The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-05-21
The DroYer's Story.

4uc OiofSI OtOTy.
My name is Anthony Hunt. | am
srover, and | live miles and miles away,
:,ron the western prairie. There wasn't
house within sight when we moved there,
say wife and |, and now we haven't many
scigiIbcrs, though those We have are good
ines.
Ode day, about ten years ago, | went
IEay from home to sell sone fifty head of
.attle--fine creatures as l ever saw. was
. bay some groceries and dry goods be-
iure came back, and above all, Dbl for
ar Youngest Dolly. She had never had
-lnre doll of her own, only the rag babies
ser mother had made her.
& Dolly could talk of nothing else, and
.r.arit down TO he very gate so call after
z!e 10 buy a big one. Nobody but
reat could understand how tull my
lIna was ct that toy, and how, when the
ale sore sold, the first thing | huire.
ena with eyes that would open and shut
y hen you pulled wire, and had it wrap
ped IN paper aud tucked it under my arm
while had the parcels of calico and de-
lane and tea and sugar put up. Then,
,ate as it was, | started for home Ii
nj. h, have been prudent to stay til morn
ing, but felt anxious to get back, and
eager to hear Dolly's prattle about her
10Y.
was mounted on a steady going old
horse of mine, and pretty well loaded
flight set IN before L was a mile away
from Town, and settled down dark as pitch
while was in the middle of the widest
bit OF roal | know Of. could have iet
my way, though, [ remembered it SO well,
and 1t was almost that vixen the orm
that had been brewing broke, and pelted
The rain in torrents five miles or, may be,
Elk, from home yet, too.
rode as fast as could, but III of
sudden ! heard a little cry like a child's
voice / stopped short and lsened-l
beard it again. | called and it answered
me. could Mt see a thing all was dark
ns pitch got down and felt about the
grdss-called again, and again was answer
cd. Then | began to wonder. I'm not
mid, but was known to be drover aud
10 have money about me. 1t might be a
trap to catch NE unawares and rob and
murder me.
I'm not superstitious-n very. But
how could real child be ou. on the prairie
IN such night and at such an hour II
might be more than human.
The bit of coward that hides itself in
most men showed itself to me then, and |
Nas half inclined TO run away, but once
.aorc | heard that cry, aud sand ''Ii
amy mans child is hcreabouts, Anthony
Hunt Is not the man to let it die"
searched again. At last | bothought
fae OF hollow under the hill, and
grouping that way, sure enough | found u
little dripping thing that moahed aud sob
bed as l took 1t III my arms. | called my
horse, and the beast came to me, and |
mounted, and tucked the little soaked
thing under my coat as well as | could
promising to take 1t home to nanny IL
seemed tired TO death, and pretty soon
cited itself to sleep against my bosom.
IL bad slept there over an hour when |
cav my own windows. There were lights
il them, and supposed my wife hal liz
tbcm Tor my sake, but when got into the
Yard | say something was the matter, and
stood still With dead fear in my heart, FIVE
minutes before could lift the latch. AT
al j did it, and saw my room full of
neighbors, and my wife amidst them
weeping.
When she saw me she hid her face.
oh, don't tell hin" she said, lit will
Ill him"
Who is it, neiehbors," / cried.
And one said, Nothing now, | hope
81; s that in your arms p
a poor lost child" said l. II found
IN the road: Take it, will you, I've
S4vaed faint, and lifted up the sleeping
Hing and saw the face of my own child,
ns little DOLLY.
It was my darling child, and none other,
;aat had picked up on the drenched
.lad.
5iy little clild had wandered out to
f@eet "daddy" and the doll, while her
.4yiber was at work, and whom they were
',lenting as one dead. | thanked heaven
~ By knees before them all. 1t is rot
aIeh of story neighbors, but | think of
olrut N the nights, and wonder how |
saad bear 10 live Low if had not stopped
chen heard the cry for help upon the
iifie baby cry, hardly louder than SOUR
~ chip.
Fat Dolly yonder with heI mother ia
W meadow, girl worth saving-I think
'.e' theu, I'm her father, and partial, may
The pretliest aud sweetest thing this
id Of .fe'Mississippi.