Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-16

In front-''ne and the old lady allus
calc'late to give our children little
candy and tin horses and things every
Christmas. We amt got much reiig-
ion; but we got that much; and when,
the day before Christmas, I came
home from the store down IN the vii
lage with a pound or two in this
pocket, and few pounds In that, and
a sack full slung over my shoulder,
and wooden elephant with leather
trunk, and Neah's ark, and doll
baby that would cry mamma bust
ing out of a paper sack in nay arms,
and me a-sneakin' around the back
way so as the children might not
catch me and tumble to the racket, [
felt like a full-growed st. Nicholas.
and my heart was jest singing,
Peace on earth and will toward
men,
"'Abner, says my old lady when
she sees my pile, L don't believe that
little gal down to Jake Pearson's
ranch is got blame thing. Jake
is that mean that he'd never squander
a dollar for foolish toys, and it jest
natchelly makes me tired to think of
our brats rolling in goodies and that
little yeller. haired gal without even
molasses.'
81 saw her bluff and raised it. 'Gim-
me thot there doll, old LADY, I SEE,
and tin horse, and about two pounds
If she don't have a Christmas yit, all
the same.
II put 'em in sack and waltzed
along the road tell KEN to the place
jest above Pearson's ranch, which lies
at the foot of the mountain, and after
stumbling down fur about hundred
yards I could almost look down
Pearson's chimbly, directly under
meath me, and all at once [ heard the
little gal scream.
pearson hadn't lived in them dig
gins more'n six months, and we
neighbors didn't know a great sight
about him; but our wimmen folks
they'd a spied out the land little, as
wimmen will, and they lowed that
Pearson was living in the shanty all
alone, 'cepting fur his little 7-year. old
gal, and they swore up and down that
he didn't treat her right. They knew
he was rascal the first time they seed
him, they said, and once or twice he
wuz seen a whippin' her with a luther
strap. We men didn't take much
stock in their talk; but we laid low
and lowed that the first time we
ketched him red-handed a whippin'
airy gal with luther strap 'ud be a
mighty unhealthy time for Pearson.
well, sir, boys, he wuz doing that
very thing when [ lit down on him
with the buckle end, too, mind you
and if I hadn't been a law-and- orders
abiding citizen swan I'd a shot him
then. But I lowed it wuz best to have
witnesses, and eff I'd a killed him
'th0ut no one by to see fair play, it
might have caused talk. So I jest
tux the strap frum him, and kinder
!, scared HIM into decency with touch
or two of it on his own shoulders, and
then [ tux him to one side and guy
him the knicknacks.
; 1" You put them in the kids stock
ing tonight, SO she Will find 'em when
! she wakes up in the morning, SEE I,
; and if you don't swear I'll smash
= your head.
He snarled ard showed his teeth,
like bulldog that wants to bite but
: is afraid to, and I swan to man, gen
: tlemen, I wuz downright put out that
we'd let that little gal live all alone
= so long VITA sech a human hyena.
: But, as said before, I didn't like to
take the law into my own hands all
alone, so waltzed off and hunted up
some Of the neighbours, and told them
jest how the land lay, and asked their
advice. They all said the same thing.
, "'We'u go down and talk to him,
right off, SEE they.
, Bring the little gal up to our
: ranch, after you get through with
aim. sez my old lady; she kin have
a home with us so long as she blame
;, pleases.'
Tibet druv the nail home and
! clinched her on the other side. The
! wimmen wuz with us. So we tux
r along q stout luther lariat, with a
running moose in one end, kinder
handy fur talking to sech carrioa ez
Pearson, and jest as night wuz begin,
; toward his ranch. Thep wuz six of
us-Hank Fletcher, Gale Bledsoe,
Pete, and me-jest enough to be
! judge, jury, and executioner.
Cap. paused here to light q fresh
. cigar; DaG before Inc names OF Inc
! match had taken hold Oh the tobacco
he tossed the burning match aside.
jest excuse me for about two
, seconds, geRtlemen, whilst waltz IN
and see eff my little gal is a-haker-
!, IN for anything that [ kin get her"
!, The girl was contentedly cuddled
I up in a corner of the green plush
5 covered seat, fast asleep, with her
; head resting on a soft black and white
!, plaid shawl. With her delicate fea-
lures and beautiful yellow hair, she
! would have been considered lovely
: anywhere, and after seeing her it was
: easy to understand The look of tender
ness which lighted up the old ranch
;, mans face whenever he mentioned his
little gal"
e "Well, sirs," he continued upon
rroipioor his SCOT IN tho e,1o o1zn~ ond