The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-04-25
Woman's face.

that was the hardest OF all Question
to answer. ~
"Hetty's eyes rested for q Will
on the womanis face, and then droI
ped to the floor Raising them guicl
ly, after q moment, she replied:
"if they'll only let me keep th
baby, Mrs. Wilder.r The though
of his being gtakcn away came bac
SO yividly to the mind Of Hetty tbs
she could not bear il Her lips qui,
cred, and she burst into tears enc
more. ~ s. 80 49, gsass
q thought yous wsre going to kse
him." said the neishbor. ~ - bsss
"Mrs. Florence wants him, an
says she'll take him inst as il he wa
her own @ IN as1g Has
II didn'. know h,st y remarked th
! neighbor. "If Mrz Florence wi
take him. aeN a rags
1T was very kind in her, sal
Hetty. interruptipx the sentencs
"and am sure shnsswouid be goo
to him. Bot indesd Mrs Wilder.
can't let him 90. i feel just as if
should die if they were to take bin
awsy, Yol daa'c know how / 10,
him. ss 4 e
"But you are 30 young Hetty
Almost child yourself You can
take care of baby. Aud then, wh
is to be housekeepeF?n g
Il have Thoughts il all over, Mrs
Wilder-over and over again-sn'
Mary and ] can do it all,n answere,
Hetty. g
"Mary and you'll Why Mary i
only seven years old" said th
neighbor. isfs osa 7se
She's handy thing for all that
Oh, we can get along, if they won
take BABY
What does your father say 10 it
Has ars. Florence spoken to him p
Yes; heard them talk it over
Mrs. Florence wanted to take baby
right off; but father said wait unit
to-morrown ~ 500 s.E
at would, perhaps, be better foI
the baby" nts Fgi
''It wouldn't be better for any
body spoke out <Hctty in q strong
and decided manner "And partieu u
larly il wouldn't be for father.n
why not for ycur father. asked
Mrs. Wilder.
Heity's face grew hot and theI
pale and her voice checked little a
first as she answered
"Yon know abou. father, how
dreadful it is. twill get worse il
the baby goes-T'm sure of that
He loves baby. And now mother
gone | have thought bis liking baby
so might help to-to-n
Hetty paused, she could not speal
the word that was on her tongue
ba, ibs neighbor understood ber.
"You are a wise little GIRL" sale
Mrs. Wilder, laying her hand on th,
child's head .tenderiy, "and in th,
right I'm t1int:ugi Now tell. m.
freely all that is ia your mind
ITS just this, Mrs. Wilder" sale
Hetty, her manner taking on th,
thoughtful seriousness of a woman
Father loves baby, and now thai
mothers gone be will feel softer to
wards us all Mary and l will dc
every hing to make it comfortable
for him; ord well always keep baby
boxing So sweet aud clean that he'll
love - come home just to see him, in
stead of going to the tavern when b.
shuts down the mill. If Mrs. Flor
ence would give baby a nice whit,
frock; and one with a pink or blu,
spot in it; and pair Of new shoes
! could keep bin looking, Oh, 81
lovely. Father could hot help CON
ing righ. home from he mill to Sc,
him. Mrs. Wilder" He,ty con,inu
ed, growing warm and hopeful, "bu
father might stop drinking altogeth
err Oh, if Mrs. Florence would d.
this. aud not think of taking baby
away y
"I'll see Mrs. Florence, and tall
with her," said Mrs. Wilder. as Het
ty stopped speaking.
'.Will you. Oh, do please, and a
once, Tell her it won't be good fol
Us to let baby GO"
Mrs. Florence, when sll this wa:
related to her, was deeply moved
She bad lost dear baby two year,
before, and the clothes il used t.
wear had been folded away in a bu
reau drawer untouched since then.
"The dear child shall have hel
way she answered. Then going Il
the drawer, into which she had MOI
looked for many months, she took ou
three almost new frocks, one of white
muslin and two Of delicately figured
ebiGtz; also three pairs OF stockings
a pair of morocco shoes. and sons
underciothing, and sent them to the
motherless baby.
On the next day the miller, sober
ed by the less Of his wife. kept away
from the tavern, and tried to settle
in bis mild what was to be done
He had promised the baby to Mrs
Florence. but baby had given him SC
tight hug as be kissed and parted
from him at breakfast time, that be
felt his dear little arms clingine
around bis neck all the morning al
he went about the mill How could
be let him go2 And Hetty wal
good and thoughtful, and so fond o.
baby. 1t wouId break her heart to
give him up.
What a handy little girl Hetty
is 7" the miller said to himself, as ht
remembered bow nice breakfast she
had go, for him, and how clean and
orderly everything was about the
house
As i. drew towards noon the mil.
ler began to feel little anxious
about bis promise to Mrs. Florence.
She was to have baby that day.
Wba, if she bad come for him al
ready, and that when be went home
at dinner-time there should be no
baby to spring into his arms, and
hug him around the neck.
In the meantime Hetty had re-
c,.ived the bundle of clothes, and
with the bundle had come q message
from Mrs Florence, saying that she