Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-12-22

leg, holding onto a lamp-pOst, and weep
ing bitterly.
When Mike was brought up in court we
heard of his predicament, and paid his fine.
! Then we sent him home in carriage to
recover from his spree, while we decided
whether we could recover his missing leg.
We advertised for it for three days without
success; and the result left us much in
doubt as TO what we should do. We felt
that Mike hardly deserved new one after
the manner in which be had lost one gift,
but an accident turned the scale in his
favor.
On my way home one day, stopped
at cid Peg Rafferty's apple stand.
Everybody knows old Peg. She's only
one leg, too, poor old soul. Years ago
big truck swept down on her apple
stand, and while she WAS saving her wares
she got caught under the trucks wheels,
and one of her legs was so badly crushed
that nothing but ampu!ation could save
her life. This misfortune didn't destroy
her cheerfulness. She always has smile
for everybody, and gets more pennies for
her queer sayings than for her apples. She
is child, mentally, and believes in signs,
omens and ghosts. l didn't know until
this day of which speak, however, that
she believed in an actual Santa Claus.
When came up to her stand she put on
an air of deep mystery, ana told me the
following story:
"It's merry Christmas Oi'va had, Mr..
Fielden'," said she. "0Bld Santa Claus
~ - La hao trfa cd
loike the ginerous-hearted saint that he is,
long loife to him. An the best av it is,
she continued, getting close TO me and
speaking in a whisper that could have been
heard on Governors Island, "Oive seed
himr'
admitted that this was an extraordi
nary blessing, and asked On explanation.
well, this was the way av il, !" said she,
IAN may the gift that he gave me be siv-
cred from me body if OF sphske worrud
but the truth. Owe been thinkin' an
wishin' these many weeks back, 80 Oh
have, about me ovid wooden leg. 1t was
gittin' worn opt intoirely wild kickin'
the stones of the pavement, an Oi
thought how shwate of ovid Santa Claus
it would be to bring me a BRAN
new one for me Christmas. When OF
whit home tn noight, OF couldn't think
av nothin' else, an whin Oh got to me tim
mint way up be tn gas house, it seemed
as if the blessed saint Whispered in me ear
that he would give me the thing Oh de-
sired. OF sat by me windy before l wint
to bed looking up TO the stars a-shnin'
wey up above the frost ard the cOwld.
Do ye moind, Mr. FIeldin', that the sky's
the most beautiful place on the earth or of
av it, ayther, an it's comfort to know
that it's that way we're gOin' when the
work days over, an the rest some sy us
need so bad is ready to recave US. OF was
a-thiukin how much aisier OF could wait
for it if OF had a new leg under me, a. il
was wild hopes Oh wint to me bed. An i
left me dhure on the latch because the
chimney was that schmall an cowld Oh
wouldn't invite the saint TO come down it.
SIT wasn't a jffy till OF was ashlspe
though OF wanted to keep awake. How
long the Shape lasted Oh can't say jet,
but av a siddint Oh woke wild shtart, an
there be tn dhure shtood Santa Claus
himself wild the frost on his wbiskers. He
whit out in a hurry when he seed me
awake. loike the ginlleman he is that
wouldn't embarrsss lone wildly be re-
moining' in her spartmin. Oh was feared
at 6rst that OF had frightened him away
too soon, bat whin OF shtruck me light,
shure the wooden leg sv me dreams was
lynn on the fure. Wud ye behave it, moo,
Mr.. Fieldin, wud We belav it?"
Certainly, if you say so, Mrs. Rafferty,"
esid I "But did Won see what Santa
Claus looked like"