Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-01-09

pleasure. As the babe saw the sweet
gentle face that bent over it, it sudden
iy stopped crying, and smiling, stretch
ed out its little hands to her.
The heart of tie bereaved mother
now yoarned toward the child, and
taking 1T up in her arms she pressed it
tondly to her bosom. Just then the
husband came back from his fruitless
search.
Il declare it's an imposition ? he ex-
claimed, stamping the snow off his
boots. But [ won't submit to it. I'll
take it over to the town farm the very
first thing in the morning.
Il can't bear the idea of its going
there, John, said his wife. Just soc
what sweet babe it is?'
Il don't see but what it looks like all
other babies,' returned John, grufiy,
doing his best to steel his heart against
the little stranger, in which he only
partly succeeded, for, rough as he was
in his farmers way, he had kindly
nature if one could only reach it.
ANY way the authorities will have
to take care of it, Farmer Williams
continued, 'we can't-we have got more
mouths to fill now than we can find
bread for
Mrs. Williams lip quivcred as her
thoughts reverted to the little grave in
the church-yard. All, to her heart there
was one too few.
Dear john said Mrs. Williams,
pleadlngly, ft seems as though God
had sent this babe to take the place of
our own little Willie, whom he has ia.
ken to himself. Let me keep it. 1t
will not fail to bring blessing upon
us, you may be sure
Farmer Williams countenance re.
laxed somewhat as he looked into those
fearful eyes.
well, well, Mary, he said in soft
ened voice, 'Pll think about it. If we
do, you and the children will have to
go without good many things, for
these are hard times and likely to be
harder. So you had better weigh the
thing we'll before deciding
Mrs. Williams did so, and the result
was that the New Years present be-
came fixture in the Red Stone Farm
house. He grew up merry, winsomc
boy, twining even around the farmers
rugged nature, and taking in the heart
of his adopted mother the place of her
lost darling, and loved and cherished
by her with equal tenderness.
Many sacrifices did Mrs. Williams
make, many toilsome hours did she
spend, in order that her husband might
not feel the expense ofhis maintenance
too heavily. And we'll did his grow
ing intelligence and beauty, and the
ardent affection he evinced for her, re-
pay her for all. There was nothing
about him that would give the slightest
clue to his parentage. Simply bit
of white paper pinned to his frock, on
which were these words, evidently
written by woman, in a graceful but
unsteady hand:
ARTHUR; born Sept. 23. 1 was q
stranger and ye took me in.'
Farmer Williams made some inqui-
ries in the neighborhood, and learned
that lady with an infant, accompan-
led by servant, had been stopping
for week past at the village tavern;
that she was very beautiful, but very
pale and sad, and kept her room most
of the time. But they disappeared
from there almost as suddenly as they
came.
1t is just ten years since Mrs. Will
liams received her New Years gift
Let US take another peep into the Red
Stone Farmhouse. The farmer who
murmured ten years ago that he had
so many mouths to feed, has now only
one child left him-the little faxen
haired girl that is sitting beside his
knee. The rest are sleeping in the
little ahurchyard.
A heavy misfortune has befallen him;
the thirst for riches has brought its
usual curse. Possessed with the man.
ia for speculation, he mortgaged his
farmhouse and all it contained. The
gilded bubble burst, and the dawning
of the New Year found him ruined
and homeless man. This was tho last
night that he and his were to stay in
the old homestead, that had been in
the family for four generations, and
was linked to his heart by so many
tender memories. On the morrow
they knew not whittier to go. 1t is
true, that many of the old neighbors-
kind, good souls had offered him tenn
porary home; but it was hard for the
proud, self-reliant man to accept char
ity from any.
What can we do? Where can we
go TOP he groaned as he thought of
the morrow.
The Lord will provide, john said
bis wife, lifting her patient eyes to his.
He never has forsaken Us. Neither
will he forsake any who trust in him
But the farmer lacked the christian
resignation that made that gentle heart
nnnh q hauan Of naonn and love