East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-12-21


tho boys but Charlie and myself
went home, sad and sorry enough !;
and poor Charlie mover stopped crying
all that night. Mrs Clarke came down
next morning to the breakfast table,
and she looked older than my mother
does now, though she was only twen-
ty-fve and mothers over forty, and
her nice brown hair was as white as
the snow out on tho ground. Every
thing wasdono TO discover Franzie; ;
Mr.. Clarke spent hundreds and hun
drods of dollars advertising in the pa
pers and paying policemen TO look for
him, for they thought no had bean
stolen; but from that Christmas Eve
TO this one they've never heard a word
about him-at least they hadn't when
father last heard from Mr.. Clarke,
and that's only a week ago. 80
Archie's story had boon listened to
without a word of interruption and
when he had finished, his female list
oners were sobbing and weeping, pro
fusely, and the boys detained him
with a hundred questions and conjec-
lures.
In the midst Of the general hubbub
came O series of quick raps on the
kitchen door, that caused the listeners
within to start to their feet and Archie
being looked upon as the protector of
tho party, volunteered to open the
door, which he did, admitting curl
Gus elfn looking child, with tangled
brown hair hanging around his face
and down to his shoulders, and pair
of laughing blue eyes, that seemed to
say no amount of hardship or cruelty
could deaden the natural liveliness and
brightness of his nature. He was
poorly and thinly clad, and though the
night was bitter cold, he didn't seem
to mind it in the least. He ran over
TO the blazing fire, however, and plao-
ing himself on the hearth with an old
fashioned air, warmed his cold hands
before the cheerful blaze. 1nstinc-
lively the other children gave wsy to
him till he had the hearth entirely to
himself while they stood at a distance
contemplating him with wonder, and
tolerably certain they boheld Santa
Claus himself, zach one thinking Of
the thing he most desired, and ready
to prefer his request whonover the lit
tie fellow should ask it.
At last Archie recovered from his
sufficiently to inquire:
+" Well, youngster, who in the world
are your"
I'm Potcr Pepper, if you must
know"
There was a general sigh of disap-
pointment from the young people who
had expected to hear another and
moro familiar name. Still they lis
tened with interest to Archie's next
question:
And what do you want here"
"Well, ] want considerable many
things. First, I'd like somo of that
cider to drink, and some nice things
to eat, and few nuts and raisins, and
all that, you know. don't soc why
/ shouldn't have just as good Christ
mas as anybody else. haven't done
any harm to anybody; and then there's
my old Aunt Molly out in the shed,
with ever SO much snow blowing in on
her; / suppose l ought to bring her
something, though she don't trouble
herself much about me, whether / eat
or drink, or whether Pm warm or
cold but thenit SHOWS, and she's sick
at least she says she is-you never
know when she's lying and when she
isn't-but 1 think she might get
smell of the fire. 1t would do her
good-it has mep' and having come
to the end of his long and disgressive
speech. Master Pepper performed
pirouetto, and shrill whistle on his
fingers.
Archie Blanchard could not refrain
from laughing at the oddities of the
strange little figure before him, and
comprehending from what he had said
that some unfortunate woman was dy-
ing out in the snow, he FASTENED to
his father, and together they sought
the woodshed,. proceeded by Peter
Pepper, who led the way there with a
succession OF " hop, skip, and
jump" that made him seem more elfn
than ever. They found the uniortu-
nate woman called by Peter Pepper
Aunt Molly at the last hours of her
life, and together they carried her into
the warm and cheerful kitchen. The
heat seemed to revive her for few
but she knew she was dying,
and refused everything except a glass
Of wine offered her by Mr.. Blanch-
ard.
"Come nearer, Sir" she said, with
all the voice she could command. ~
have something to impart that will be
of great importance to the friends Of
that child. / thank God for the OPP
portunity of easing my conscience be-
fore die. Listen, Sir,-fve years
ago this night, wicked man paid me
a large sum of money to kidnap that
child over there, and to secrete him
forever in such way that his father
or mother never would learn what be-
come of him. l was a poor misera-
BILE wretch, and tho sight of tho gold
tempted met shone and glittered
till it hid from me the wickedness Of
the act l was paid for doing. i watch
cd the house many evenings, without
success, and had almost given up the
task as hopeless, whom, on Christmas
Eve, tho dovil seemed to favor me. l
wars passing tho house where the child |
lived, and l saw him with his com
panions, running through tho house,
and / heard. the sound of their merry
voices, and then thenext thing, through |
the basement window saw the little
child was to steal. A glance showed
mo that none OF tho servants were
near him, and rushing to the door
4