The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-12-13

lke q philosopher, annihiIated the
worst three hours Of the day by a nap
under lhc trees.
When Iu auoEe and continued his
buelrl Il frosty sparkle in the air had
succeeded the drowsy warmth Of the
day. ana ae This portcut of II chilly
nt-ht translated Itself TO the brain of
Sir Fcreerine he heightened his stride
and b|cthougIt linn Of shelter.
4 distant clatter in the rear quickly
developed into the swift beat of horses
hoofs. Turning his head. he saw ap-
p|ruaching a fine team Of stylish grays
drawing a double surrey. A stout
man with a white muStlche occupied
The front seat, giving all his attention
To- the rigid tines in his hands. Behind
him sat IA y acid, niddle-aged lady and
n brilliantlopking 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 ms, while loating in
cities. he had seen warily transferred
between express wagons n bank
doors. The remaining space in the
vehicle was flied with parcels Of vari-
Gus sizes and shapes.
As the surrey swept even with the
side-tracked tramp, the b~right-eyed
girl. seized by some merry, madcap i'm
I pulse. leaned out toward him with a
sweet. dazzling smile and cried, "Mer-
ry Christmns!" in a shriIl, plaintive
treble.
such a thing had not often happened
TO Whistling Dick, and he felt handi
cappod in dcyiSiug the correct re-
Spouse. But. lacking time Cor reflection.
ne let his instinct decide, and snatch
ing off his battered hat he rapidly eX-
tended ii at arms length and drew il
back with a continuous motion and
shouted Il loud, but c~eremonious "Ah
there"
The sudden movement of the Cir
had caused one of the parcels to be
come mnwrapped. and something linn
and black fell from ii into the road
The tramp picked it up and found Il
to be n new black silk stocking, tons
and fine and slender.
'Thcr bloomin' little skeeZicks =
said Whistling Dick, With a broad grill
bisecting his freckled face. "N'ot d
> yer think of dat, now? Merry Christ
mus. Sounded like Il cuckoo clock
dat's what she did. Dem guys is swellS
too. bet yer life, an der oil un stack
T. 3 dam, NnHlys nf Inpuh dawn nn1nr hi
%trOtterS like dey was common as driet
apples. Been shoppin' fer Christmas
and de kids lost one of her new sock.
> w'ot she was goin' 10 hold up SAINT.
Wild
Whistling Dick folded the stockin;
t carefully and stuffed it into his pocket
: 1t was nearly two hours later whel
: he anne upon signs Of habitation. Tn
; buildings of an extensive plantation
= came into view.
: The road was inclosed on each sid
!, by a fence. and presently as Whistlin
Dick drew nearer the houses he SUE
denly stopped and shifted the air.
IF dere amt n hobo stew cookir
somewhere in dis immediate precinct,
he said to himself, me nose has qui
VI tellin' de trut."
Without hesitation he climbed tn
fence To windward. He found himSel
" in an apparently diSused lot, wher
u piles of old bricks were stacked an
IL rejected. decaying lumber. IN Il corne
'e he saw the faint glow of n fire tina
had become little more than a bed q
l. living Goals, and he thought he coul
I see some dim human forms sitting q
lying about 1t. He drew nearer, an
II by the light of Il little blaze that SUE
IL denly fared up he saw plainly the fl
figure of n ragged man in an old brow
L sweater and cap.
u Dat man." said Whistling Dick [
:" himself softly, lis "A dead ringer f.
~ Boston Harry. I'll try him wit d
high sign"
- He visited one or two bars of a ia,
time melody, and the air was imm,
y diately taken up and then quickly ent
ed with IL peculiar run. The first viii
:, tier walked confidently up TO the fir
The fat man looked up and spake in
. loud. asthmatic wheeZe:
~ Gents, the unexpected but WELDON
!, addition 10 our circle is Mr.. Whistlir
Dick, an old friend of mine for who
fully vouches. The waiter will Ii
- another cover ut once. Mr.. w. ID. wi
join US AT supper, during which fun
81. tion he will enlighten us in regard
"a the circumstances that give us Il
al pleasure of his company"
he For the mex ten minutes the gar
is of roadsters.' six in all, paid their unC
az vided attention to- the supper. In {
old fve-gallon kerosene can they h,
cooked a stew IF potatoes, meat M
rv onions, which they partook of fro
ST. smaller cans.
pr. Whistlng Dick had known Bost,
so Harry Of old and knew him to be OF
ed of the shrewdest and most SUGGEST
Of his brotherhood. He looked like
,rs prosperous stock drover or n solid ne
chant from some country village.
ks was. stout and hale, with a ruddy.
~. ways smoothly shaved face. The 70
he other men were fair specimens Of Il