Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-03-04


| his wife and two daughters Having no
sons, he ia derenden; on hired help, the
| supply of which - regulated According
| 20 TIE season: a number Of farm hands
eng u. cessary during the planting and
| harvesting of crops, while one Is usually
| the Only assistant needed IN tie winter.
| Realizing the need of boy on the place
to do chores. for which it did not justify
| 20 hire a man, Pitkins talked the matter
| yver with his wife, and they decided 20
seiect a vaif from the pooraouse and
raise him up as one of the family, which
| II course meant food and clothing till
| he was of age, and three months school
ing 10 the winter.
With Farmer Pitkins to decide vas TO
act; 50 the next day he and Mrs. Pitkins
irove over in the buggy 10 the county
pooraouss and made application for al
,rphan. The Superintendent, Away
willing TO dispose of his charges TO farm
era, ordered oat the boys In line TOR re-
view, and Pitkins and his wife eyed the
boys closely and talked with them. he.
with an eye TO service, selected a large.
strong boy; but she, with potheriy in
,tinct more akin 10 sympathy, picked
ut little Sut," the subject OF tnis
.ketch.
why, Mary" exclaimed Pitkins, "he
9 too small.'
''Bn. hen grow, John, and then / like
his looks better"
"Looks. tut. int! What have looks
.ot N do with itF'
"A great deal. II We are TO adopt him
nd raise hiIa mp al a SOD, and even If
10 is only TO be a farm hand. we do not
vant a boy TO grow % dishonest and
sicious. / don't like the big boy's
faoe."
So Farmer Pitkins orumbled a little
yer her choice az be lifted sat into the
,uggy between them and drove home.
f'he boy was indeed small for service or
farm, but be seemed grateful fer thf
lone and WAS willing to do ali the busy
asks bis hands we're put TO, and would
Jut his little hand ON bis tired back
without q murmur. after long time
,awing wood. Mrs. Pitkins seemed
lrawn towards him by his very diminu
ave size and strength, while Pitkins
,eemed almost to dislike him, and was
ilways grumbiing about the boys being
90 small. although the farmers wifi.
very sensibly would remark that she be-
lieved the Willingness of a small boy
would accomplish more than the unwil-
ilngness of one twice his size. As little
Sut wasn't large enough to wait on the
iris, they rather sided with their father
md made the poor boys life rather IN
pleasant ny teasing him.
Thus matters went on for season OF
~, while one farm hand after another
came and went; and although colts and
calves and pigs and chickens all grew
lud faitened on the place, little Su,
'eemed mt q standstiii, and failed to come
up To Mrs. Pitkins's assertion that he
would grow.
'its 10 use, Mary, waiting for this
boy TO grow. must take him back {
Inc poorhouse and get larger boy. Yo,
can 20 with me and select the boy, but
ne must be larger"
Mrs. P.tkins, with feeling of tender
ness towards the little homeless waif she
nad selected, hadn't the heart to 90 and
pick out a boy TO supclant him In the
nome that now seemed as dear to him A.
4 he had been born IN II; SO Mr.. Pitkins
irove over alons while the farm hand
took the wagon and drove to the mill for
lumber. leaving Mrs. Pitkins, The two
girls and little Sut on the farm alone
except little dog which Sut had been
allowed to adopt from the roadside; the
cattle on farm scarcely being counted
IS company by lone women, who cannO,
.ook TO them for the protection which
even boy or small dog can attempt.
Tramps, miserable, dangerous out
casts, seem to be the constant menace
of unprotected farmers, especially the
women. who are SO often 2eft alone.
Little Sut was in the barn, with his dog,
sorting potatoes, when his attention was
called to the screams of one OF the girls,
md, looking out, TO his surprise and
terror he saw u man rush out of the
Kitchen door in pursuit of one of the
arls. With boyish impulse Sut ran
cot with a small basket Of potatoes il,
MS ha d, followed by the dog, which he
urged to a fierce attack ON the man. Tn.
dog went calamity into the fight, and
set his teeth 80 vigorously into the legs
Of the tramp that the girl was enabled
10 escape from him and run to neigh
boris for assistance. Little Sut realize
that there Was work for him to do. The
screams which camo from the house
plainly indicated that the one man was
not the only enemy ON the place, and
with n shout Sut rushed in To find an
other tramp on the point of overcoming
Mrs. Pitkins and the ether daughter IL,
\ fierce struggle, in which he had almost
torn their clothing of. The noise that
SUIT made and the vigorous fusllade OF
potatoes that he hurled at the tramp SO
iisconcerted him that it afforded the
Two women chance to escape and lock
themselves in a room up stairs. Poor
little Sut and the dog were left alone to
contend with the two enraged tramps;
Tho tight was uneven and short; the dog
Was driven from the field, and little Sut
alono stood at bay. Suddenly one of
the tramps, who had been keeping Al.
eye open for danger, saw approaching
tho farmer to whose Louise the other
daughter had fled, and, giving the
alarm, the two desperadoes rapidly
made their escape to the dense woods
near by.
They had done their work cruelty and
thoroughly. Little Sut laid motionlsss
III the corner where he fell. and the
ueighbor placed him on the bed, while
Mr-. Pitkins and her daughters bent
o.or him and frantically called his name.
There WAS gurgling sound in his throat
and little stream of blood trickled
down the side IF his mouth and stained
the white rufiled slip Of the pillow. Su,
Just opened his ewes as Mr.. Pitkins re-
turned from selecting another boy 10
take his place. A small cut on Sut',
breast showed where the knife had pen-
elrated his lungs, and the eurgling sound
was the blood that was forcing its life
tide inside.
| Did drive 'em OFF,
| Thaeosas all little Sut said; but with
a smile on his face and the blood stream
ING from his mouth he died IN the arms
of Farmer Pitkins, who had gone "a
swap him of because he was too small
- do anything. A small grave down in
the village churchyard. kept green BY
three grateful women aud fragrant With
tile perfume Of flowers, is all now lef,
on earth of little Sut; Lut We know be
has gone where they do not think him
too small.-DesroI Free Press.
The family Of ex-Sleuu Bybee, OF
jackson county, Oregon, has certainly
been scour1ed unto death by diphthc-
ria. Six little mounds in the family
ourying ground attest the terrible pow
er of this grim destroyer. Other