Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-07-09

their talk, or their yawnng. The con.
dnctor offered TWO or three pieces OF
rather Wild but very sympathetic advice.
AMI then he, too, went off; and Annie
still was in possession of hor white Gle.
phsnt
The young lady WIS so helpless. so
pvrpleXcd, and so anxious, that sho had
much ado 10 restrain her tears. But
looking up at Mr.. Morris-who, TO OK.
press his sympathy more cffectually, had
new taken seat beside her-she found
! his lace 80 iull OF honest wonder and OF
hopeles, detection. that she burst out
lauheing instend-rathcr an hysterical
little laugh, though, it must be admitted.
That's right, my doar, that's right
cried Mr. Morris, much confused by this
/ unexpected reception OF tho situation.
"Nothng is 81 bad but that laughter
helps II, only don't laugh So loud as to
wake tho hahy. What would you do
ihon =" hc added with returning appre-
hcnsion.
"Quiet ii, il could" Annie returned,
smiling. ii never saw baby sleep so.
, Hut suppose ii will not sleep ioreyer.n
You will hardly keep il forever.
I You will leave il al Dcntonville. won't
/ Yuup"
Poor little thing" said Annie. almost
Indignantly. "Whele should leave il |?
! 10. indeed, shall take it home, and
( give it to Aunt Rose. All of her own
1 little tulinga arc dead ,lo believe
She woGld be happier lhnn she ha. boen
/ tax many day it brought her such u
present.
God bless my soul What q! take it
home with YOU! Do yon Icaily think she
would Ike it :? cried tho elderly gen.
tlcmnn. quite unabiu 10 realize the dc
hight ui receiving such present rs
strange baby.
Il am sure sho would. Al all events,
| must take it home. for cannot throw
the poor sweet darling down by the road
side; there is nothing else TO DO with it.
Mr.. Morris had the rare good sense TO
perceive The folly oil combating one plan
unless he had better one to suggest
And being absolutely idealess in this
perpleXing conjunction, he aoquiesced
silently.
Meantime this most surprising Of
agreeable babies slept on, and despite
Mrs. Cadwallader's assertion that its nap
was nearly "out" an hour before. And
Annie talked 10 Nr. Morris. and no TO
her, with that sense OF long acquant-
anceship which is likely to result from
companionship in difficulties.
After the long dospatng shrek Of the
whistle. again the gradually lsssening
speed ot the cMs. which this time meant
home to Annie Easing her charge from
her shouincr lille, she glanced from
the window as the train approached,
more and more slowly. the station How
familiar and yet how strange The
clustering small houses oil the village,
the inlinitesimal, nondescript ''store," :"
tue boys trooping home from school, the
very COWS that fingered ruminant in the
principal street, seemed sweet and wei
come 10 her eyes.
The ears stopped at last. and amongst
others these three prepared to leave tho
lrain-their departure caused a good deal
ol not unfrondly laughter and many sur
misses ani much interchange OF opinion
as To "what I should have done" Mr..
Morris took The baby. and Annie Atkinson
walked demurcly behind. 1t must be
confessed that the comment OF one gon'
tIeman-"Quite family party, by Jove"
seemed justified by their appearance,
aud poor Annie blushed deeply as she
heard it, But what could she do?
They made their way into the station
amidst Il number OF lockers on, who had
gathered that there was something unn.
f, sual in the case. And once there, Mr..
Morris gave the baby back to Annie, while
he wen, in search OF the necessary con.
yeyance.
What on earth would have done
l,.Il
he was leaving her. IL shall certainly
make papa come to see you, and thank
you better than can for all your good
ness to me-"
Don't mention it, don't mention it,"
said Mr.. Morris. quite in glow at these
words. II assure you never was hap.
pier in my life / am almost obliged to
that-.that most heartcss and most
disingenuous woman-that Mrs. Cad
walader," said Mr.. Morris, with bitter
emphasis, ''for giving me the power to
assist you"
Left alone in the bare brown room, with
great stove-useless now-fxed in the
centre of it, and four cane sattees ranged
round the four sides and fastened TO the
walls, Annie had leisure 10 contemplate
her position without interruption; tor no
one ntruded upon her solitude except a
very large and dirty white dog and two
or three small and equally dirty children
all the property OF the station master.
Annie began at last to feel anxious be.
cause the baby would not wake; never
in her life had she heard of so sleepy a
baby. She pressed her cheek against
the baby's, and behold she was certain
that she could detect the faint sickly odor