The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-05-01

der niy arm, while l had tho parcels of
calico and delaitB and tea and sugar
put up. Then, late as it was, I started
for home. 1t might hate been mbte
prudent to stay until morning; but l
felt anxious to get back, and eager to
hear Dolly's prattlc about her doll.
1 was mounted on steady. going old
horse of mine, and pretty well loaded.
Night set in before 1 Was mile from
town, and settled down dark as pitch
while 1 was in the middle of the widest
bit of road l know Of. could have
felt my way though, 1 remembered it SO
well, and it was almost like feeling it
when the storm that had been brewing
broke, and the rain pclted in torrents;
five miles, or may be six, from home yet,
too.
/ rode Oh as fast as I cuuld, but all of
sudden | heard little cry like child S
voice! l stopped short aud listened-I
heard it again. l called, and it answered
me. l couldn't see thing; all was dark
as pitch. I got down ard felt about in
the grass-called again, and again was
answered. Then began to wonder. I'm
not timid, but was known to be n dro-
YER aud to hate money about me. It
might be G trap to catch me unawares
and rob and murder me.
am not superstitious--uo very but
how could real child be out in the
prairie in such night, at such an hour?
1t might be more than human.
The bit of coward that hides itself
in most men showed iteelf to ME then,
aud was half inclined to run away.
but once more heard s.hat cry, and
said L:
eff any mans child is hercabouts,
Anthony Hunt is not the man to lie, it
de-"
searched again. AT last 1 bethousht
me of hollow under the hill, and groped
that way. Sure enough, found little
dripping thing that moaued and subbed
as l took it in my arms l called my
horse, and the beast ca'ne to me, and
mounted, anu tucked ie-a lit4lA -oak cJ
thing Under my coat as we'll as could
promising to take it home to NANNY
1t seemed tired TO death, and pretty
soon cried itself to slscp against my
bosom
1t had slept there oscr an hour when
[ saw my own windows. There were
lights in them, and | supposed my wife
had lit th,m for my sake but when
| got into the door-yard saw some
thing was the matter, and stood still
with dead fear Of heart five minutes
before [ could lift the latch. At las;
| did it, and saw the room fn,! Of neigh
bors, ant my wife amidst them weeping
When she saw me she hid her face
"Oh, don't tell him." she said; sit will
kill him"
"What is it. ncighbors 2" | cried.
And one said. Nothing now, hope
What's that in your arms ?"
"a poor, lost child" said ]. 81
found it on the road Take it, will you
I've turned faint" aud lifted the sleep
ing thing and saw the face of nv own
child, my little Polly.
1t was my darling, and nohG other
that had picked up upon the drcnchet
road
Ny little cl:ild had wandered out tc
meet daddy" and the doll, while hel
mother was at work cnd whom the,
were lamcntinS rs one ,lg:l thanked
Heaven on my knees before them all. Ii
is not much Of story, ncighbors, but
think Of it often in the nights, aud won
der how | could bear to live now if
had not stopped when heard the cry
for help upon the ,oad-thc little baby
cry, hardly louder than squirrels chrp
That's Dolly yondcr with her mother ir
the meadow, girl worth suyins-l
think (but then I'm her father, and par
tial, maybc) the prctticst and sweetest
thing this side Of the mississippi
A RECEIPT WORTH ONE THousANl
DoLLARs.--The Ohio Culti0ator says