The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-04-04
Dony-A western Drover's story.

Mynsme IL Anthony Hunt. am a drover. and
live miles and miles away upon the Western
prairie. There vasn't house within sight when
we moved there, my wife and, I, and now we
haven't many neighbors, though those we have
are good ones.
One day, about ten years ago, I went avsy
from home TO sell some fifty head OF csttls-fne
cIes.ufes as ever cav. l was to buy some gro
above allsa dol for our youngest Dolly; she had
never bad store doll OF her own-only the rag
babies her mother had made her.
Dolly could talk OF nothing else and went down
to the very gate to call after me to buy q big
one. Nobody but parent can understand how
full my plind was Of that toy, and how, when the
cattle were sold. the frat thing hurried OF TO
buy Dolly,s doll. found large one, with eyes
shat would open and shut when you pulled . wire,
and had 1t wrapped mp In paper, and tucked ii
under my arm, while had the parcels Of calico
and delsine and tea and sugar rut up. Then, late
as was, started for home. II might have been
anxious to get back. and eager to hear DolIy's
prattle about her dell.
was mounted on steady.going old horse OF
mine, and pretty we'll loaded. Night set In before
was mile from town, and settled down dark as
pitch while was In the middle of the widest bit
of road know OF. l could have felt nv way,
though Remembered II 30 well, and II was almost
that when the storm that had been brewing broke
and psted the rain in torrents, five miles, or may
be, six from home yet, too.
lro1e on as fast as i could, but all Of sudden
heard little cry like child's voice stopped
short and listened-l heard Ii again. called and
II answered me. couldn't see thing all was
dark ns pitch. got down and felt about in the
grsss+-csed again and again was answered.
Then began to wonder. I'm not timid, but
was known to be drover and to have money
about me: II might be q trap to catch me IN.
Rwards and rob and murder me.
am not superstitious-notv 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 itself to me then. and was half
inclined to run away, but once more heard that
"If any mans child is hereabouss, Anthony
Hunt is not the man to let 1t die.r
searched again. At last bethought me Of
hollow under the bill, and CROPPED that way. Sure
enough found little dripping thing, that moaned
and s9bbed ss took 1t 10 my arms. l called my
horse, and the beast came 10 me, and mounted,
and tucked the little soaked thing uader my coat
as wen as ! could, promising to take 1t home to
NANNY. II seemed tired 70 death, aud pretty
soon cried Itself to sleep against my bosom.
Ii had slept there over an hour when saw nv
own windows. There were lights In Them and / \
supposed my wife had Lit them for my sake but
when ] got into the door yard I saw something
was the matter and stood still with dead fear Of
heart five minutes before could lift the latch,
AT last did ii, and Jaw the room full Of neigh
b1rs, and my wife amidst them weeping.
When she saw me abe bid her face. "Oh don't
tell hin, !" she said, at will kill him.
what Is IT, neisbbors," cried.
=, And oae said, Nothing now, hope-what's
that in your srms?u
"a poor, lost child" said I. al found n on the
roed. Take 1t, will you, I've turned faint.n and
lifted the sleeping thing and saw the face of nv
own child, my little Dolly.n
IL was my darling and none other that had |
picked up upon the drenched road.
NY little child had wandered out to meet dad |
nyn and the doll. while her mother was at work. |
and whom they were lsmenting as one dead |
thanked Heaven on my knees before |
them all IL is not much Of q story, neighbors, |
bat think Of 1t often In the nights, and wonder /
how could bear to live now IL had not stopped |
when heard the cry for help upon the road. the 1
little baby, hardly louder than squirrels chirp |
That's Dolly yonder with her mother In the |
meadow girl worth saving-I think (but then. |
I'm her iather and partial naybe)-the prettiest /
md sweetest thing this side Of the Mississippi.