St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1917-12-22

A
he dined like an admiral, and then,
like philosopher, annihilated the
worst three hours of the day by nap
under the trees.
When he awoke and continued his
hegira a frosty sparkle in the air had
succeeded the drowsy warmth Of the
day, and as this portent of chilly
night translated itself to the brain Of
Sir Peregrine he heightened his stride
and bethougAt him of shelter.
A distant clatter In the rear quickly
developed into the swift beat Of horses
hoofs. Turning his head, he saw ap-
proaching fine team Of stylish grays
drawing double surrey. A stout
nan with white mustache occupied
the front seat, giving all his attention
to the rigid lines in his hands. Behind
him sat placid, middle-aged lady and
a brilliant-looking girl, hardly arrived
at young ladyhood. The lap robe had
slipped partly from the knees Of the
gentleman driving, and Whistling Dick
saw two stout canvas bags between his
feet-bags such as, while loafing in
cities, he had seen warily transferred
between express wagons and bank
doors. The remaining space in the
vehicle was filed with parcels Of vari-
Gus sizes and shapes.
AS the surrey swept even with the
side-tracked tramp, the bright-eyed
girl, seized by some merry, madcap i'm
pulse, leaned out toward him with a
sweet, dazzling smile and cried, "Mer-
ry Christmas!" In a shrill, plaintive
treble.
Such a thing had not often happened
to Whistling Dick, and he felt handi-
capped in devising the correct re-
Spouse. But, lacking time for reflection,
he let his instinct decide, and snatch
ing off his battered hat he rapidly ex-
tended 1t at arms length and drew 1t
back with q continuous motion and
shouted a loud, but ceremonious "Ah,
there!"
had caused one Of the parcels to be-
come unwrapped, and something limp
and black fell from 1t into the road.
The tramp picked it up and found 1t
to be a new black silk stocking, long
and fine and slender.
'"rher bloomin' little skeezicks y
said Whistling Dick, with a broad grin
bisecting his freckled face. "W'ot d.
yer think of dat, now? Merry Christ
mus! Sounded like a cuckoo clock,
dat's what she did. Dem guys is swells,
too, bet yer life. an der oil I'm stacks
dem sacks Of dough down under his
trotters like dey was common as dried
apples. Been shoppin' fer Christmas
and de kids lost one Of her new socks
w'ot she was goin' to hold up SANITY
wid.'
Whistling Dick folded the stocking
carefully and stuffed it into his pocket
It was nearly two hours later when
he came upon signs Of habitation. The
buildings of an extensive plantation
came into view.
The road was inclosed on each side
by a fence, and presently as Whistlina
Dick drew nearer the houses he sud
denly stopped and shifted the air.
IF dere ain't hobo stew co0kin
somewhere in dis immediate precinct.
he said to himself, "me nose has quit
tellin' de trut."
Without hesitation he climbed thu
fence to windward. He found himself
in an apparently disused lot, where
piles of old bricks were stacked and
rejected, decaying lumber. In corner
he saw the faint glow Of fire that
had become little more than a bed OF
living Goals, and he thought he could
see some dim human forms sitting OF
lying about it. He drew nearer. and
by the light of little blaze that sud
denly flared up he saw plainly the fat
figure Of a ragged man in an old brown
sweater and cap.
dat man." said Whistling Dick t.
himself softly, "is dead ringer FOL
Boston Harry. I'll try him wit d
high sign"
He visited one or two bars Of rag
time melody, and the air was imme
diately taken up and then quickly end
ed with a peculiar run. The first whls
tier walked confidently up to the fire
The fat man looked up and spake in
loud, asthmatic wheeze:
Gents. the unexpected but welcome
addition to our circle is Mr.. Whistlin,
Dick, an old friend of mine for whom
l fully vouches. The waiter will Ia!
another cover at once. Mr.. w. D. will
Join us at supper, during which func
ton he will enlighten US in regard t
the circumstances that give US tn
pleasure Of his company
For the next ten minutes the gam
of roadsters, six in all, paid their undi
vided attention to the supper. In al
old five-gallon kerosene can they ha'
cooked stew of potatoes, meat an
onions, which they partook OF fron
smaller cans.
Whisting Dick had known Bosto
Harry Of old and knew him to be on
! Of the ehrewdest and most successful
of his brotherhood. He looked like
prosperous stock drover or solid mel
chant from some country village. II
| was stout and hale, with q rudy, a
ways smoothly shaved face. The fou
other men were fair specimens Of tn
sinking, ill-clad, noisome genus.