Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-19
Woolly Wisp
by John Hor d Hamlln.
Observation-Disclosures.

7 - - - - Aflfitlf
TIE mere fact that he wac
Il gave him a wooIyreputation ~
had not always foeked with Virgiris,s
aenizens, yet he lived there when ~.
pace reeked Of wild. western H. 49,
the sheep seemed not al all opf - NJ
element on the gay Comstock lode
nooily was derelict, a lone lamb
"heh hrst he entered Virginia's pre-
clncts' abandoned by a careless shea
nero and pursued by coyotes into the
very heart Of that BUSTING ,nir;r,,
camp. The miners were Just chang
ing shifts when the lambkin darted
down { street, night shadows threw a
gloom abroad, and the dimiuutiye. fit
ing white object mystified the miners
as they trooped homewards. One
thick-tongued individual shouted out.
Look at it, boys! IT'S a viii o. wisp,r
ne "wisp' bleated pitifully, and the
merry men laughed loudly as they be-
held a timid lamb "Not win o. wisp.
siimps' but decidedly woolly one.
mani"
In such fahsion did the sheep come
by his name, and from that date
Nooily Wisp played privileged role
IN Nirginia's circles. No one person
claimed him. He was public prop
erty, and consequently WoolIv's
bringing up lacked a certain proper
ton Of home influence so essential
to the proper training Of young things.
The first real wicked deed Woolly en-
acted endeared him to the whole bevv
q school children. II the sheep had
reasoning powers, one would be in
ciined 70 believe he maHciouslv /
planned his assault against Prof. Wig
site, principal Of the Virginia schools. /
The principal adhered 70 the "rod"
motto, and the pupils hated him much /
and feared him more Prof. Wigstie /
was partial 90 tan shoes; ne cared not I
what style they were So long as the 1
color cleaned yellow His most recent /
acquisition in shoe leather made glad /
his heart-a glariug saffron shade. and
sa.es that squeaked in a minor key, I
thus attracting not only the eye but
the ear as well
Woolly Wisp stood in a side street
one bright morning The hang Of his
head bespoken deiectedness; bat
tered tin can. sufiXed. explaining his
bad mood. Woolly frequently ratified
.in-ware through the precipitous
streets on Mt Davidson's slopes. II
always ruilied his temper, which was
pretty average bad tits best. While
1rooaing in this ugly state Of mind,
TAN, spare man with wildly yellow and
noisy shoes adjoining his pedal extrem-
ties squeaked by in insolent complai-
auce. Woolly stamped his foot; the
an clattered behind him-off he went,
lot Ike. but in reality. a battering
am. Prof. Wigstie sprawled quite
cross C street. Many Of his irrepres-
IDLE pupils gathered about the fallen !
wner az yellow shoes and lost dignity. I
voolly Wisp tarried not, but continued
N his career at rafting pace. a
After that star performance Of the =
heep, no youth in any Of the Virginia 1
cliquesn ever again attached things e
o his tain. He was, IN their eyes. q a
reatare 70 be revered IS the hero who 8
5owned" the terrible Wigstie. In such h
ui,e Woolly commanded an due re- o
,ect from the younger generation. and 7,
is future popularity was assured sim q
IL by that one daring act. 5
Woollv wasn't traditional lamb, for II
. never ventured near the school f,
1use. The truce established between
.mself and the school children oe- p
Tired at a too recent date TO carry any III
eight with him. He distrusted impul- pi
We youth. and many times he betook re
mself 10 the outskirts Of Virginia hi
tx that he might be entirely out Of OF
aht and hearing Of rough youngsters. il
prof. Wigstie lived near the towns w
ge. in n house that looked three sto- w
Is high. front view. and a mere she'd Dc
ok view. The steepness OF the SIDE oV
II site accounted for this disparity w
,e small front yard blazed with big w
nfowers and brilliant dahlias. m
DOLLY admired this rare garden-spot. tn
4 forced an entrance one Iuekiess tn
ternoon. The professor, returning W
IN school. espied the trespasser; in
wrath hared forth, and be bore WI
wn upon the sheep in frenzy ha
,olIv realized that safety lay in tn
mt and he Immediately took that
arse. Away went pedagosue and sts
n. careening down the mountain, ex
4 moment when the race seemed ~.
II 10 prof. Wigstie, dire calamity tn
I'm the pursued. An old mining att
M partially obscured by sage ish
,sb. yawned directly in the sleeps ev'
h He disappeared down its black ,
,rbs. No sign. no sound could Prof we,
gstie detect of the ingulfed tor let
Mt. IN
Good enough! That blasted beast fro
boodoo. and its good riddanee Of wit
petted Woolly Wisp.' an
~ removing of the S7oo.oOoooo has
IN 81 silver and gold from the the
RI Of Mt. Davidson necessitatea a MS
. - s,.ravatfnp To W