Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1914-12-18

IN the city. ana I sometimes sieeD
there. when ! work late And now I
want TO AK . very special favor OF
you" I continued. taking . little
sealed packet from my pocket: here's
. little box that you're to take to Sis,
with my compliments-the compli-
ments OF the season. you understand
and tell her I sent II, with particu,
lar directions that she shouldn't break
It open till Christmas morninK-not
till Christmas morning, understand
Then you tell her that I would like
very much to come and see her, and
II she says all right-and you must
give me a good 'send-on,' and she'll
say all right II sJamesy' says all right
then come back here. say two hours
from now, or three hours, or tonight
anyway, and wen go down and Q
Sis togsther-what do you sayH"
The boy nodded obviously. Hon.
est-must I do all that, sure enough?i
"Will your" said I; that's what T
want to know" and I pushed bach
the dusky little face and looked into
the bewildered eyes.
"Solid?" he queried, gravely.
Solid" I repeated. handing him.
the box. "Will you conner" .
wy. course 1 will, on'y 1 was list
a-thinkin'-" :
Just thinking what7" said /, as
the little fellow paused abruptly and
shook the box su~spiciously at his
ear. Just thinking what?" I repeat
ed; for I must go now; good-by.-
Just thinking what?"
"Oh, nothinI," said the boy, backing;
on and staring ut me in a phase Of
wonder akin to awe-"Nothin', on'y I
was list a-thinkin' that you was q lit
tie the c~uriousest rooster 1 ever see."
Three hours later, as 1 sat alone,
he came In upon me timidly to say he.
had not been home yet, having run,
acrost the old man list a-bilin', and
had to git him corralled fore he
dropped down som'er's in the snow;
but I'm a-gittin' long bully with him
now" he added with q deep sigh of
relief, "'cause he's SO full he'll hat to,
let go purity soon. Say you'll be
here?"
1 nodded silently, and he was gone.
The merry peals Of laughter rang
up from the streets like mockery. The
tinSling of bells, the clatter and con-
fusion OF he warming thoroughfares,
hung up to me not one glad murmur
OF delight; the faint and far-off blair
Ing Of a dreamy waltz, blown breeze
like over the drowsy ear Of night, had
sounded sweeter to me had l stood
amidst the band, with every below
Ing horn about my ears, and the drums
and clashing cymbals bowling mad.
1 couldn't work, L couldn't read, /
couldn't rest; 1 could only pace about.
l heard the clock strike ten, and
strike 1t hard; I heard 1t strike eleven,
~viciously; and twelve It held out at
arms length, and struck it full be-
tween the eyes, and let 1t drop-stone
dead. o I saw the blood ooze from
Its ears, and saw the white foam
freeze upon its lips! I was alone
alone!
1t was three o'clock before the boy
returned.
Been a long WHILE" he began, but
1 had a fearful time with the old man,
and he went on SO when l did git him
In I was most afeard to leave him.
but he kind o wen to sleep at last,
and Molly she come Over to see how
Sis was a-gittin'; and Sis said she'd
like to see you IL you'd come now, you
know, while they amt no racket goin.
on"
Come, then" said I, ~buttoning my
coat closely at the throat, II am.
ready" and q moment later we had
stepped into the frosty night. We