Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-04

The words died on her lips She was quite
past speech. But she seized Mary by the
shoulder, and her eyes were wild and fierce
in their demand
'You said first you'd take him, ma am
and whin went up stairs and found he
wasn't asleep on the sofa, as We said,
thought you'd tux him. Howly mother its
lost he is''
One awful. fixed, uncomprehending stare,
and then, rs the truth came home to her,
Dot fell forward in dead faint into my
arms.
Oh, how my heart aehed and yet dared
not stop to grieye. We carried Dot up
stairs. sent the cook down to Harry's of
fee, and Mary to the nearest police station.
In half an honr the parlor was full Of neigh
bors and friends, whom the news of our sud
den trouble had brought to Us. In among
them all came Harry, pale and wretched, and
took Dot in his arms
''God won't be so cruel to Us, my dar-
ling" he said.
Her dry, hot ewes seemed to cling to and
deyour him
Il don't know she sobbed. dreadful
things happen in the world every day, and
He lets them
What a night that was to live through
what night to remember A dear friend
came to Us and consulted with Harry They
agreed upon measures for search Every
thing was done that could be done. Harry
staid by and comi0rted u Sleep was not
thought Of We walked the floor; We
went listleSsly from room to room
''Oh, if Dot could only tcry,' said Harry,
with streaming ewes. looked at her Would
her heart break D.?
1t was a dreadful risk. but worth the
chance | went into Dots bedroom, and
hunting about there, found little worn vel
Vet cap. with it, shred of gold lace and its
| dilapidated tassel We had fancied that the
baby looked particularly lovely in it, and had
| been 10th to throw it aside
''Dot, darling, YOU know YOU threw down
his coat and his new cap on the bed when
/ you decided not to take him. He must have
put them on himself See here is the old
cap, dear 80
put it into her zap. She had been rock
inc back and forth, her face in her hands.
She dropped her hands now, gazed at the
poor little chapeau, and great sobs began to
shake her
"Oh, my baby, my baby :" she cried,
and rushing torrent Of tears swept pway
the icy despair that had controlled her
It was better after this Dot could talk,
and her sorrow was easier to bear when it
could be put into words
Il think of him wandering into those vile
streets, and the poor outcast children crowd
ing around him-he must seem like an angel
10 them, or a little king-and perhaps one
ruder than the rest tears off his cap. and an
other seizes his cloak. and he Is cold, and
the winter wind blows his hair about and
he wants mamma, and he gets hungry and
oh. Ruthy, how can | bear it -
Dot cries at the picture. land directly new
combinations arise.
We see him running up and down the
streets. and be grows more and more heart
broken in his longingS and hunger for his
sweet mamma
just in the gray Of the morning the bell
rang again. Ii had been ringing at inter
yal- all night. and again and again our hopes
had been kindled only to die
Harry went down. Dot and listened AZ
the head Of the stairs
Its nothing. darling said, with my
arm around her waist.
But Dots quicker ear. or. more likely. her
mother instinct. OWNED the truth She
broke from my arms with n cry. and ran
down. / followed. and there was the ble--
sei baby in the arms Of strange Young gen
tleman
Those arms welded him instantly
How he Va~ kissed and cried over W hat
congratulations, what tumult of thanksgiy-
ing, what tears, what sobbing laughter re
cciyed this unwilling prodigal Was it not
all witnessed by the handsome young stran-
ger. who was no stranger, after all. but an
old friend Of Harry'S, called by him Jack,
as amilinrly a~ if he had been his bro
thcr
It was a long. pathetic story, but the gist
Of it was, that Mr. Conway had rescued the
baby from the clutches Of a beggar. who
undoubtedly meant to Use him as capital in
her trade.
Il tried to find ont his name, said Mr.
Conway. laughing: ..but all | could learn
was. that mamma was Dot, and he was
Dots Baby"
Mr.. Conway retired after being, hope,
properly thanked and refreshed.
Il was breakfast time now. but who
cared for breakfast? We gathered around
the table. however. happy if not a hungry
PARTY
Harry. who i, Jack Conway asked
Dot
lie Is an old comrsdc Of mine. We stood
shoulder 90 shoulder N Autietam and GettyS-
tysburg.
shoulder to shoulder and lie FIVE feet
seven, and you-seyen feet FIVE, j. it p"
a capital fellow, proceeded Harry, not
noticing Dots irrelevant interruption. In
a banking concern down town
Il