The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-12-15
Copyright by E. P. button &. Co

Thought mebbe We he'd, count O.
yer thinkin how the mother d feel.
Mebbe We he'd oncet."
'Yes," Shave answered shortly.
"Then We know how turr'ble master
Mine he'd got so ez he could patty
cake, We understan'. Lord. there
warn't never sight like it-never!
Thought fust twas kinder fool thing
the mother d learned it, but bless yer
/ didn't think so long; twas the pur-
ties sight
Patty cake. patty cake. bakers man -
Shave moved cautiously across the
room and paused at the door to look
back at the old man softly clapping
his palms together. Something in his
glance recalled jerome to sense of
his surroundings. He got up in his
turn and joined his companion.
Yell keep an eye out fer them
deers, won't yer?" he whispered anx-
iously. christmas eve they all kneel
in the woods an look up to he'vin, ye
know Thet's Injin talk roun' here
from way back. Some O. the Oldest
fellers swear their folks seed the thing
done. Can't say 'xactly ez l blieye it
myself. but 'twould be purity sight
an anyways We jes' watch out. WAL.
luck to We, lad; luck to ye."
"Oh, you'll see me again, never fear!
Shave said lightly to cover the others
concern. I'm bad penny. So long!'
He let himself out into the night,
closing the door speedily and with as
little noise as possible, but quick as
he had been a blast of the nipping air
filed the room. Jerome hurIiedly drew
the blankets closer about his little
charge; then he stopped to the fire.
coaxing it into brighter glow.
Fer a bad penny" he mumbled as
he went back to his place, Shave
rings uncommon true. There amt
nary of US ez would ha thought O.
doin' what he's a-doin'-nary Il blessed
one of us. | swan he's dif'runt some
how-kinder apart. but square-square.
Never knOwed nothin' bout Shave
he'd to take him ON his face value, so
to say. He amt a gabber bout him
self, but gen-i-al-gen-i-al-an oncom-
mon quick witted inter the barg'in
We'd awaited till kingdom come afOre
we'd thought bout film them stock
ms eff he hedn't started the game
an twas him eZ herd her calm when
the rest of us was def eZ pOstses
HIM, mebbe"- But praise and con
! lecture alike were silenced as the griz
zled head dropped forward and the ole
| chopper fell into a heavy dOZe.
Shave meanwhile, obliviOus to both
thrust his hands deep into his peck
cts and started off on his lonely er
rand. 1t might prove fruitless, but re
suits were not for him to consider
Els was to do the duty of the mo
ment and by the moment. Nor did i
seem to him that he was doing any
thing to be especially commended. HI
had been driven out into the night b!
his thoughts of the distress in tn,
child's home, and once they had takei
possession of him it was impossible t.
stay warm and comfortable in hi
bunk. He simply had to go. He coul'
not wait. Besides, he tod himself, i
wasn't much. He had been out OF
nights to which this, bitter as it was
was balmy by comparison. He hal
faced gales, terrible as that chill win'
which the old Moslem fable says vii
blow over the earth in the last days
and yet had come safely through
There was no air stirring at this time
The intense silent cold of the mort
wrapped everything close. He wa
| 0uardnd apainSt If how