The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-12-06


baby on your hands, said another.
In short, it was apparent that th'
young newsboy had expressed the senti
menb8 of oil the men present
"You had better go to the town an
thorities and let them take the child,
said the depot-master.
eyes"
Certainly" ohimed in the bystand
ers and SO the matter would have beer
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 natural result of finding
herself left SO long alone among
strangers, but to tender-hearted Bob il
seemed a direct appeal to his sympathy
and protection.
I 81 should like toskeep her. [ should
| like to take her home, said he.
"Good for you'll" said a man who had
not yet spoken-only q poor coa1-heaver,
begrimed and smutched from top to toe.
"Good for you! You see, gentlemen,
faint noways oertain't the woman won I
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. If
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 coal-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, SO 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 ride on my keart p asked the
latter.
"Don't care if I do, if it's in your
way" said Bob.
"Ill make it inmy way, }" said the good
natured man. So, Bob climbed in, the
horse started off at slow trot, and the
little cart iolted away over the cobble-
stones, with it's novel freight.
Tt 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 I'M
dertaking such charge without consult
ing Mother Darby, as he called the
woman with whom he lived.
For Bob was an 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 as
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 SO pretty-and the woman
left her, and they talked of sending her
to the poor-house. I couldn't help il, :"
answered Bob, rather incoherently.
Mercy on us What are you talk
ing about? I can't make head nor tail
of it. But give me the baby, do. She's
most frozen, poor thing !"
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 p
said Mrs. Darby then. 'The woman
never'n come back, that you may de-
pend. She want its mother no more n
[ am"
"I thought you'd let it stay till
something could be done, said Bob, de-
jectedly.
"Of course I will. I'm not a wild
Injun, to turn such baby as this adrift
by'itsef," said Mother Darby.
She then warmed some milk and fed
the little one, and in few minutes it
was sleeping quietly on Mother Darby
old calico lounge, unconscious alike OF
past or future perils.
"Her folks is we'll off, whatever they
be" said Mother Darby, examining the
little blue silk hood trimmed with
swans down, and the embroidered Thibet
cloak.
" The woman that gave her to me
was sumner said Bob; by which
phrase he no doubt intended to express
his appreciation of her fine clothes.
Bob lost no time in advertising the
child; but days went on and no answer
appeared, nor did the woman return tc
claim her charge. The traveling-bae
contained nothing that would afford the
slightest clew to the child's identity ex
cept the single name "Elsie" on some O.
the clothes.
4 "Well, Tn sorry, but there's nothing
for it but to send it to the poer-house, ;
| sold NFo&bova Dorbv