The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-06-10
HOW UNCLE BILLY BECAME AN
ORACLE,

OnhCLE.
Before q red hot stove in Zeke Tay lor's
saloon, on Christmas eve, sat the "Vil.
lsge Oracles' OF Spikenville with their
several pairs Of feat placed az near the
fire as proper regard for shoe leather
warranted.
The conversation had reached that
srgumentative point that is induced by
a liberal supply OF hard cider and the
absence OF women folks. aud many we're
the knotty problems discussed that
night before the company took their sew
eral ways home In a more or less undig-
niRed manner. But OF this we have
naught to do. 1t would be pity II a
Spikenvil'er, and an Oracle at that,
could not get more or less mellow on the
night before Christmas.
Squire Epenetus Quackerbush having
borrowed a plug Of "Lone Star Chew.
ing" hit the stove with bis usual pre-.
cision and bringing his hand down hard
on HE knee, said. II want to tell yer
right now, thet somethin' has got ter be
done bout that ere Imp o Satan, and
reckin' yer all know who I'm talkin'
erbout."
There amt no call ter calkerlate who
yer mean, Squire" eaid Zeke. az he
came out from behiL d the bar aud j,in.
ed the others around the stove. Its
that pesky boy OF Uncle Billy Doolittls.
thet's who it be, an fer downright cuss.
edness. he do beat snythin' in Spiken-
vile. though he amt no bigger mr. pint
O cider. All he thinks on is gittin' inter
mischief, an he hez mos worn tier tail
of O my dog, tyin' on his blame termater
cans. and guess you don't find many
apples on yer trees when tibet boys
erbout, eh Squire? I've told Their folks
.'hum time and sgin. not ter let i'm
come nigh Their house. but my woman's
80 soft.hearted she won't ssy nothin'.
cause he's half orphin, and she SCI it
don't do no harm oowsys fer our gal ter
play with i'm. Yer can't expect sight
O good, Squire, from sick stock es he
comes from The Doolittles hez allus
been er shiftless lot. He's queer, jist
like bis ma was, and his pa ain never
been no account nohow. He's a child
o. Satan, :het's what he be-"
The Squire coughed warningly and
there was an embarrassed silence as
Uncle Billy Doolittle. the father Of the
much discussed limp of Satin" shutfled
up to the stove He had been standing
in the doorway and had heard every
word.
No one expected Uncle Billy to say
anything, and he didn't AZ for resent
ing an insult, he had never in the recol.
lection Of any one in Spikenville been
known to do such thing. So he just
sat there, all bumped up, and gazed
vacantly at the Oracles. and soon feel.
ing that he was not wanted, got up and
shuffled out az meekly az he had entered.
Christmas day there was wild excite.
ment 10 the quiet village. Zeke's child.
and the limp OF Satan" had wondered
of together, and the whole town was
reused to join 10 the search OF the missing
children.
Every aSlebodied man turned out and
soon the woods and surrounding hills
echoed with the shouts OF the searchers.
1t was growing bitterly cold and the
wind was whirling and twisting the rap.
idly falling snow through the almost de.
serted village street az Zeke Taylor, &C..
companied by bic deg, Wolf. struck out
for the mountains. The mans haggard
face told the story OF his fears.