Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-01-14
Srlrttt0 Sturp.
SAVED By A FLASH.

N'-A IL - L IL Il -
My name i Hunt. Yes, sir; Anthony
Hunt. ! Dm . settler on this Western
poaiTie WIG, Yes, sir. lis little else than
wujs noW. bu' You should have seen il
when and nv wife Gtst moved up here
There vs. uo, "a house within sight for
miles. Even now ~e have not many
neicabcgs; o. .hcse We have are down
II, d. good ones. To appreciate your
ue'Nhbors ss ecu ought, sir, yoa mus,
Ig5 in these lonely places, so tar remov-
&c irUm the haunts of man.
What l am about 20 tell OF. happened
ten years ago. was going to the distant
town or settlement, 10 sell tiity head oil
Csttie-unc creatures sir. a. ever you saw.
The Journey was more rare eye.t with
me than j; Is now, and my wife had always
plenty OF commissions to charge me with
II the shape OF dry goods and groceries.
and such ike things.
Our youuges; child sa, a sweet little
gentle thing, who had been named after
her Aunt Dorothy. We called tke child
Dolly. Tbs time my commission includ-
CO ono ioy hers dol. Sac had never
had real doI; that is, bought doll;
only ihe rsK bundles her mother msde
tor her. For some days before my de.
Ds1iUre the child could talk OF nothing
elso-or we, either, Tor the matter OF that
for she was CREST pet the darling OF
Is all. IL was 10 be q big, big doll, with
golden hair and blue eyes. l shall never
forget the cbild's words the morning !
vas starting. as she ran slter me to tho
gate. or the pretty picture she made. -
There are some children sweeier and
pr6.,ier than others, sir. as you can have
bu, noticed, and Dolly was one.
A very great big doll. please, daddy"
she called ont after me; land please
bring j; very soon"
TUNED to nod yes to her as she
stood in her clean whitey-brown pinatore
against the gate. her us.brown hair fall
i2g in cur,s about her neck and the light
freeze stirring them.
A brave doli.' answered. tor my
hule oue-almost as big as Dolly"
Nobody would believe, dare say. how
tai ny thoughts were Of lhas promised
coil, a. | rode along. or Whist nice one
meant to buy. Il was not often spent
money in wha, my good. Ihriity wife
would CAL waste; bu, Dolly was Dolly,
ard l meant to do it now.
The cattle sold, went about my pur
casses, aud soon bad no end OF parcels to
De packed in the saddle bags Tea, sugar,
rice, cant es-but need not worry you,
sir, with telling Of them. together with
;he calico ior shirts and pightgowns, and
lhe delaice tor the cbildren's frocks. Last
OF all. went abou, the doll. and found u
Beauty. II was not as big as Dolly, or
hslf as big; bat II had faxen curls and
ssy blue eyes; and by dint OF pulling
wire, you could open or shut the eyes al
will
"Doit up carefully" said to the store
keeper; my little daughter would cry
sadly, if any harm comes 10 it"
The day was pretty we'll euded before
al. my work was done; a-d. j - for a
mo1ent OF two. hesitated whether
should not stay in the town and start Tor
home in the morning. Ii would have
been the most prudent course. But |
thought Of poor Dolly's anxiety 10 get
her treasure, and OF my own happiness
in watching the rapture in her delighted
eyes. So with my parcels packed in the
bes. way they could be, | mounted my
morse and started. 1t was as good and
steady horse as you ever rode, sir; but
night began TO set in before was we'll a
mile away from the town; it seemed as
If il were going 10 be an ugly night, too
Again the thought struck me-should
turn back and wait till morning? had
the price OF the cattle, you see sir, in my
breast pocket; and rObberies. sir. aye. and
murders, also, were not quite unknown
things on the prairie. But l had my
brace of sure pistols with me, and decid-
ed 20 press onward.
The night came on as dark as pitch, and
part of the way my road would be pitch
dark beside. But on that score had no
fear; knew the road well. every inch OF
IT, thougn l could not ride so fast as |
sao9ld have done IN the light. was about
six miles from home, suppose. and /
knev The time must be close upon mid
r;-h., when TIE Storm which had been
brewing broke. The thunder roared, the
rsin fell in torrents; the best | could do
/ Vas to ride onward in IT,
Al at once, as rode on, cry startled
ms-s isint, wailiDg sound like the cry
of a child Refining up, | sat still and
listened. Had I been mistaken No.