Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-12-28

When he awoke and continued his |
heglra n frosty sparkle in the air had
succeeded the drowsy warmth of the |
day, and as this pOrtent OF a chilly |
night translated itself to the brain of
Sir Peregrlne he heightened his stride
and bethought him of shelter.
A distant catter In the rear quickly
developed into the swift beat of horses
hoofs. Turning his head, he saw APP
preaching n fine team Of stylish grays
drawing a double surrey. A stout
man with white mustache occupied
the front seat, giving all his attention
TO the rigid lines in his hands. Behind
him sat placid, mlddle-aged lady and
brlllant-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
vehcle.was filed with parcels OF varl-
Gus sizes and shapes.
AS the surrey swept even with the
side-tracked tramp, the brlght-eyed
| girl, seized by some merry, madcap Inn
| pulse, leaned out toward him with "A
sweet, dazzling smile and cried, "Mer-
ry Christmas In shrlll, plaintive
| treble.
Such thing had not often happened
10 Whistllng Dick, and he felt handl-
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 II at arms length and drew 1t
back with continuous motion and
shouted a loud but ceremonious "Ah,
there!"
The sudden movement of the girl
had caused one of the parcels to be-
come unwrapped, and something limp
and black fell from 1t into the road.
The tramp picked 1t up and found 1t
to be new black silk stocking, long
and fine and slender.
Ether bloomln' little skeezicks y
said Whlstling Dick, with broad grin
bisecting his freckled face. "W'ot d
yer think of dat, now? Merry Christ
mus! Sounded like cuckoo clock,
dat's what she did. Dem guys is swells
too, bet yer life, an der oil un 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
wild"
Whistling Dick folded the stocking
carefully and stuffed 1t into his pocket
1t was nearly two hours later wher
he came upon signs of habltation. The
; buildings of an extensive plantation
! came into view.
The road was inclosed on each sid,
by fence, and presently as Whistlinl
Dick drew nearer the houses he sud
denly stopped and shifted the air.
"If dere amt hobo stew cookin
, somewhere In dis immediate precinct,
he said to himself, ''me nose has qui
tellin' de trut."
Without hesitation he climbed tn
fence to windward. He found himsel
In an apparently disused lot, wher
piles of old bricks were stacked an,
rejected, decayng lumber. In corne
he saw the faint glow of fire tina
had become little more than bed o
: living Goals, and he thought he coul'
see some dim human forms sitting o
lying about IL. He drew nearer, AM
by the light of a little blaze that sud
denly fiared up he saw plainly the fa
figure of ragged man in an old brow
sweater and cap.
"Dat man." said Whlstling Dick I
himself softly, "is dead ringer 70
Boston Harry. Ill try him wit d
= high sign"
lie visited one or two bars OF n raa
, time melody, and the air was immt
dlately taken up and then quickly enc
a with peculiar run. The first wills
! Ter walked confidently up TO the fire
The fat man looked up and spake in
loud. aSthmatic wheeze:
! Gents. the unexpected but WELDON
q addition to our circle Is Mr.. Whistlin
a Dick, an old friend of mine for whoI
q / fully vouches. The waiter will In
|
!. Join MS ut supper, during which fun'
r lion he will enlighten us in regard
n he circumstances that give us III
a pleasure of his company"
g For the next ten minutes the gan
3 # ruads,crs, six in all, paid their und
If H,dod attention TO the supper. In n
IS @.d five gallon Kerosene can they ha
cooked stew of potatoes, meat nm
v onions, which they partook of frol
l. mailer cans
r. Whlstng LICK had known BoSto
20 Harry of old ana knew him to be or
d of The shrewdest and most successfj
N NC his brotherhood. lie looked like
rs prosperous stock droycr or solid me
chant from some country village, II
S vov stout and hale with a ruddy, a
y Jays smoothly shaved face. The fol
le lhcr men We're fair specimens of II
e, Sinking ill-clad, noisome genus.
is After the bottom Of the large ca
he had been scrappd ana pipes lit at n