Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-12-23


man in a fur overcoat had walked in
mournful irritation alone.
He stood upon corner uncertainty.
One way led TO the park, and this he
usually took but to-day he did not want
to 90 to the park-it was too reminiscent
of Skiddles He looked the other way.
Down there, if one went far enough, lay
"slums," and Mr.. Carter hated the sight
of slums; they always made him miser-
able and Disconnected. With all his mon
ey and his philanthropy, was there still
necessity for so much misery in the world?
Worse still came the intrusive question at
times: Had all his money anything to
do with the creation OF this misery 20? He
owned no tenements; he paid good
wages in every factory; he had given
sums such as few men have given in
the history OF philanthropy. Still -
there were the slurns. However, the
worst slums lay some distance off, and
he finally turned his back on the park and
walked on.
II was the day before Christmas. You
saw If in peoples faces you saw it in the
holly wreaths that hung in windows you
saw it, even as you passed the splendid,
forbdding houses on the avenue, in the
green that here and there banked massive
doors but most OF all, you saw il in the
shops. Up here the shops were smallish,
and chiefly OF the provision variety, so
there no bewildering display OF gifts; but
there were Christmas trees everywhere,
OF all sizes. II was astonishing CHOW many
people in that neighborhood seemed to
favor the old-faShioned idea Of tree.
Mr.. Carter looked at them with his irrl-
tation softening. If they made him feel a
trifle more lonly, they allowed him to feel
also trlfle less responsible-for, after all,
ii was fairly happy world.
AT this moment he perceived a curious
phenomenon short distance before him
another Christmas tree, but one which
moved, apparently, of its own volition,
along the sidewalk. AS Mr.. Carter over
took it, he saw that twas borne, or drag
ged, rather, by small boy, who wore
bright red flannel cap and mittenS OF the
same peculiar material. AS Mr.. Carter
looked down at him, he looked up at Mr..
Carter, and spoke cheerfully:
Coin my way, mister?"
why" said the philanthropist, some
what taken back, 81 was !"
"Mind draggin' this little way ?" asked
the boy, confidently. "My hands is cold"
"Won't you enjoy it more if you man
age to take it home by yourSelf?"
ooh, it amt for me |" said the boy.
"Your employer" said the philanthro-
pist, severely, "is certainly careless if he
allows his trees TO be delivered in this
fashion,"
81 amt deliverin' it, either" said the
boy. "This is Bills tree"
"Who is Bill ?"
Hes Teller with back that's no
good"
SIS he your brother ?
"No. Take the tree little way, will
you, while warm myself?"
The philanthropist accepted the burden
he did not know why. The boy, re-
leased ran forward, jumped up and down,
slapped his red flannel mittens on his legs,
and then ran back again. After repeating
these manoeuverS two or three times, he
returned 10 where the old gentleman stood
holding the tree.
"Thanks" he said. "Say, mister you
look like Santa Claus yourself, standin'
by the tree, with your fur cap and your
coat. bet you don't have to run TO keep
warm, hey ?" There was high admiration
in his look. Suddenly his eyes sparkled
with an inspiration.
"Say, mister" he cried, twill you do
something for me ? Come in to Bills,
- he lives only block from here, and
let him see you. He's only kid, and
he'll think he's seen Santa Claus, sure.
We can tell him you're so busy tomorrow
you have TO 60 TO lots OF places today.
You won't have TO give him anything.
We're looking out for all that. Bill goi
hurt in the summer, and he's been in bed
ever since. So we are giving Christ
mas-tree and all. He gets bunch oil
things-an air-gun, and train that goes
around when you wind her up. They're
great ?"
"You boys are doing this ?"
"Well, it's our club at the settlement,
and OF course Miss Gray thought oft,
and she's givin' Bill the train. Come
along, mister"
But Mr.. declined.
"All right" said the boy. "Iguess,
what with Pete and all, Bill will have
Christmas en- Rough"
"Who is Pate ?"
"Bill's dog. He's had him three weeks
| HON-tllC OSot NUT pup 1Ou WI "a"
A dog which Bill had had three weeks
and in neighborhood not quarter o.
mile from the avenue II was three
weeks since Skiddles had disappeared
That this dog was SkiddleS was OF course
most improbable and yet the philanthro-
pist was ready TO grasp at any clue which
might lead to the lost terrier.
How did Bill get this dog?" he de-
manded.
al found him myself. Some kids had
tincanned him, and he came into our en-
try. He licked my hand and then sat UP
on his hind legs. Somebody'd taught
him that you know. | thought right
away, Here's dog for Bill And Itook
him over there and fed him, and they
kept him in Bills room two or three days,
so he shouldn't get scared again and run
off; and now he wouldn't leave Bill for
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