Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-06-09

and he told him that he could have a
month to pay it in. Unless he raised
the money in that time he might prepare
| to yacate.
''What shall | do p he groaned help
lessly after he had told his wife the
story.
why, make the best of it, | s'pose.
We're use to work, Reuben and though
we're gettin' ruthef' old, / guess we'll
make Twin yet Hope always for the
best, an not the wust-the wust always
comes fast enough without hopin.'
Il know it mother but little Cora"
said Farmer Kingston with sob,
30, little Cora? Why, she'll go to
the work-house, Of course" said Mrs.
Kingston coldly.
| The farmer gasped, but the next in
slant his wife had stopped and taken lit
tie Cora from the floor and was hugging
and kissing her, and saying:
mo they shan't either, shall they,
poor dear 2 They won't send her to
the work house for ton of gold and
while they have roof to shelter them,
the blessed darling shares it with'em."
"Don't ty, damma," lisped the child,
in pretty babyish tones. Don't ty-
Toa loves 90. "
Bot Mrs. Kingston only cried the
harder, and with choking sensation in
bis throat, the farmer hurried out to do
the chores.
Neither alluded to that subject again
By-and-by the month of grace had
slipped away, and then the mortgage
was foreclosed, and they were warned to
leave The farmer succeeded in finding
a little cottage just about a mile away,
and, after sad and painful leave-tak-
ing, the kind old couple left their home,
expecting never to return.
Cora. the little waif, went with them,
and by her winning ways and baby pratt
tie did much toward the alienation of
their sorrow And, then, as though
the full measure Of their anguish was
not yet complete, the days grew darker
still The farmer cut bis foot so serious
ly, while ehopping in the woods, that he
was laid up with it.
"What can we do ?" he said as he lay
helpless upon the pillow. II cannot
work for months, and you and Cora ="
He turned his face from those he
loved, and closed his eyes. Perhaps he
prayed.
"God is good, )" said Mrs. Kingston,
solemnly. There will be some way
yet; VIC ANITA going to strave."
But it looked very very dark. They
had neither food or fuel stored nor
money to purchase with the bleak De-
cember's cutting winds we're filled with
prophecy. Even Mrs Kingston seemed
about to give up hope.
One day she sat conversing with her
husband, with little Cora playing on the
floor beside her, when suddenly there
came shap, eager rap at the door.
There, mother, some ones knock
ing y said Farmer Kingston, uneaslly
Il heard it, Reuben" she replied
reading his thoughts. II s'pose it is
the doctor wantin' his pay, but p'raps be
won't be hard upon us, arter all.
hope so, leastwis-the land sakes !"
! But before she reached the door, i
was flung wide open, and in rushed 3
handsome stranger, who caught up Gttl'
Cora, and straghtway began caressine
her, and called her his sweet lost darling
"Wa-al, I never, naow, stranger, VIII
be ye, any way?" she cried, after sh'
7 had sufficient time to breathe.
, Then he told his story. He was {
J city merchant, he informed them, ant
Cora was his only child, her mother dy
: ing when she was only three years old
He then put her out to nurse, and thu
nurse having received her pay in ad
vance, had run away, and left the child
J in little basket by the wayside- where
Reuben Kingston found it. The father
had been nearly distracted when first he
learned his loss, but after the first grief
was over had set himself to work untir-
ingly to find her. Link by link the
chain was put together, till now he stood
there with evidence complete that little
Cora was his daughter.
"You seem to be quite poor, 3" he said
looking hurredly about the room
Then, Of course, they told the story
about the mortgage not with any thought
of asking help but only that he might
know they were not always poor.
Hoy much is the place worth p he
asked 81 mean how much could you
now purchase il for r
"A thousand dollars" was the answer
He took piece Of paper from his
pocketbook, wrote something on it then
folded it within his hand
"Will you keep Cora still mean,
if pay her board, and let me come tc
see her occasionally 2" he asked
"We'd gladly keep her for nothing,
said Mrs Kingston, sadly, if we were
only at our own home As it is, wei
have to take whatever you will give"
lie slipped the folded paper into hel
hand.
81 cannot make long stay at present
he said. Il shall come again one month
from now; perhaps you will have moved
ere that"
| And kissing Cora once more, he left
the room abruptly.
did evcrw cried Mrs. Kingston,
her cap frills shaking more violently than
was recorded in the opening of this story
Five thousand dollars as Pm a
living sinner, and thanking us besides.
Wa-al, never seed the like ont, but,
Rueben, here's the check"
So the baby brought a blessing in
tror.. ,-o-.e fi,..,