Smyrna times., 1869-08-25
.MiSceIIUAe 10 z D. as.
DOLLY.
A WESTERN DRovER's STORY.

My name is Anthony Hunt. am a dro-
yer +; and | live miles and miles away upon the
Western prairie. There WASH a house in sight
when we moved there, my wife and [, and now
we haven't many neighbors, though those we
have are good ones.
One day, about ten years ago, went away
from home to sell some fifty head of cattle
fine creatures as ever saw l was to buy some
dry goods and groceries before / came back
aud. above all, doll for our youngest, Dolly She
had never bad store doll of her own, only the
rag babies her mother mad9 her. Dolly could
talk of nothing else, and went down to the very
gate to call after me to buy a big one" Nobody
but parent can understand how full my mind
was of that toy, and how, when the cattle were
sold, the first thing hurried off to buy Dolly's
doll. l found large one, with eyes that would
open and shut when you pulled wire, and had
it wrapped in paper and tucked 1t under my
arm, while | had the parcels of calico and de-
| laine and tea and sugar put up. Then, late as
it was, started tor home. 1t might have
been more prudent to stay until morning but
felt anxious to get back, and eager to hear
| Dolly's prattle about her doll.
| was mounted on steady going old horse of
| mine, and was pretty well loaded. Night set
in before was mile from town, and settled
down dark as pitch while | was in the middle
of the darkest bit of road know Of l could
| nave l6I0 uly Way IuOuRu, IL 81
| WE'LL and it was almost midnight when the
storm that had been brewing broke, and pelted
the rain in torrents. | was five miles, or may
be six, from home yet, too.
| rode on as fast as l could All of sudden
heard little cry like child voice. l stopped
short and listened-I heard it again. | called
and it answered. l couldn't see thing all
was dark as pitch. | got down and felt about
in the grass called again, and again was an
/ / fn moi
timid but was known to be drover, and to
have money about me. 1t might be trap tC
catch me uDawares, and rob and murder me.
am not superstitious-nOt very; but how
could real child be out on the prairie on such
: night, at such an hour? 1t might be more
than human.
The bit of coward that hides itself in mos
d men showed itself to me then, and | was hal
y inclined to run away but once more L heart
that cry, and said l.
eff any mans child is hereabouts, Anthon.
Hunt is not the man to let it die.
]. searched again. At last bethought me o
q hollow under the hill and groped that way
Z Sure enough, found little dripping thin
3 that moaned and sobbed as [ took it in m.
arms. l called my horse, and the beast cam
to me, and l mounted, and tucked the littl
soaked thing under my coat as we'll as l coulGG
20 promising to take 1T home to nanny.
en- seemed tired to death, and pretty soon erie
Of. itself to sleep against my bosom.
re, 1t had slept there over an hour when saw m
own windows. There were lights in them, an
l supposed my wife had lit them for my sake
but when got into the dooryard l saw som
IRE thing was the matter, and stood still with
dead fear of heart five minutes before / cou
lift the latch. At last did it, and saw IL
nd room full of neighbors, and my wife amid
them, weeping. a..5. " ......
When she saw me she hid her face 90
nu nf, don't tell him. she said 1t will kill him
IN !" What is it, neighbors p l cried
. And one said, Nothing now, hope. What
=" A poor, lost childl" said I. 81 found
. on the road. Take it, will you'll I've turn
faint - and lifted the sleeping thing aud 81
70, the face Of my own child, my own Dolly.
1t was my darling, and none other, that
had picked up upon the drenched road.
. Of NV little child had wandered out to mi
her " daddy and the doll, while her mother v
r. at work, and had picked up her whom ii
= were lametating as one dead. thanked He
} on my knee before them all 1t is not mi
,e of story, neighbors; but think of it often
the nights, and wonder how | could bear
: live now if / had not stopped when heard
cry for help on the road, the little baby
- hardly louder than a squirrels chirp.
That Dolly yender with her mother in
meadow, girl worth saving-I think Il
IN then, I'm her father, and partial, may be
n the prettiest and sweetest thing this side OF
Mississippi, 1.a