St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-12-21

The man sat in a big rocking chair
near the candle, the boy in his lap,
playing with the mans watch, which
was large, enticing and made up
largely Of silver and few baser
metals.
do you want this watch?" he
asked the boy. Then in an aside to the
woman: 1--WE great notion to give
1t to him. 1t won't run"
II should say l do" exclaimed the
boy.
"If you'll be good" said the man,
sIn give it to you Christmas"
''1'll be good" promised the boy.
well, then" said the man, "I'll
bring it myself, Or say, better let
Santa Claus bring it. Where's that tel
ephone? Here!" he said, taking uE
the toy instrument; 'Ill just ring w
Santa and tell him about it. Hello
Central. Yes. Is that you, Central!
Give me 1888, Iceland. please
Hello, hello! Is this 1888, Iceland?
Yes. Call Santa Claus, IL you please
Tell him I'd like to speak with him
All right. Busy, is he? III wait
The boy stood by in the light of
the candle.
Il reckon he's pretty busy about
this time" said he.
Hello" called the man. SIS that
you, Santa Claus? Good. How are
you, Santa? That's fine. I want you
to do little something for me Christ.
mas morning. There's a big silver
watch want a little boy to have, but
live in Brooklyn. That's too far to
bring 1t to him Christmas morning.
He lives in New York. This is what
I want you to do, Santa. Stop at my
place, get the watch and bring it to
the little boy who lives here in New
York. You will? Thank you, Santa.
All right. Good-by.
F'There," to the boy, as he put down
the telephone, that's settled. Are you
ready?" to the woman. Bring me my
overcoat, will you, Kiddie?"
The boy sprang down from his lap
and brought the overcoat, a heavy
weight for his smallness. He laid it
in his lap, then deliberately blew out
the big candle and taking up two
fngerfuls of the warm grease, smear
ed it on the overcoat.
well, look at this!" cried the man.
"He has deliberately and with malice
Rforethought smeared grease on my
new overcoat. He has ruined it. | wish
you would come here and look!"
The woman ran in and turned up
the gas.
Terrible" she cried. what made
him do it? 1t is something you might
expect of a little tough, but of boy
we are trying to bring up decentIy-"
and she tried to wiring the heart of
the boy into something like repent.
ance by reproachful looks as he stood
silently by.
"And he had promised to be good"
lamented the man.
1T isn't time yet to be good" the
boy maintained stoutly; "it's too long
before Christmas"
The man took up the toy telephone
with an air of f1nality.
is that you, Central?" he asked,
sternly. "Good. Well, I wish you
would ring up Santa Claus for me
again, please, wish to speak to hifA.''
rs this 1913, Iceland? Please let me
have Santa Claus again, will you?
Thank you. This Santa Claus? Well,
Santa, about that large silver watch
/ told you about few minutes ago.
The one want you to call for in
Brooklyn and bring over to New York
to the boy on Fifteenth street. You
needn't bother about that watch,
Santa Claus. I have concluded not
to give it to the boy. Why? Oh, he's
bad. That's all. He does things
that haven't any sense in them. Just
now, after had gone to all the trou.
BILE to call you up on the long-dis
lance phone TO ask you about bring
ing the watch, he deliberately ruined
my new oyercoat. Took some candle
grease and smeared it with it. Yes, it
is a pity. But 1t can't be helped. A
boy must not be encouraged in such
behavior"
The boy seemed to be thinking hard
as he stood by, but he said moth
ing.
i think" volunteered the woman,
''that can take out the grease with a
hot iron. l have put one on. / will
lay blotter on the coat and the
grease will come off on the blotter
when put the iron on it. Come in
the kitchen and help me-"
The hlotter and the hot iron had
the desired effect. She held the
coat up to the light triumphantly.
The man carried the coat to the
door Of the music room in which the
tragedy had occurred, says the New
York Press. They stopped at the
door, for the boys voice had come to
them softly. He stood at the table,
the toy telephone to his ear.
is this you, Central?" he asked,
wistfully. Eyes. Good. VIII vou
give me 1913, Iceland, if you please.
Thank you, Central"
isn't he potter the woman whis-
pered to the man.
Is that you Santa CLAUSE asked
the boy at the telephone. Good!
Well, Santa, I'd like to tell you that
you needn't pay any attention to the
last message the man from Brooklyn
sent you about that silver watch.
They've got the grease out Of this,
DVercoat.p