Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-08-12

med old creature, a good deG
sitter in the joints than she wa
hfty years ago"
" DangerP repeated Patience
catching at the word, "What pos
sible danger can there be?" Blu
with an unpleasant vision Of drunk
en- sragglers and crazy men, sh
went back and took up the tongs
Accordingly, with Grandma limp
ing on behind, and the tongs lit
tie in the folds Of her dress, Pa
tience opened the square room doc
that gave a discreet compan,
squeak, and then proceeded to un
lock the outside portal. The un
heard of disturbance to which i
was subjected brought some harsh
fasping greahs, but after a numbe
Of stout pulls, it flew opener
nothing
Patience started back with a hal
scream.
Granther Grievous :" crie(
Grandma, catching hold of heI
daughters shoulders, whats the
matterY"
Their frightened faces peered out
into the mysterious emptiness
There were some spectral tree
branches, and a glimpse of the so.
Der night sky seen through them.
Patience was about to shut the
door in a hurry and double lock it,
when a small bundle, near a pile Of
unmelted snow that filled the shad
lest angle of the little porch, at
tracted her notice.
81 see something" whispered
Patience, with white lips, Lying
near the steps"
"A man, did you say ?" returned
Grandma.
mo, it amt large enough fol
that"
Poke it and see if it stirs.''
The suggestion was a good one
Patience poked the bundle with the
end of the tongs, standing a good
bit of, and not little scared. The
touch seemed to inspire her with
courage, for she stopped down, be-
.ore Grandma hardly knew she was
about, and took the bundle in her
arms. Something inside began to
kick and wriggle quite briskly.
"Bless meh' exclaimed Patience,
"this feels like nest Of squirming
kittens, But I'm bound now to see
what it is"
Even before she finished speak
ing, smothered cry from an in
fant's voice told the story.
Land aliver cried Grandma,
raising her hands into the air, "If
somebody amt dropped baby on
our doorstep !"
Patience, meanwhile, in a state
of intense excitement, ran with her
burden into the warm sitting room
and, as fast as ten nervous fingers
would allow, undid the wraps, as
sisted by the little prisoners hands
and feet, who evidently had an ar
dent desire to "scratch out"
+" What are we a-coming to I?
What are we a, coming to 7" Grand
ma kept saying, as she waved the
amp wildly about, quite uncon-
scious that the chimney was smok-
ng terribly.
Il guess we are coming to a
oaby," returned Patience.
And sure enough, after moment
If fumbling, out popped the pref
lest baby face you ever saw. The
arge brown eyes blinked and filed
Up with tears, the rose-b bud lip was
made up to cry, "It's no joke"
hought baby, ito be almost sufo-
,ated and then unceremoniously
lropped on acold door step" But,
eeing those kind faces bent over
Ter, the little girl, with the wisdom
# eight or ten month, sensibly
hanged her mind, and began to
row and laugh. Its clothes were
If the poorest, scantiest kind, tho
lean. "Why," said Patience, feel
ng down into the little white
,osom, under faded calico slip,
here's a motel" 1t ran thus:
"Dear Lady IL know your kind
leart will dispond at once to the
pele make on behalf Nv this or
hin chile. Her name is Permilly.
Ter distraction is good and moth
ng to blush for If you offer q
ssilum to the fatherless, Gaud will
eward you. (Signed) a friend to
umanity."
1t was written on greasy, rum
led piece of paper, in a very {
Gravity hand. Patience scruti- !
ICED it closely, with certain mis- |
wings of the heart, that resolved
1emselyes into "What will Nathan 9
ay ?" AS for Grandma, she was :
lade, her new knitting work had c
ome to town. She patticaked and '
'otted, crooned and talked baby
llk, as if the care of infants had n
cen her steady business through I
fe. There was nothing like it, i
hen the little stranger laughed i
I'd displayed her five "tooses," n
OF course she was fed with twice q
much bread and milk as was 5
bod for her, and in proof of the A
me went to sleep.
" Nathan will be coming along e
city soon," remarked Patience, c
ther anxiously, as she hovered q
ound, stealing a kiss now and
en from grandma's lap. "Had / q
1T better lay her down on my bed n
ID break the news gradually ?" s,
Grandma saw the wisdom of this Il