Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-07-31
Continued from first page,)

moment, the horses attempted to run away
with the wagon.
The strangers appearance was, to say
the least, disconcerling His clothes were
badly torn and frayed his linen sack hung
from his shoulders like herald's apron
one of his hands was bandaged; his face
scratched and there was no hat on his
disheveled head To add to the general
effect, he had evidently sought relief from
his woes in drink, and he swayed from
side to side as he chung TO the door-han-
die, and in very thick voice. stated that
he had .'suthin'' for me outside When
he had finished. the horses made another
plunge.
Mrs. Brown thought they must be
frightened at something.
"Frightened"' laughed the stranger,
with bitter irony. "Oh no Iossish ain't
frightened! Only ran away four timesh
comm here, Oh no Nobody's frightened.
Everythin's all ri. Amt it, Bill ?" he
said, addressing the driver, sony been
overheard twish knocked down hatch
way once. Thash nothin'! On'y two
men unner doctors hans at Stockton
Thash nothin'! Six hummer dollarsh cover
all dammish.'
was too much disheartened to reply,
ger eyed me with an establishment that al
most sobered him.
''Do you reckon to tackle that animile
yourselfP" he asked, as he surveyed me
from head to foot.
1 did not speak, but, with an appear
ance of boldness | was far from feeling,
walked to the wagon and called, "Baby!"
''All ri. Cash loose them straps, Bill,
and STAN clear"
The straps were cut loose, and Baby
the remorseless, the terribe-quietly
tumbled to the ground, and. rolling to my
side, rubbed his foolish head against me-
think the establishment of the two men
was beyond any vocal expression. With
out q word the drunken stranger got into
the wagon and drove away.
And Baby He had grown, il is true, q
trife larger; but he was thin, and bore the
marks Of evident il-usage. His beautiful
coat was matted and unkempt, and his
claws-those bright steel hooks-had been
ruthlessly pared to the quick. His eyes
were furtive and restless, and the old ex-
preston of stupid good humor had changed
to one of intelligent distrust. His inter-
course with mankind had evidently quick
ened his intellect without broadening his
moral nature.
had grea: difficulty in keeping Mrs.
Brown from smothering him in blankets
and running his digestion with the delca-
cies of her larder; but l at last got him
completely rolled up in the corner Of my
room and asleep. l lay awake some time
later with plans for his future. l finally
determined to take him to Oakland,
where had built little cottage and al
ways spent my Sundays. the very next
day. And, in the midst of rosy picture
of domestic felicity, fell asleep.
When awoke 1t was broad day. Ny
eyes at once sought the corner where Baby
had been lying. But he was gone. |
sprang from the bed, looked under it,
searched the closet, but in vain The door
was still locked; but there were the marks
of his blunted claws upon the sill of the
window, that had forgotten to close. He
had evidently escaped that way.--but
whereof The window opened upon the
balcony, to which the only other entrance
was through the hall. He must be still in
the house.
My hand was already on the bell-rope,
but stayed it in time. If he had not
made himself known, why should dis
turb the house? l dressed myself hur-
riedly, and slipped into the hall The first
object that met my eyes was boot lying
upon the stairs. 1t bore the marks OF
Baby's teeth; and, as looked along the
hall, / saw too plainly that the usual array
of freshly blackened boots and shoes be-
fore the dodgers doors was not there. AS
/ assembled the stairs found another, but
with the backing carefully licked off. On
the third floor were two or three more
boots slightly mouthed; but at this point
Baby's taste for backing had evidently
palled. A little further on was ladder,
leading to on open scuttle. / mounted the
ladder, and reached the fiat roof, that
formed a continuous level over the row of
houses to the corner of the street. Be-
hind the chimney on the very roof some
thing was lurking 1t was the fugitive
baby. He was covered with dust, and dirt
and fragments of glass. But he was sit
ting on his hind legs, and was eating an
enormous slab of peanut candy, with a
look of mingled guilt and infinite satislac-
ton. He even, fancied, slightly stroked
his stomach with his disengaged fore-paw,
as ] approached. He knew that / was
looking for him. and the expression of his
eye said plainly, 1.-The past, at least, is Sc
cure"
hurried him, with the evidence of his
guilt, back to the scuttle, and descended
on tip-toe to the floor beneath. Provi-
dence favored u.s. l met no one on the
stairs, and his own cushioned tread was
inaudible. / think he was conscious of
the dangers of detection, for he even for
bore to breathe, or much less chew the
last mouthful he had taken; and he skulk-
ed at my side, with the sirup dropping
from his motionless jaws. l think he
would have silently choked TO death just
then, for my sake and it was not until
had reached my room again, and threw
myself painting on the sofa, that l saw how
near strangulation lie had been. lie
gulped once or twice, apologetically, and
then walked to the corner of his own ac-
cord, and rolled himself up like an i'm
mense sugar-plum, sweating remorse and
treacle at every pore.