Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-07-01
"Snowball"
-
By WILLIAM FALL
d. 1921. western Newspaper Union


iel."
The scene was in the neat parlor of
the village home of Miss Lydia Park
er, spinster. Her caller-and sutton
was Daniel Bracket, ten years a Wild
over. r
II have waited long time to ask
you the question nearest to my heart"
he went on. Il ana disappointed,
Lydia-and trifle hurt"
Daniel" said Miss Lydia, I'VE can
be straightforward with each other.
was the school girl friend Of your
dear wife. l am the friend of her
lonely, wandering boy. You have asked
me IL would marry you. l will not
answer that question till you have TAX
en- Wilfrid back where he belongs
to your home and your love-"
Daniel Bracket took up his hat and
left the house. He was not only trou-
bled, but sad. Wllfrid, his boy, had
been a wild, reckless lad. One night
the son was a member of a Halloween
party which wound up in an accidental
blaze. A farmers barn was burned
down. Mr.. Bracket paid fifty dollars
to prevent trouble for Wilfrid, and
banished him from the house.
"When you have earned that fifty
dollars and repaid it," said the father
sternly, "yoI may come back to your
home. Not before"
That was six months since. From
that day until this no word had come
from the homeless lad. Forty miles
away from Brandon, however, at the
very hour when that important inter.
view was in progress, young Wilfrid
Bracket, brisk, happy-faced and
bright as a dollar, was making his
way down stretch of railroad, whis-
Ting merrily.
Wilfrid had made good"
Wilfrid stepped aside to allow a
slow moving freight train to pass him.
Then he gave great start as its last
cars swung around the long curve. He
stared in sheer wOnderment at the
figure of little girl not more than ten
years of age, clinging to the top of the
iron ladder on one side of the car and
huddled up against It's rounds.
1.-The mischief !" uttered the astound-
ed boy. "She must be scared TO death,
or the pluckiest girl ever saw"
"See here, little girl" gasped Will
frid, "what are you ever doing hereT
ctnn1n
Spouse.
"Who's Snowball7"
"She's our own dear COW. They're
taking her away from grandma, who
is sick In bed.
"And where is Snowflake" ques-
toned the bewildered lad.
"She's IN this car. I saw the man
drive her in here from the cattle PEN"
Just here the train took siding
and halted. Wilfrid made the child
climb down to the ground and rest her
tired arms, by telling her that he
would "see about things"
A brakeman and another man came
strolling from the caboose. They
sldItu StIuHBSlS u GiC Puhs 'hAA IA
began to explain. The man with the
brakeman smiled before the narrative
was concluded.
"Poor little thingw he said. I'm
sorry for her, but she don't under
stand how affairs stand. Pm con-
stable from the county seat. Mrs.
CRANKY owed some money. and there's
an execution out. I didn't want to dis.
turb her by levying on her household
goods, so l took the cow"
"And this brave little child followed
poor SNOWFALL" said Wilfrid. "Oficer
is the amount very muchT
"Forty dollars and COSTS" was the
reply, with sympathetic look at the
child. I'D pay 1t out of my own
pocket If I wasn't poor man."
IF I can pay it, will you release
the cow" asked Wifrid,
Eyes, and throw off my fees, gladly"
replied the Ulcer.
The ofil, or wiped away a suspicious
moisture from his eye as the little
girl threw her arms around the neck
of the snowy white animal, cried over
her recovered pet, and then laughed
for joy.
An enterpriSing reporter eagerly
gathered up the material for good
story, and when Wilfrid left the happy
child and her pet at their home, the
wires were clicking an incident Of
rare human interest all over the coun-
try. The afternoon papers had it, in
Guiding the Brandon Evening Teie-
gram.
II told you WilfrId was worth while.
! knew he had the making of a grand
man in him-and what do you say
now, Daniel Brnckett?" demanded
Miss Cynthia at the Bracket home at
eight O'Clock that evening. She point
ed to the newspaper she had brought
with her on her impetuous, uncere-
moniOus visit.
Eyes" answered Mr.. Bracket hum
bly,, "Wllfrid is a splendid boy"
"You start right out finding him,
Daniel Bracket" ordered the spin
ster sharply, "or I'll never speak to
you again."
"No need, fatherl Miss Parker"
cried a CHEEKY voice, and the boy in
question burst into the room.
There's that fifty dollars, father"
said Wilfrid in a business like way.
placing a roll OF bills on the table.
Mr.. Bracket pushed II back sheep
ishlv Mise Ivdia'a aves twinklpd