The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-07

sob, amt You green She didn't
mean to come back.
"Thats so, 1 guess" sAid the depot
master.
"Bob, you're sold, and have got a
baby on your hands" said another.
In short, il was apparent that the
young newsbey had expressed the senti-
ments of all the men present.
"You had better go to the town au-
thorities and let them take the child,
said the depot-master.
eyes"
Certainly" chimed in the bystand-
ers and 30 the matter would have been
settled, but the baby, who had been
looking wonderingly from one to an
other, now nestled closely to Bob's
shoulder and began to wall piteously.
It was only O natural result of finding
herself left SO long alone among
strangers, but to tender-hearted Bob it
seemed direct appeal to his sympathy
and protection.
~ should Like tolkeep her. / should
like to take her home" said he.
"Good for you |" said man who had
not yet spoken--only apoor coal-heaver,
begrimed and smutched from top to toe.
Good for you You see, gentlemen,
faint noways certain't the woman won't
come back next train; 80 what's the hurry
about sending the baby to the poor-house
for that's what it would come to. Ii
the woman don't come and we don't hear
nothing after we've advertised, pears to
me it'll be time enough to talk about the
poor house then"
No one offered any objection to this
view of the case, and the coai-heaver
| added
"It will cost something to advertise,
though; don't knows that ought to come
onto Bob"
Certainly not" said the depot-mas-
ter, taking out his pocket-book, AN ex-
ample which was Immediately followed
| by others, 80 that an amount was col
lected quite sufficient to defray all con-
tingent expenses, and handed over to
Bob. Then he walked out of the depot
| with the baby and carpet-bag, followed
by his friend, the coal-heaver.
"Have q ride on my keart p asked the
latter.
"Don't care if I do, if it's in your
way" said Bob.
"Pll make it inmy way, " said the good
natured man. So Bob climbed in, the
horse started off at slow trot, and the
little cart jolted away over the cobble-
stones, with its novel freight.
| It was not till Bob came in sight of
the little one-story house which he called
his home that he began to ask himself
whether he had not acted hastily in un-
dertaking such a charge without consult
ing Mother Darby, as he called the
woman with whom he lived.
For Bob was On orphan; nay, more,
he had neither kith nor kin that he
knew of in the wide world. Ever since
he could remember, he had been passed
from one to another, who had been will
ing to harbor him for little while,
either for charity or the work he could
do. For two or three months his home
had been with Mother Darby, receiving
his board and scanty clothing in consid-
Grafton of his tending the COW, bringing
in wood and running of errands.
$50, what will Mother Darby say ??
was the question he asked himself az
the cart stopped at the gate, and, bid
ding the kind coal-heaver good-by, he
entered the house with his burden.
What she did say was, "What under
the sun have you got there now ?"
"She's 80 pretty-and the woman
left her, and they talked of sending hel
to the poor-house. 1 couldn't help it, u
answered Bob, rather incoherently.
"Mercy on us ! What are you talk.
ing about? I can't make head nor tai
of it. But give me the baby, do. She's
most frozen, poor thing y
And as the woman, whose heart was
much softer than her speech, sat down
by the fire and began to take off the
child's hood and cloak, Bob's courage
revived, and he told the story from be-
ginning to end, as we know it already.
ga nice job you've undertaken I
said Mrs. Darby then. "The woman
: never'l come back, that you may de
pend. She want its mother no more'r
1 am"
CT thought you'd let it stay til
something could be done," said Bob, de
jectedly.
"Of course I will. I'm not wild
Injun, to turn such baby as this adrif
by ITSELF" said Mother Darby.
She then warmed some milk and fec
the little one, and in few minutes i
Was sleeping quietly on Mother Darby
old calico lounge, unconscious alike o
past or future perils.
Her folks is well of, whatever the,
be-" said Mother Darby, examining tn,
little blue silk hood trimmed will
swans down, and the embroidered Tribe
cloak.
The woman that gave her to M
was sumner" said Bob F; by which
phrase he no doubt intended to express
his appreciation of her fine clothes.
Bob lost no time in advertising tn
: child; but days went on and no answe
1 appeared, nor did the woman return Il
claim her charge. The traveling-b a,
: contained nothing that would afford tin
Q slightest clew to the childs identity ex
D cept the single name "Elsie" on some o
q the clothes.
. "Well, I'm sorry, but there's nothing