The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-01-03
8 Beautiful STORY.
THE CADETS BABY.
(GnchLdedN

ChlldY'
told the story. He shook his head
but said nothing.
sent for a chambermaid to come to
my room. l begged of her to take the
child and care for il during the night
Al first, she would hear to nothing. I
put my hand in my pocket I gave her
ridiculously large bribe, but was
young and green She took the child.
"But shure, an yo'rc nov the young
| gintleman that nd be afthor leaving yer
baby2 Holy Virginl Ne character I'D
be ruined intiroly, intirely!"
I assured her of the roctitude Of my
! intentions, and sent her off, but she was
at my door in the morning before I had
left my bed, and nothing would induce
her to keep her charge another instant
took the stage for my country home.
The driver recognized the lad he had
driven so often over the same road.
"How you're grown, to be sure, Mr.
Edward Your folks won't know you,
I'm thinking, specially with that baby
in your arms. Seems to me you're
getting to be family man a leetle too
early"
I laughed, and took my scat. But
as VIC began to near my home I grew
terribly nervous and cowardly. The
house stood back some distance from
the road, and as I walked up from the
gate saw the whole family gathered on
the piazza to welcome me. I think I
should rather have walked up to the
cannons mouth Ny sister started
down the steps to meet me, then stop
ped. 1 stepped ON the piazza. My
mother, pale as death, sunk into her
chair My pretty cousin, Ella, dorted
an annihilating glance at me, and ran
to support my mother. My father ad.
vanced.
"What do you dare to bring here
you shameless young rascal? Is this a
He broke down, so angry that utter
ance was impossible. At0ny other time
| should have shouted with laughter al
the ludicrous spectacle he presented
now / only hastCned to tell my story
Tn a few moments my mothers arms
were round me, my sister and cousin
were conteshng for possession of my
baby, and my father recovered from his
rage sufficiently to welcome his only
son, though I did hear him erowl
through his white beard "confoundcd
spoouey"
I advertised far and wide, to no pur.
pose But my baby grew so into tho
affections of all the household, that
ad no other steps TO take. We
named her Perdita, and left her with
my mother. When I returned, year
after year, I found her each time grown
heavier and prettier, and she each time
manifested an affection for me, charm
ingly lcgitimate-for was she not "my
baby? AS such cherished her
She was six years old when I lof
West Point for active service. After
that I led a wandering and adventurous
life for years "by food and field "My
baby" wrote me, at first often. Her frs
letters were curious specimens, half
written, halfprinted, and sometimes
her meaning eked out with rude draw
ings. In those days she was charming
ly personal 81 do so and sol thinb
so and sol love so and So" Blu
. years changed her caligraphy, and, alas
the feeling of her letters. Now, in her
charming girlsh characters stood
"Your mother does so and so, or
your sister thinks and loves" &c. Ny
mother wrote:
, awe can't call Pordita your baby
? any longer. She does not permit tn,
title, and you, were you to see her
could scarce imagine that our fair young
queen was ever a baby. 1 am too ole
e to be enthusiastic, but our darling i
e surely the loveliest vision these eye
= ever rested on. She makes hearts ache
e but as yet their pain is vain. We trie,
to be so cautious, but she has somehow
e learned about her beauty, and it is bit
d ter knowledge to tho proud little heart
J, It may be that that makes her mel
r only to u.s., viii you never come hom
y to see us and her2'
e 1t was in the spring of the year 1856
70 1 was on my way to America. An ell
derly gentleman, who had evidentl,
10 been a soldier, occupied the state-rOou
It next to me. A similarity of taste an,
d feeling brought us much together dur
!, ing the voyage. lie had been abson
from the country many years.
o "When I left it, said he to me, Z"
C meant never to revisit the shores tina
had been accursed to me- I lost ther
my wife and child under the crueles
- circumstances, and l could not remain
d I thought then I could not again Sc
e the spot that had been so fatal to me-
And yet return now, impelled by som
feeling which lean neither account 70
nor resist. l dream that 1 am going t
Z see my child; sometimes, even in wakin
moments, | am fully convinced that
! shall find her"
. "How2" interrupted in spite of my
! self, Is not your child dead?"
3 "Alasl do not know"
" "You do not knowl Did she did no
"a die before you left Amorica?"
II "No, Three months ago I shoul
% have said 1 wished she had, rather tha
% live lost TO me, exposed to fates 1 shud
. der to think Of Now am hopeful. -
Al More-trustful IL seems to me sh
K has been kept pure, and that sha
know her. And yet" aud he sigho