The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1907-12-23
B, JOE ANDERSON NORRIS.

w the iaoy W pm
f0 on her hat to go
ont to dinner with him. The room
was Lighted by a big candle In a TAU
brass ca lestick. The boy had light
ed the C die for his own amusement.
The man sat in a big rocking chalr
lear the candle, the boy in his lap,
playing with the mans watch, which
was large, enticing and made up
largely of silver and a few baser
metals.
DO you want this watch?' he
asked the boy. Then in an aside to the
woman 1--we a great notion to give
1t to him. 1t won't run
Il should say | do" exclaimed the
boy.
IF you'll be good" said the man,
"Ill give it to you Christmas"
"Tn 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 up
the toy instrument; III just ring up
Santa and tell him about it. Hello,
Central. Yes. Is that you, Central?
Give me 1888, Iceland, please.
Hello" called the man. is that
you, Santa Claus? Good. How are
you, Santa? That's fine. | want you
to do a 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 it to him Christmas morning.
He lives in New York. This Is what
| 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.
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 o%vercoat, a heavy
weight for his smallness. He laid it
in his lap, then deliberately blew out
the big candle and taking up two
fingerfuls of the warm grease, smear
ed it on the overcoat.
We'll, look at this" cried the man.
He has deliberately and with malice
aforethought smeared grease on my
new overcoat. He has ruined 1t. | wish
you would come here and look!"
The woman ran in and turned up
the gas.
And he had promised to be good"
lamented the la
1T isn't time yet to be good" the
boy maintained stoutly; its too long
before Christmas"
The man took up the toy telephone
with an air of f1nality.
rs that you. Central?" he asked,
sternly. Good. Well, I wish you
would ring up Santa Claus for me
again, please. | wish to speak to him."
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 a few minutes ago.
The one l 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 overcoat. Took some candle
grease and smeared 1t with It. Yes. 1t
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.
Il think" volunteered the m
that | a take out the grease with a
hot iron. | have put one on. | will
lay a blotter on the coat and the
grease will come off on the blotter
when / put the iron on 1t. Come In
the kitchen and help me-"
The blotter and the hot lion 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 10
them softly. He stood at the table
the toy telephone to his ear.
rs this you, C%entral?' he asked
wistfully. Yes. Good! VIII Won
give me 1913. Iceland, if you please.
Thank you, Central"
Isn't he potter" the m whis.
pered to the man.
rs that you Santa Claus" asked
the boy at the telephone. "Good,
Well, Santa, I'd like to tell yon thar
you needn't pay any attention to the
last message the man from BROOKLYN
sent you about that silver watch