The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-10

uoWn py hlin, NC puShea UP NY ioacii, aiAu he
| says:
"You're very fatherly little fellow, Steele
| Pedicord."
1t put me in mind to ask him if he's Sans
father, but he laughed cut loud at the notion.
| Sans smaller than you and he minds so
| well" says ]. And I never saw man that
was so handy at girls work"
"Sam is an excellent fellow" says the Whiz
ger, but / don't deserve to have Chinaman
called my SON."
"oh.'' ] says. rs he a Chinaman? Well,
I've read about them, but / never saw one be-
| fore.n
/ Then | concluded to ask the Whizzer what
his own name was But just then he got up
| from his chair and brought the other basket to
| the fire.
"Do you know who Santa Claus is?" he says,
talking low.
az found that out two years ago." says I,
| but it's just as much fun"
well get her little stockings, then" he
says, and got them.
81 thought you'd like TO do this yourself
| says the Whizzer. He acted just like mother.
We took the things out OF the basket. There
were toy sheep and dogs and dolls and tubs
and dishes, and underneath them all kinds of
! candies, enough TO treat school. felt like
/ the Whizzer was Santa Claus. We stuffed her
little stockings till they stood alone, like kags,
and tied bundles to them, and fastened them
together and hung them on the mantel-piece.
Bounced wake up and watch US, and then he'd
doze oil, for Bounce was fuller of turkey bones
! than he ever expected to be again; and Mrar
slept away. looking like doll in the fireshine.
But all at once Bounce gave jump and
! bark. Back went the door like the wind had
tore it open, and there stood uncle Moze, and
aunt Ibby, and cousin Andy Sanders, and the
Widow Briggs grown son, and two or three
men behind them. They all looked scared or
| mad, and aunt Ibby's face was so white that
| her mo1cs all bristled.
| "This is pretty how to-io,n SAYS She
| speaking up loud like she did on wash days,
or times she took stick and drove the boys to
/ the wooi-Isile. whats going on in this house
| might? fires, and candles burning. and trav-
elcrs putting up, and children running away
| when they re let go some place else to stay all
| night Iou little sneak" says She you'll
get one such a whipping as you ached for when
your mother was alive"
stop, STOP" says the Whizzer peaceably
| shaking his head at her.
What are you doing in this house?" says
cousin Andy Sanders. " Are you the man 1
saw go past my place tonight on that wheel,
pulling tue children?"
81 am" says the Whizzer, and I've been
taking notes of the personal property that has
been carried out of the house"
WE'LL" says uncle Mozc, I'm the constable
and this is my posse"
The Whizzer laughed, and he says, this
dog"
j did not know what he meant, and they
acted as if they did not either.
Il arrest you," says uncle Meze g for break
ing into a house and disturbing the peace"
You can't do i" says the Whizzer.
Go in and take him. says uncle Moze to
the other men.
Because this is my house" says the Whiz-
ger
/ swallowed my breath when he said that
- wish you'd shut the door," ne says; and
since tomorrow is Christmas, and don't want
to harbor any ill-will. yon can shut it behind
instead OF in front of you. I'm Steele Pedicord,
| this boys father, as you might all know by
looking at me-
Even cousin Andy Sanders didn't jump any
more than | did but / jumped for gladness,
and seemed like he jumped for something else.
Pm appointed guerdeen to the children"
he says" and | don't want any impudent
talk from stranger"
" You pretend you don't know me, Andy
Sanders" says the Whlzzer, g but / always
knew you. You expected TO settle on their
land, while Moze and his wife pillaged their
goods. | didn't grow up with you for moth
ing"
Steele Pedicord died when that boy was a
year old" says aunt Ibby, aud she looked so
awful and so big / could hardly bear to watch
her. He was killed by the Indians on his
way from Californy, after he sent his money
home"
He was only kept prisoner By the Indians .
says my father, and sick and ill-used. But
he had no notion he was dead till he got away
after a few years, and heard his widow was
married again, and even mother to another
| child"
Its likely story" says cousin Andy Sand
ers, that man wouldn't come forward and
claim his own in such case"
" Your notion of man and mine never did
agree, Andy Sanders" says my father. " She
wasn't to blame, and her second husband was
my best friend. The boy and girl are mine
now. and I'll see to them"
$ It's some robbing scheme" SAYS aunt Ibby.
but she looked as If she knew him well
enough.
I've more to give them than you could
have taken from them," he says, 9and you
may begin to investigate tonight. Is that the
Widow Briggs boy?'' he says.
The Briggs boy came up and shook hands
with him, and the other men stepped in and
shook hands, too. They all begun TO talk
} But uncle Moze, and aunt Ibby, and cousin
Andy Sanders left the door, and / heard them
slam the gate.
, Mrar slept right along, though the neighbors
talked SO loud and fast; and / sat down on the
lounge at her feet wondering what she would
say Christmas morning when she found out
the Whizzer was my own father that mother
thought was dead since rs year old!
! felt so queer and glad that something in me
whizzed like the wheel, and while my father
was not looking, and everybody sat up to the
fire asking questions slipped over and tried
10 hug it around the cranks that he wiggled
with his feet.
You can read pieces about Santa Claus com
ing on sledge, but that's nothing to having
your own father-that you think is dead and
gone-ride up like regular Whizzer and open
J the house for Christmas - Vide Quake
/
by Fathers Unknown Grave
fW. f. p, IN P5aaeUate Wis., T1uscsl
The teardrops trickle down my cheeks
AS sit thinking of the brave.
Alb mel shoulder now 70 think