The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-01-02

and asked me to tell how I happened
to be there.
II just thought l would come" I said
as I twisted a button on my coat,
and would say no more to her.
"Mr. Wright. you're going to take
him home, are your Mrs. Dunkel-
berg asked.
Eyes. I'll start of with him in an
hour or so," said my friend. II am
Interested in this boy and I want t.
see his aunt and uncle"
"Well, Sally, you go down TO the Of.
fee and stay with Bart until they co.
you'd like that, wouldn't your the
man asked Of me
81 don't know" I said.
THAT means yes" said the man.
Sally and another little girl came
with us and passing a store I held
back to look at many beautiful things
In a big window.
"Is there anything you'd like there,
Bart?" the man asked.
~ wisht I had a pair O. them shiny
shoes with buttons on" / answered
in a low, confidential tone, afraid to
express, openly, a wish so extrava-
CANT.
"Come right in," he said. and I re-
member that when we entered the
store I could hear my heart beating.
He bought a pair Of shoes for ne
and I would have them on at once.
and made 1t necessary for him to
buy q pair of socks also. After the
shoes were buttoned on my feet I saw
little of Sally Dunkelberg or the other
people Of the village. my eyes being
on my feet most of the time.
The man took us into his Office and
told US to sit down until he could
write a letter.
Soon a horse and buggy came for
us and 1 briefly answered Sally's good
bye before the man drove away with
me. 1 remember telling him as We
went on we the rough road, between
fields Of ripened grain, of my water
melon and my dog and my little pet
hen.
l shall not try to describe that home
coming. We found Aunt Deel in the
road five miles from home. She had
been calling and travelling from house
to house most of the night, and l
have never forgotten her JOY at seeing
me and her tender greeting. She got
into the buggy and rode home with
US, holding me in her rap. Uncle Pea
I,1- a,,1 Apa nf IN tpninhhnJ,C hnd
been out in the woods all night with
pine torches. l recall how, although
excited by my return, he took off
his hat at the sight of my new friend
and said:
"Mr. Wright, 1 never wished that
l lived in IA palace until now"
He didn't notice me until 1 held up
both feet and called: "Look a there,
Uncle Peabody"
Then he came and took me out Of
the buggy and / saw the tears in his
eyes when he kissed me.
The man told of finding me on his
little veranda, and I told of my ride
with Dug Draper, after which Uncle
Peabody said:
I'm goin' to put in your boss and
feed him, Comptroller"
"And I'm goin' to cook the best
dinner / ever cooked in my life," said
Aunt Deei.
When the great man had gone Uncle
Peabody took me in his lap and said
very gently and with a serious look:
""You didn't think I meant 1t, did
ye7-that you would have to go way
from hereY
II don't know" was my answer.
"'Course l didn't mean that. l just
wanted We to see that 1t want going
to do for you to keep or tippin' things
over so"
That evening as I was about to go
upstairs to bed, Aunt Deel said to
my uncle:
do you remember what OIL Kate
wrote down about him? This Is his
first peril an he has met his first
great man an l a see that Sile
Wright Is kind O. fond o. him."
1 went to sleep that night thinking
Of the strange, old, ragged, silent
woman.
(To BE CONTINUED