The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-05-13
A DROVER,s STORY.

My name is Anthony Hunt. am
drover, and live miles and miles away
upon the Western Prairie. There was
not IA home within sight when we NOV
cd here, my wife and l, aud 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-tine creatures as ever | saw. |
was to buy some TroafF2r5 oafF 251vc 5aS1 'r so?1s e
~. our youngest Dolly; she had never
had Il 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
he to "buy Il big one.' No one but a
parent can understand how full my
mind WAS of that toy, and how, when
the cattle were sold, the first thing, l
hurried of to buy Dolly's doll. found
large one, with eyes that would open
and shut when you pulled wire, and
had it wrapped up in paper and tucked
GELS of calico aud delaine and tea and
sugar put up. Then late rs it was,
started for home. 1t might have been
more prudent to stay until morning, but
| felt anxious to get back, and eager to
hear Dolly's prattlc about her toy.
l was mounted on steady going old
horse Of mine, and pretty we'll loaded.
Night set in before | was Il mile from
town, and settled down dark as pitch
while was in the middle of the widest
bit of road | know Of. | could have felt
my way though remembered it so
we'll, and it was almost that when the
storm that had been brewing broke, and
pelted the rain in torrents, five miles or,
may be, six, from home yet, too.
rode on as fast as ! could, but all of II
sudden heard IA little cry like a child :
voice. | stopped short and listcncd-l
heard it agad called and it answered
me- / couldn't see a thing, all was dark
AS pitch. | got down and felt about in
| the grass-called again, and again was
| answered. Then | began to WONDER
| Pm not timid but | WAS known to bc a
drover and to have money about me. 1t
might he a trap to catch me unaWares
and rob and murder me.
| am not superstitlous-not very, but
how could real child be out on the pral-
rie in such night, at such an hour. 1t
might be more than human.
The bit Of a coward that hides itself III
most men showed itself to me then, and
| was half inclined to run away, but
once more heard that cry, and said |:
| any man = tiliiu - al
thony Hunt is not the man to let 1t dle.
searched again At last bethough'
me of hollow under the hill, and crop
ing that way, sure enough, found !;
little dripping thing that moancd ane
sobbcd a. took it in my arms. | calle'
my horse, and the beast came TO me,
and | mounted, and tucked the little
soaked thing under my coat as wei as
could promising to take it home 't
. NANNY. 1t seemed tired to death, ant
pretty soon cried itself to sleep Oh my
bosom
1t had slept there over an hour when
saw my own windows. There Wer'
lights in them, and | supposed my wifi
| had lit them for my sake, but when
90, into the door yard l saw something
, was the matter, and stood sti!l With
dead fear of heart, five minutes before
saw the room full of neighbOrs, and IA
{ wife amidst them weeping.
!, When she saw me she hid her face
e ooh don't tell him. she said, lit vi
kill him.
) "What is it neighhors," I cried.
| And one said, "Nothing now ! hope
:, what's that in your arms."'
t "A poor, lost child.n said |. al foun
il on the road. Take it, will you, y
/, turned faint" and l lifted the sleepin
J. thing and saw the face of my own chile
my little Dolly.
O it was my darling, and none othe
= that l had picked up on the drenche
y road.
4 Nv little child had wandered out
d meet daddy" and the doll, while h
mother was at work, and whom the
II were lamenting as one dead. thank.
J. Heaven on my knees before them al
s. 1t is not much of Il story, neishbors, b
but think Of it often in the night, al
!, wonder how could bear to live now
|. I had not stopped when heard the c