The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-12-07
woula 20 to Europe first and walk,

woula 90 to Europe first and walk.
Very well; suppose we close the
house and go over for a year or two"
She assented and the next news
about Mrs. Peter Van Vik was that
her health had given way beneath the
strain OF exacting social duties and by
the doctors advice she had gone
abroad for a year or two. The daily
papers DOR published an advertise
ment of the sale OF Peter Van Vik's
horses and vehicles-dogcart, landau,
victoria, drag, ETC., and the proceeds
Of the auction were agood roundsum.
When Mrs. Peter Van Vik learned OF
the arrivs ! ofthe draft for the amount
she spoke of setting up q carriage in
London, where the Van Viks had tax
ell apartments for the season. Peter,
though, stolidly refused to permit the
extravaganza, because that money
would ,beneeded to eke out their slen-
derincomefor the neXttwo years. Mrs.
Peter Van Vlk cried over their wretch
e poverty and declared that two years
OF such straits would kill her. When
she Gained herself she had come to a
conclusion. She would work the deli
cate health racket with a vengeance.
Before long Peter began to feel I'M
easy about his wife. She was looking
pale and thin. Her indiscreet friends
sympathized with her haggard face
and transparent hands. Pride, enaw-
ing at her heart, was the cause of the
falling away of her figure. The Ian
guish, in%validish air she had at first
assumed became real. She was
heartsick because of her fall from the
throne of society queen into the mob
of poor genteel that hung to the out.
skirts OF those in the swim.
And then one day there came to her
a letter with an enclosure. 1t was
postmarked New York and was ad-
dressed in an acrobatic hand that
seemed to cover the envelope in leaps
and bounds.
"Set up your carriage, dear nam
my; here's the oof, to begin with, and
there's more to follow"
That was the way the epistle began.
She opened the Enclosure and looked
at ia draft for $4,000, payable to
her order.
"I've always been sorry for soaring
you so that day three years ago in
the attic, but up to now l haven't
been able to make a fitting apology.
I've been working and saving and
here's the first paragraph of my
amende honorable for the fright Igave
you.
"Let me say right here I'm writing
this letter myself, and that I can do
so is because the good Peter Van Vil
used to come up and sit with me in
the attic in the early morning apd
teach me how to write and to read.
Mebbe you know from nurse that ]
never could sleep at night when l was
a Kid, and l can't yet. The reaso is
Pm O. reincarnate dwarf with only one
arm and only one leg. I'm only 10,
but old as the hills, and KIN W more
than anybody else in the world.
"When daddy sent me away be
cause you were afraid of me | had
lark~ breaking away from nurse and
and turning somersaults to please the
children. Well, m day q manager o.
a museum in New York said I was q
freak and if I'd come with him and
show at his theater he would pay me
we'll. I struck a hard bargain with
him and gave nurs the slip. She fol
lowed me to the city and l told her il
she eve made a fuss SO daddy would
hear about my running off I'd sit or
her neck till she had asthma. That
sacred her and she kept quiet. She
housekeeps for me and help s to save
my money. Everybody thinks she's
my mother and took her name fol
the stage.
"My big act is q song and dance
I've got a cork leg. People laugh till
their sides ache when ] stand on il
and kick the other foot. Pm pulling
in $3.50 a week and you can have the
$1OO; the $50 will run my establish
ment.
81 do lots of things that are origina:
with me. Next year I'll get 5000 8
week and you and thegooddaddy CAT
have $3.50 of it. I was not such 8
mistake after all, and I go in to helE
you keep up a show and never give il
away that I'm kin to you. Only ifyou
happen to meet me don't turn you,
back on me.
"How did 1 know you're broke? Oh
well, somebody let the cat out of the
bag. I've caught it and will, put il
back.
"Now there goes the postman on the
delivery route; soon the collector viii
be this way and the nurse will hustle
to the corner with this.
$50 long. If you happen to be ir
New York when I have ,ln engagement
come and take look at the Infant
Phenomenon if you don't think he'll
scare YOU"
y
Peter Van Vik shed tears over that
letter and wanted to announce to the
world the "Infant Phenomenon" wal
his son, but Mrs. Peter Van Vik de
clared he should do nothing of th<
kind. The freak business was all theil
d-formed child was good for, and
since he was willing to send her the
major portion Of hisincomes she would
accept it as a compensation for hav
ing borne such a child.
She had her way. She set up hel
carriage and lavishly spent every cent
her deformed son sent to her; but at
ter the Van Viks returned to New
York she v went to see her sou,
either on or off the stage.
But Peter did. Many a jolly time
the father and son have had together
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