while anyway. Unfortunately, the town would soon know that Parker had died, leaving his wife and two week old son destitute.

Getting up, she went to the crib, sitting by the fireplace, to check Parker Jr. He was still asleep, so she placed another log on the fire, before going into the kitchen to brew another pot of coffee. As she was placing the metal percolator on the iron kitchen stove, someone knocked at the front door. "I wonder who that is," she sit the coffee pot on the stove, and ambled to the door.

"Mr. Holden," she opened the door to find the banker standing there, holding a new born baby. "Please come in, I just put on a fresh pot of coffee." She directed him to the love seat in front of the fireplace and sat down in the rocking chair. "I don't think we can be out of here before New Year's Day."

He sits down, and placed the infant carefully on the seat beside him. "Mrs. Halverson, I didn't come to evict you or your son." He sighed, "I came to ask you a favor and... and to keep a secret."

"What favor? What type of secret?"

"This," he opened the blanket to reveal the child's pointed elf-like ears. "Mrs. Cloves delivered my daughter last night, when she saw the ears she told me about your son's unusual ears. She even offered to bring Alice here, but I thought my wife would nurse her without a problem. I was wrong, Marsha took one look at the ears, and ran out of the house screaming. Sheriff Nelson found her wandering barefooted and half naked down Main Street."

"Please, hand Alice to me." Celesta smiled, unbuttoning her blouse. "If she hasn't nursed all night, she must be hungry." She took the child, and made sure she was nursing properly, before looking up at the banker. "I'd be honored to care for your daughter. And don't worry about the ears, knitted caps do a good job of hiding them."

"Thank you!" He smiled, "My Mother was right about the first snow of the year. She always said it produced miracles." He started toward the door, but turned around. "Don't worry about the farm or help running it. I'll pay Charlie's back wages, and next year's crop should pay the mortgage, with a little bit of profit for us to divide."

WC: 597