The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-01-23
the way with his foot. Good gracious it
moved, it wriggled. It was alive

'hp'S'j ~ W. i5rASA' AZ "'fD
ooh, thunder p' said the astonished doc
tor; "here's pretty to do A stray baby
left at my door! There, it's come at last
I've been dreading it, knewit would; I've
been expecting it ever since went to
housekeeping. And now what's to be doneP
What comes next, wonder Turn out in
all this tempest and hunt up a wet-nurse,
for the interesting stranger suppose.
I'll be hanged if l do. Lord I'm wet
enough to fill the office myself if that was
all Il should say it would be hard to find a
dry one to-night). And then? Well, then,
come coral and bells, silver mug, and knife,
fork, and spoon IN prospective, suppose;
agreeable prospect for snug, single gentle
man not yet forty-five certainly But first
let lis see who and what it is-he or she,
black or white. Come now, my young
friend, own up, what are you % And as
he spoke the doctor stopped down and laid
his hand lightly upon the bundle. Only a
mass of long, loose, wet hair methis touch.
"Bess my soul BY all that's good, only
a dog, after all ~ said the doctor, laughing
but slightly recoiling, for he did not very
much fancy the canine race And as he
spoke, the doctor cautiously polSed the in
tiuder slightly with the point of his
umbrella.
But instead of the bark or growl, came
the unexpected response, You get out /!
What you bout? Let fellow alone, can't
you?" 90. I..a| 9H4 g" .t
The doctor nearly jumped backward
down the steps in his astonishment. Then,
dextrously grasping the unknown with a
firm grip in one hand, he flung open the
door with the other, and springing into the
entry, closed the door, and dropped his
burden upon the entry mat, under the full
blaze of the hall gas. .rt
A confused mass of wet rags, of no par
ticular shape or color and involved in them
in some strange, inexplicable way, rather
than clothed by them, a child-a boy of
possibly eight years Of age-but such a
very mite, so small, so emaciate, so pinch
ed and starved and thin and shrunken, he
might have well passed for five or six at
the most.
AS DIR. Grafton set him down right side
up on the mat, the bright gaslight seemed
to awaken him at once, and thoroughly
And tossing back his wet hair, and lifting
his eyebrows with strange, comic action,
he darted a quick glance at his captor from
pair of bright dark eyes, that seemed
preternaturally large and sharp in his little
peaked face-a glance of mingled intelli.
, gence and bravado and placing his hand
upon his hips, stood watchfull, still and
silent.
"Well p said the doctor, waiting fol
him to speak. H tf.
"And well, sir ~ retorted the unknown
, with o perfect sang-froid. , .,a..a lu
, "What were you doing on my doorstep
sirP" said the doctor. "What business
: had you to be there, and what the devil ART
r youP" he said, hastily. The boy saw hi
, advantage, and improved it.
, 81 wouldn't swear governor" he said
, with comic air Of grave rebuke. 81
wouldn't swear if l was you; it is not gen
$ tlemanly." .E.U..
: "Iagree with you fully" said DR.. Graf
ton; it is not. But tell me if you please
1 what are youP" said the doctor.
Q "And, pray, don't know, sir"
: "You don't? Well, that's singular, any
, how. suppose you've got a name, hav
) you notP"
: "You have not told me what yours i
Y yet; and it would be good manners to le
a you speak first"
4 "oh /! is that it? Very well, then; min
is Percy Grafton-Dr. Grafton. Did yo,
Z ever hear it before ?"
S "No," said the boy, renectively; :"
y don't know that ever did,"
: "And now yoursP''
y "Oh mine has not got any such mic
handle to it as yours has it's FrancoP'
d "FrankieP" said the doctor" Franki
!, what?'
h "No, sir not Frankie--Frauco, sal
/ the boy, gravely.
= "AL, we'll, much the same Franc
/ whatP"
a Again the child hesitated, and then said
timidly. !" Franco Sturdevant."
: By this time the doctor had thrown of hi
o great coat, many wraps, and overshoes
n and, opening the door Of the sitting-roon
|, motioned the child to enter
u For a little while there was silence, d.
10 Grafton stood leaning his elbow upon tn
II mantle piece, and Watching the child
% with his unnaturally bright eyes fixed, a