Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-09-27
|HON | SAVED THE f|LLY..
The Interesting Story Of a POstOhce
Robbery.
Jack skated, Ran and Drove for
Dear Life. for His Fathers Horror
Was at Stake.
py ADELAIDE LUND.
Copyrighted, 1896, by 5 . H0'7''''7 =

4welfih birthnight- / SNAIL he'Si ~
that evening. We were sitting on Ih'
norcb father. mother and l; the sun wa
Fast sinking behind Elm Hill, the cattle
were munching their cuds contentediy
in the barnyard, and father ms chali
tilted back against the porch railing anC
mis- ewes slightly narrowed, was saying
lin a tome which admitted of no discus
sion) that I was getting to be 100 pls
boy to expect birthday presents
Mother smoothed my hair furtlveiy IL
response to the bitter disappointment
which showed in my face, while her eyes
begged me to be silent. had set my
heart on a bicycle, and during the las
three months l had tramped SIX miles
into the village, dozen times, 10 gaze
at the coveted machine displayed IN the
jewelers. window. I winked back The
tears. the sun had now dropped entirely
out of sight, and the crickets had begun
their lonesome song which somehow
brimmed my cup. l had watched father
face. on market days, for a whole year
had carefully noted the price of butter
the laying capacity of the mems, the
promise Of the crops, and all had seemed
to conspire to take my part, and now
with a word he had. made it impossible
for me to even speak my hearts desire
again.
Mothers hand sought mine as, tear
blinded. l stumbled up the steps 10 the
door. Just then a whinny sounded from
the lane and the next moment Uncle
Jack, seated on the back OF a bay FLY,
came tearing up 10 the door In breath
he was landed in the lilac bushes and the
green turf of the dooryard was cut and
torn into unacceptable ru,s beneath the
animals feet. while the pebbles few in
rafting showers against the porch and
windows.
UNCLE JACKS GIFT.
Holding fast to the bride Uncle Jack
scrambled to his feet, while the FLY
seemed actually trembling with delight
at his mishap. Here you are, jack
he said, as soon as he could recover his
breath, tossing the bride to me. You
ought 10 have something 10 help you bear
your name. you rogue" then he looked
at me q moment keenly and added in d
softer tone: you are not an over-p2m-
perel yOungster but the flly is yours for
keeps and may she not break your neck. "
couldn't speak. but stood holding The
bride Imply and trying 10 realize what
Uncle Jack had said. He hustled father
and mother into the house and left me
with the tears running down my cheeks.
The FLY seemed TO sense something Of
my feelings and stepped daintily up to
me and touched my cheek win her nose.
! do not know what another boy would
have done, but put my arms around her
shining neck and sobbed from sheer hap
piness.
Of course I was TOO young then to ap-
preciate all that was expressed in her
sinuous neck. bloodred nOstrils. and deli
cate ears, but the excess of vitality win
which she was quivering thrilled me with
depreciation. and the speed and endur-
ance, indicated in her general build,
felt instinctiyely long before I had test
ed her magnificent build.
It doesn't seem, as I look back on those
first days with my colt, that l slept an
hour during the entire week. One night
l was lying awake trying to think of a
name for her, when suddenly Uncle
Jacks dream came to ne: Why not
call her Dream?" and Dream she was
christened.
That year I taught her nearly every
thing but speech; she would climb stairs,
unite hard knot with her teeth, ring the
dinner bell, carry my handkerchief in
her mouth and follow me about the
whole farm like a dog
She grew to be the pride of the village,
and hitched to an old gig made time that
was secuted by many, but which fairly
astonished The whole county.
FATHERS MISFORTUNE.
About that time father was appointed
postmaster of the village office. and il
became my duty TO drive him in morn
ings and go after him at midnight:
tell YOU those, were proud. happy days
for lis all. Father was immensely pleased
with the salary which would help pay off
the farm mortgage. while I had the pleas
IRE of driving Dream twice each day
without having to beg permission, and
mother was happy because we were So
One night a few months later. father
rode home WiiaOu. once correcting my
method Of driving,-this WAS significant
in its rarity-and that night he walked
the sitting room floor till day light. but
neither mother nor | dared TO urge him
TO tell Us his trouble. The mex. nieh;
there was no change; 7 remember how
gray and old he looked IS he slipped his
tea. and how he got up from the table
leaving his supper Unt9ssed.
After n week Of wretchedness for us all
he told mother that there had been a mail
robbery. and that suspicion rested upon
his Office. lie kept no clerk. and so. of
course. he was the suspected one. It meant
the loss Of his Office 10 say the least un-
less the thief was found.
Things went on this way for another
week: poor mother crept about. anxiously
watching fathers face: father neither ate
nor slept. hut sat silent and stern. claim
ing 70 the utmost the prominence of the
principal sufferer. while I tip-t0ed from
one room 10 another until I could steal to
the barn, where I found comfort in Dream.
THE DISCOVERY.
Saturday nights father kept the office
open late. I always drove in for him
hitched Dream in the meeting house shed.
and had q good time with The boys until
closing time. This particular Saturday
Git was in Decemberl drove in extra early
TO enjoy the fine skating on the river: we
boys were to have a bonfire in the evening.
and through the afternoon I helped them
gather stumps and driftwood for the occa-
sion. At six o'clock the others went home
for supper. leaving me to MUNICH my crack
ers and cheese alone, after which was to
light the fire. When I had finished my dry
lunch ii was dark. and began whiting
the shavings. As 7 stopped down behind
the great. ungainly pile Of stumps I heard