The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-12-30
mr. CLAWS"

ness mat pOEteuueu u coiu SAAAo'A1'
on the morrow. 1t crept through the
gaps in the UNDERMINING and up
| through the cracks in the sycamore
| floor Of Widow Shores little implanted
| house, causing the inmates to huddle
| closer about the small stove.
oval" announced little Sam, I'm a.
goin' to hang up my stockin', anyhow
1T won't do. no good" spoke Maggie,
| the Oldest Of TIE, youthful Shores and
the elder. Of little sSsm by two years.
."You: won't git sanuthih'-: Sandy Claws
has plumb forgot u.s." -
"Mebby he has" quoth Sam; but I'll
sorto jog his mem'ry.""t
"No USE" complained Maggie. He's
plumb forgot us. Hain't he, mawT'
Looks a heap that away" answered
Widow Shore. ..,~.
Her drawing voice had a mournful
cadence. ~*
"Wal, you jest see If I don't make
him think Of u.s." Dragged little Sam.
"Yes, I'll see," complained Maggie.
"'We're lucky If we git two bites
apiece for to-morrow's Christmas din
ner."
"You jest wait, that's ALL" was Sans
rejoinder. SANDY Claws will come
round all right"
LII SplIC VI LID OIAtc "VAuS SAAA
was by no means as hopeful as he pre-
tended to, be. Maggie's complaint that
Santa Claus had wholly forgotten them
had a depressing effect upon his spirits.
But he proceeded to put into execution
his plan for jogging the memory OF
the patron saint for the coming Christ
mas tide.
Widow Shore, absorbed by her own
dismal thoughts, paid little heed to his
proceedings. But Maggie, though
piqued at his Lack Of sympathy with
her gloomy representations, watched
him %curiously, and the twins and the
baby speculated upon the personal ap-
pearance of Santa Claus, and asked all
manner of questions.
Tor some time little Sam worked
steadily, making with the hot poker a
huge sign Oh a small board. Then
when the sign was completed to Sans
entire satisfaction, a question from
the baby caused an alteration In the
work.
us he Mister Sandy Claws?" wheezed
the baby.
The little fellow, still called 1.-The
baby" although he was nearly four
years old, was the victim Of a cold that
made his little voice but a combination
of croak and wheeze.
Maybe it would be more proper to ad-
dress Santa Claus as Mister" little
Sam thought. The favor he desired
would be q large one, and, therefore,
called for all the courtesy he could COM
mand.
A difficulty arose. His sprawling let
tiers occupied nearly all of the board,
and there was no room to add the title.
Sam quickly dismissed the thought Of
putting it on the back Of the board. It
was not probable that Santa Claus
would think to look at the back OF the
sign, and thus the effect Of the title
would be lost
Finally Sam laboriously whitfield
away the SANDY with which he had
begun the legend, substituting for it
"Mistur S." written N a highly eccen-
trio manner with the hot poker.
When finished, the name Of the
Christmas saint was ~masquerading un-
der the partial guise Of Mister s.
Claws"
While little Sam viewed bis handi-
work with supreme aatisfatiOn. the
baby and the twins were loud in their
admiration, and even critical Maggie
was forced to confess that II Saint
Nicholas memory was not logged by
that sign , 1t was hopelessly beyond the
reach Of all jogging.
Widow Shore remarked to the effect
that it was not only a scholarly but an
artistic piece Of work.
Bundling himself up as well as posi-
BILE with the scanty wraps at hand,
little Sam passed out into tho cold,
with the precious sign under his long
coat-a relic of his dead father,
A few fakes were whirling down.
ward, and soon the air was white
| with falling snow. The wind increased,
| and sent the fakes hurrying past lit
tie Sans face as he trudged bravely
on.
The keen wind pierced his worn gar
ments. but his young blood seemed to
| defy the chilling blast, and, busy with
his hopeful thoughts, he almost forgot
the cold.
He looked approyingiy at the whirl-
| ing snow.
"I'm mighty glad it come" he NUT
| tered. WAS afraid it wouldn't be deep
It'll be all right now"
You don't reckon" he went on, pres
emily addressing an imaginary auditor,
| that the snow'u be fallin' SO fast that
he can't see the signY'
! mo; he'll see It fast enough" he
| went on chaerily. His eyes air ust to
seein' in snow storms"
! At the lone jack-oak tree, where the
little-worn track that led to Widow
Shores cabin left the section roads,
Sam paused. From a pocket OF the
long coat he produced an old hammer
and a spike nail.
1t was cold work .ailing the sign to
the tree. His blue hands, bcnumbed
by the Icy wind, found difficulty 10
holding board and TAIL, and accurately
delivering the hammer-blows at the
same time.
The occupant Of a bob-sled that a
pair Of viry, ~.'line-back" mules was
hurryfng along the road from the direc-
tion OF the settlement, wondered at
the presence Of the little figure at the
fackroak.