Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-05-21
DING a BABY.

Ny name is Anthony Hunt. am dro-.
er, aud live miles and miles away upon
the western prairie. There wasn't u house
within sign: when we moved there, my wife
and /, and now We haven't many neighbors,
though these we have are good ones.
One day, about ten years ago, ! went
away from home 10 sell some fifty head 1!
caite-fine creatures as ever l saw. was
TO buy some groceries aHd dry goods before
came back, and above all, doll for our
youngest Dolly. She had never had store
doll If 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 10
"hny big one" Nobody but a parent
could understand how rnll my mind was Of
that toy, and how, when the cattle we're sold.
The first thing | hurried OF to buy Doll 8
doll. | found large one, with eyes that
would open and shut when you pulled q
wire, and had it wrapped in paper ard tucked
it under my arm while had the parcels oil
calico and delaine and tea aud sugar put up.
| Then, late as 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 DolIy's rraitle
about her toy.
! ! was mounted on steady going old
horse Of mine, and pretty we'll loaded.
Night set in before was q mile away from
Town, and settled down dark as pitch while
! was in the middle Of the widest bit OF
| road ! knew OF. ] could have felt nv way
though, remembered it so well, and il was
| almost that when the storm thai had been
brewing broke, ard pelted the rain in tor
fva yoflaa -, -.
home yet, too.
l rode as fast as could, bat all of sud-
dea heard a little cry Ike child's voice
| stopped short and listened heard it
again. | called and il answered ne. i
couldn't see thing; all was dark as pitch.
! got down and felt about the grass-called
again, and again was answered. Then
began to wonder. I'm not timid, but |
was known 10 be drover and 10 have mon
ey about me. /, might be trap to catch
me unawares and rob and murder me.
I'm rot superstitious-not very. But
bow could real child be out ON the pari. |
rie in such night, and at such an hour. |
1t might be more then human.
The bit of a coward that hides itself in |
most men showed itself to ne then, and |
was half inclined to run away; bss ouce
mere heard that cry, and said /:
= L any mans child is hereabouts. An.
thony Hunt is not the man to let Il de-"
searched again. At last be,hourht
me of q hollow under the hill and groo.
ing that way, sure enough, / found lit.
tie dripping thing that moaned and sobbed |
as | took it In my arms. / called my |
horse, and the beast came to me, and / |
mounted, aud tucked the little soaked |
thing under my coat as well as | could, |
promising to to take it home to NANNY. 1t |
seemed tired to death, and pretty soon
cried itself to sleep against my bosom.
1t had SLEPT there over an hour when
saw ny own windows. There were lights
in themi and supposed my wife had lit
them for my sake, but when got into the
door yard saw something was the matter,
and stood still with dead fear at heart, five
minutes before could lit the latch. AT
last did II, and saw my room full Of neigh.
bors. and my wife amidst them weeping.
When she saw me she hid her face.
"Oh, dou', tell him. she said, it will kill
him.
What is it, ncigbors7'' .e,ied.
| And one said, Nothing now, hope
what's that in your arms ~
"A poor, lost chld," said /. al found
it on the road. Take it, will you. I've
turned faint" and lifted up the sleeping
thing and saw the face Of my own child, nv
little Dolly.
1t was my darling, and none, other; that
| had picked up on the drencbed road.
| Nv little child b I'd wandered out to meet
daddy and the doll, while her mother
was at work, and whom they were lamenting
I as one dead | thanked heaven IN NV krcee
before them ell. /, is not much of a story.
neighbors, but think Of il often in the
nights, and wonder how l could bear to live
now II ! lad not stopped when heard the
cry for help upon the toad; the little baby
cry, hardly loncer than squirrels chirp.-
Selected.