The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-03-17

Italian to her one day, when her APP
peals and e~ntreaties had been most per-
sistent, "there is one way, and but one
way, for you to receive back Bertha"
"And that IS"
"To receive me also-as your hus-
band!"
Paolo Petroni never forgot nor for
gave the recoiling movement, the look
of horror with which the English wild
ow received his unwelcome proposal.
"You will compel him to give my lit
tie one to me, Henry" the poor young
mother had said, on the day that made
her for the second time a wife. But
when Henry Tracy, armed with all the
force of the law, went to Milan to de-
mand possession of his little step-daugh-
ter, 10! Paolo Petroni had utterly dis
appeared, and Bertha with him.
Search, inquiry, investigation, proved
equally vain; and from that day to this
"a period of full six years-neither DR..
Tracy nor his wife had ever heard one
word of the little Italian infant whose
smile had been the first CLEAN of light
that had fallen across the troubled tide
of poor Helen Petroni's foreign life.
1t was one of those strange, inexpli-
cable of real life that we
sometimes encounter amid the most
prosaic and commonplace surround
ings, and supplied DIR. Tracy with am
pie materials for thought as he drove
through the wild and desolate part of
the country.
"Not a particularly pleasant spot this
at twilight" so~liloquized the doctor,
leaning forward to catch a glimpse of
a single ray of yellow light that stream
ed from the window of a cottage a few
rods further on. "They've lighted
their candles, l see, and it's high time
they did, too"
He sprang from his phaeton and en-
tered the cottage without knocking.
1t presented no very inviting scene.
A ruinous floor, treacherous and uncer-
tain to the unwary footstep; walls
where masses of plaster had fallen
away, leaving the rough laths exposed;
and a fireplace where a few damp logs
sputtered and smoked, and did every
thing but blaze up cheerfully. A hard
featured old crone, who was doing on
a stool by the hearth, started up, and
began to curtsy as the doctor entered.
"Well, Mrs. Hopper, and how is the
patientp"
"Quiet,~ sir-quite quiet"
"And the child?"
GAS peaceful as a lamb, bless its little
hearth
DR.. Tracy took mp the candle and
strobe across the room to a low bedstead
in the most distant corner, where a hui
man figure was dimly outlined beneath
a torn and tattered counterpart. Close
beside it, with a shower of fleecy, ilaxen
ringlets mingled with the black, di-
sheyelled locks of the PROSTATE woman,
nestled a child who looked up into the
Doctors eyes as he approached with in
n%ocent, wondering looks.
81 gave her the drops at 4 O'clock"
whined the old woman, "and she hain't
made no fuss since. Wouldn't disturb
her, 'csuse there amt nothin' so re-
freshin' for sick folks as sleep"
OIL. l-- n No.
to examine the averted face; "my good
soul, she's dead!"
"Dead!" shrieked the old woman,
rushing across the floor-"dead! Come
away, child, quick"
The little creature slid to the ground
with a composure strangely at variance
with her age, and stood alternately ey-
ing her two companions.
"Ihope, doctor, you'll see 1 don't
lose nothin' by the expense I've been
to-" whined Mrs. Hopper. elm a lone
wilder woman, and"
"And the biggest harpy in the coun-
try!" added DIR. Tracy; 81 knew that
when l had this poor creature brought
here when l found her dying by the
roadside the night before last, but l
couldn't very well help myself. Don't
be alarmed, Mrs. Hopper; you shall not
be a sufferer! But about this little girl
really don't know what to do"
He hesitated an instant, mechanical
ly smoothing the fieecy, yellow curls Of
the little girl.
81 suppose" he said, nodding to.
wards the bed, "she left no money nor
valuables of any kindP"
"Not a bit of it, sir, for"
But the child stepped forward, q