Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-08-21
THAT WHELP."


1.-The sWhelp' has stolen that
fine watermelon, John, that we
were saving for Will and Annie,
and they will be here to-day. 1t
was 30 provoking the way he talk
ed to me about it. He came over
to borrow some spice for Mrs.
Harper; and l said 'looK here
Tony, you stole my melon from
the garden p Yes um,' he an
~wered, as cneerfully as if in reply
to it's fine day. waited plscidly a
second or two, looking over the
garden fence, as if the memory Of
his theft was pleasant thing, and
said, 'as fine and as sweet red
million mum, as l ever stuck
knife into WE'LL l said, you
are whelp! the name is a suita-
BILE one.' Yes UNI, he said, very
likely. I'll tell you how it was,
you said stole your big pears last
year, and didn't, for sure, though
you won't believe me when | say
so. Well, 1 heard some fellows
say yesterday evening, that they
saw million in your garden, and
were going to have it to-day, so l
just got it myself, mum, you see |
needed it mora nor them, bein' as
/ missed my supper 'tother night
for playing hopscotch when l went
after the cows. l know'd how it
nd be, mum, the 'Whelp' would
be tackled for the takin' O that
fine million, and last night when
the moon came creepin' through
the winder, said to myself, be
up airly, Whelp, after that thum-
per afore them thieves are outer
their nests And so the angels or
sumthin' woke me at the right
time, and the million was all dew
ey and cool-like, when | highsted
it onter my shoulder and skinned
off to the meader with it, and l
hid it in the grass. l tell you
what finer million never crowd.
1t was redder nor Molly Lanes
top-knot. and as sweet, mum, as
the 'sarves you left standing in
the winder to cool, to try if they
was done, 'tother day. That wa
ter million had thin rind, mum,
and twas so ripe / guess it would
have spilled afore to-day. / saved
you some seed, mum, eff you'd
like 'em. It's lucky for you that
Jim Blake and Loll Banks didn't
get her instead of me. Good-day,
mum, 1 got the million and credit,
too this time, you amt fur wrong.
Please give my love to Willie and
tell him to come down to the gate
at 8 o'clock sharp, as I've some
important things to relate l SAID,
"Off with you, Whelp, and don't
let me catch you toying Willie to
the gate, or it won't be well for
you" Willie was, the sole heir of
the house, Mrs. Northcott's pet
and darling. Blue-eyed and rosy
faced, with gentle manners that
had quite won the heart-if he
had one which was doubted by all
of the 'Whelp' and made him
loiter about the gate when he was
sent on errands, In order to put a
peach or bit ofmuch soiled candy
in the child's hand, and always
went whistling away as If he had
received,i instead ofgiving,the same
And Willie, with the utter reck-
lessness of his four years, and ten
der heart, loved the rude. charity
child, whose home, such as 1t was,
held few incentives to a better
life. "He is a very bad boy, Will
lie, and you must not play with
him pet,r was answered, mo ma
ma, he is a good boy, and Willie
loves him. He lifts me over all
the bad places, and he asked me if
would not beg the good man
prayed to, If he would not make
him good like me. Mama, don't
you think Toney"-Willie never
called him the 'Whelp,' as all 9TH
ers did-"would be good too, if he
had a mother to cuddle. and tuck
him in beds cold nights ?"
The derravity of the "Whelp"
had so assorted itself before the
eyes of Mrs. Northcott, that she
never thought of the forlorn and
wicked boy in this light. She felt
q little pang in her heart as she
hurried away from the question
ing light of the blue eyes, while
something very like remorse was
at work in her conscience.
But she couldn't bear for her
one white lamb TO come in init
mate contact with the vileness OF
this little outcast. This thought
held prominence, albeit she laid
away handful of cookies for the
"Whelp" as he passed on his way
for the cows. They were at tea
when they heard his well-known
and unmusical whistle. She call
ed to him that he would find some
cakes on the kitchen table. He