Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-12-16

be! He only wants gilt paper wings
and a piece o. elastic glued to his
back TO be hangel right through.
Now ] wonder what he'll do when he
wakes? | don't feel quite easy in my
mind, cas- I'm not used to children,
and [ might make some mistake. Per
haps he'd like d muffin or some flags.
Here, III chance it; it won't do no
harm anyway" and softly setting the
child down upon a rickety old sofa,
and covering him up with the table
cloth, which he snatched from the
table for the purpose, the hunchback
ran out of the room and down into the
alley, and returned in a few minutes
with a pile of mullins, three pigs
trotters (warm,) and three gayly col
ored flags. There" he exclaimed,
with an air Of satisfaction, there's a
supper fit for prince, leave alone a
hangeI, What can be nicer than
trOtter an mullins for a child? No
thing-at least l should think not, he
hesitated, gazing at he comestibles.
They're soft an sticky, an what you
might call nourishin'-no bones in the
mullins to choke him, bless his heart,
and none in the trotters if takes EN-
out carefully Now where shall
stick these flags, eh?"
He looked around with his head on
one side, very much like a jackdaw,
again, and trOtted up and down the
,oom with his flags in his hand.
At last he decided to stick one in
/ cracked vase on the manteIshelf an
)ther in the bread, and the last he re
erved for the pile of mullins and
Irotters.
Chucking to himself and glancing
at the sleeping child occasionally, go
ing about on tiptOe all the while and
expressing his delight in wonderful
strange and grotesque pantOmime, he
laid a white cloth on the table, set the
kettle boiling, toasted the mullins, set
three candles alight in various parts
of the room, and then set himself
beside the couch to wait for the aWak-
ening of his lord and master. the
young orphan boy.
Presently the child awoke with
flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes and a
happy fOrgetfuIness Of his bereaye-
ment
His large eyes rested on the grim,
rinkled. hOmelv face of the old man
side him, then twinkled merrn.
id the urchin smiled and held out
hands.
Old Sam picked him up and pressed
N to his breast in an ecstasy of
gratitude Nov that's what I call
kind O. We, now You might a woke
humpy and disagreeabIe, and no won
der neither but this here is what l
call behavin' handsome, and I'm much
Obliged to YOU
He chuckled a little nervOusly and I
set the child on the chair.
He was a fine, healthy little fellow,
with chubby round face and a little
rosebud mouth.
Old Sam thought he never saw such
Jeauty, no, not even In the picture |
shops, and he stood before the child !
funny faces for him for full
i've minutes, until the little one per
Orce laughed outright.
Then the old man joined In, and the |
spirit Of Christmas echoed ii unheard |
.omeWhere about their heads.
An now what is it going to be to
tart on my hangel? Is it mullins OF
rotters? I'm sorry it amt no better,
lothing in the seed cake and rasp-
cry tart line. But you see,' and |
lis voice shook a little. you was so
there, never mind
hat You're happy, amt you? Are
,ou better?"
The child laughed as if he under
TODD every word but Clambered off the
hair and chung to the old MANS knee.
Law, if he don't want TO eat Ii.
ca on my knee" exclaimed Sam. in
delightful whisper. q never heard tell
# such an intelligent little chap"
He lifted him up and with unprac-
iced fingers manipulated a trotter,
made it up with a muffin, and present
d a small portion of it on fork.
hSAC 6 lily tlActJ. 4lltRLNS NOuA oCAl q
ome. l amt put no mustard because
don't know if you likes it, an mus
ard is rather a nasty, deceivin' thing
you amt up to it. What, you like
he trotter do you? That's hearty,
90. All. this is what I call enjoyment
lave a cup Of tea?'
But the boy would not drink out of
cup of his own and preferred to sip
low and then from Sans; he also
declared in favor Of mullins without
he addition Of trotters, and, having
made a good tea for one of his ten
Ter years, raised his intelligent eyes
md proceeded to take a mental IN
-entOry Of the room.
Sam watched the direction Of his
yes anXiOuSlv
... .r ..-... In. r7c--s
.nXiously.
But no. the little fellow was deter
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