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


! field mouse in its pocket. Tn
tucking up process was just finished
when came the rumble Of a lumbe
wagon to the door, and Nathan
voice, calling, "Hullo, there!
light % Patience pressed one NOR
kiss on baby's check, and then hur
ried out to wait on Nathan.
1t took him half an hour tc
unload and put ont the horses
When he came into the sitting
room he did not say much at first
1t wasn't his way. Grandma trieC
to be very lively and "chipper" a.
she said; but inside her dear ole
bosom there was a huttering heart
Nathan merely drew up chair tc
the stove, and spread his large
red hands over the heat. He was
a tall man, tanned and freckled, with
straight brown hair, almost the
color of his neck.
| Patience hurried around, setting
out his supper OF smoking potpie
and other toothsome dishes, such
as her skilful hands knew how to
eoncoct. "Any news p" asked
Nathan, hitching up to the table
with the zest of hungry man
Patience looked at Grandma and
G aadma looked back at Patience.
The baby's peaceful breathing could
almost be Leard through the bed
room door.
Nathan" said Patience, laying
her hand on her husbands should
er, we've had a present"
"Spose Uncle Zeke,s sent that
barrel of russets he promised" re-
marked Nathan calmly, with his
mouth very full Of potpie.
mo, something better than that. "
Nathan did not glance up in surprise
or say another word for some time,
1t was not his way. He kept meth
odically Introducing larger and
larger fragments of potpie into his
mouth, and when they began to
diminish in size, simply raised his
head and said "Wall %
"COme here Nathan" His wife S
voice was instinctively choking.
Bring the light" Nathan looked
puzzled now; but he followed Pa
tience into the bedroom. With
tremulous fingers and fast beat
| ing heart, she turned down one
corner of the quilt. There in its
warm nest, the moist hair printing
its rosy cheek, one little fist doub-
led up, the other spread decorouslY
upon its breast, lay that most en-
chanting of all pictures, to loving
woman's eyes-a sleeping baby.
"Isn't it lovely, Nathan 2"
II suppose so, but | amt much
of a judge. Where in the dickens
did it come from ?"
"Now don't look cross, Nathan,
{ Patience put her two hands upon
her husbands shoulders) when ]
tell you it was left at the door
about nine o'clock this very even
ing. Here is o note that came
with its and now yCu are as wise
as l am."
Nathan took the note, and as he
read, his face darkened.
Its q pesky, low-lived, under
hand trick" he broke out at last. /
II won't stand imposition-no, not
by a jugful and this looks plaguey
like it. You ought not to have
touched the child when you found |
out what it was. But you let your
feelings run away with your judg-
ment, l 'spose, as wimmin gener
ally do"
80, Nathan, would you have had
is leaye the little creature out in
,he cold 2"
ats tramp of mother was on
he watch, I'll be bound. Not a
mite Of danger of the child's suf-
iering. You see how it would be, |
+ we were fools enough to keep
he young one, she'd be coming
pack and claiming it one of these
lays, to make us fork over"
There was nothing that touched
Nathan in his tenderest part like
he probability Of being forced to
fork over" :
Patience could not speak, tears {
He'd her eyes, and choking SEN
alton came up into her throat. l
II suppose you are right, Ma c
ham," she faltered at last. but |
have longed and prayed for
ably ever since we lost that little $
ne, you know, before it learned to I
reathe. 1t was a great disappoint- s
lent The coming of this little h
tranger seemed precious and Prov c
lcntial, She's a perfect beauty G
,hen awake; and such a winning, q
God natured darling. But / sup a
ose | must make up my mind to r
end her away" I
"Now don't be in a pucker," &
aid Nathan, rather snappishly, )
The child must stay here tonight, 1
course, and tomorrow well see b
hats best to be done" a
That night the grown folks did B
OF sleep so soundly as common. q
athan would have secretly re- a
iced if the little stranger had set q
> what he called a "yawp," to b
Iake the women sick Of their bar
ain. But the darling slept as g
yeetIy on her improvised bed as &
she had been Graded in roses II
Very early next morning, how c'
-er, she was awake, laughing and IN
owing, with arms beating up and n
1wn, Ike the wings of a bird. Sc
:tUunkv dorv n cried Grandma.