The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-07-25

me with knowing sort OF leer, that had mol
my arms been occupied, they would have had
hit straight out from the shoulder. One
motherly looking person whom | approach
ed; hopingly, transfxed me With stony, vir
tuous sort of glare, that made me shake in
my shoes as if had committed the unpar.
donablc offensc. gave up in despair, when
gentleman at the extreme end of the cal
beckoned me forward. II was little family
party, the gentleman, his wife and a colored
girl with them, who held their babe in hci
arms. The gentleman and his wife were both
young, and evidently Southeners.
I'VE have heard about this baby from the
conductor said the gentleman as | came
near MY wife has been fidgetinge yer since
it began to cry. Can we do anything for
your
The lady leaned past him. 'Will you LET
me look at your baby, sir, moment she
asked in, it seemed to me then the sweetest
tones had ever heard. She held out her
arms, | laid the baby into them.
'Such young chid-and so pretty, too
How it cries What's the matter with It'll
Il don't know, madam, unless its hungry !
answered. 1t has had nothing to eat since
that woman got in this morning don't
know what to do with it,
Poor little love 7 exclaimed the lady, what
a shamc--no wonder it cries =
She hesitated, glanced at her own baby in
her servants arms, then at her husband. Then,
blushing like any rose, the sweet mother laid
my baby on her bosom, beneath her shawl,
and hushed its cries as if had been her own
of her own flesh and blood.
Her husband smiled, aud leaning forward
as if to protect her from the gaze of others,
made room for me on the seat with their
nurse explained the affair to him, told
him my name, and found that my family was
not unknown to him. As we talked, | saw
his wife, listening, examining the dress of the
child on her lap, felt of its texture, and final
ly unclasped some CHAINS that held up its
sleeves, little miniature was set in the
clasp of each. She looked at them; and then
said:
Il am convinced sir, that the woman who
abandoned this child to your care is not its
mother. In the first place no mother could
do such a thing; then, this baby's clothing
is of the most exquisite taste and quality, and
in these sleeve CHAINS are two miniatures.-
Sec, one agentle man with epauletes the other
a beautiful woman, evidently a lady. Depend
upon it the child is a stolen one, or came in
to her hands by some unfair means What
can be done 7
Do not be troubled, madam, about the
fate of this child. After the probability or
possibility you have suggested, shall not
leave il in Boston. will take it to my moth
er, and advertise the case. If its parents are
found shall be glad and if not think my
mother will care for the rest. Only added,
9 wish the meeting were safely over
The lady's eyes sparkled through tears.
/ can't tell you,' she said, how what you
have done, and are doing seems to me; but
| think you too nobly to dread anything.
will answer for the mother that has such a
SOM
Softly, softly, if you please expostulated
her husband, don't be quite SO oblivious of
the fact that still exist
She turned to him with look that must
have silenced the veriest grumbler in the
world
We reached Boston, took carriage to-
gethcr and only at the hotel entrance did my
new friend bid me adeu
'God bless your said the beautiful noble
woman. as she gave me back my baby.
should have knelt and kissed the hand of
such princess, but nv arms and were then
20 awkward at baby tending that nothing
slse seemed apostolic accomplishment at one
md the same time. The clerk glanced sus-
1iciously at me and nv burden.
I'VE are full sir Not room to be had
sent for the proprietor, and again nv
name vouched for me- What is it to have
amily in the land
But where in the world, Mr.. Edward he
demanded, did YOU get that childr
told the story, he shook his head but
,aid nothing.
sent for chambermaid, TO come TO NV
Dom. begged of her to take the child and
axe care Of it during the night AT first,
he would hear to nothing. Iput my hand
nto nv pocket. caveher ridiculouslv large
,ribc, but / was young and green. She took
he child.
But shure. an we're not the younr gintle-
nan that nd be afther leaving yer baby Holy
Targinl Ny characther nd be ruined entirely,
ntirely'
I assured her Of the rectitude Of my inten-
ions, and sent her Of. but she was at my
loor in the morning before had left my bed
nd nothing would induce her to keep her
harre another instant.
1 took the stage for my country home
The driver recognized the lad he had driven