The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-05-03

~ TIC sard, and began 30 examine me lus
|srsrfs sin che md 3 around the doorway.
5,ha farn1.haut is were examining them also
80 Mpccasit1 trheka, Boss said one I'D man,
aEr.siacantly. .pptnttng TO an indenture 20 2,
|sl,s Yielding soil 9 niuns, I gness. .s.ls,,;
Mr husband's face grew d shade " hitter. IS
.FFsssf 4, he responded, "thats u come ~
NV 1atis, we haven't i moment 70 Jose
81 He ssaited of, fotjswed By tls l o.
nut fen rods isoii me house ne iturnea
back s2s s IS. :. 6 u. !; Z. !.
round ME, Tits Is terrible for You. pnt Won
must Be strong, and hope Tor The beat:5,I ne l
Indians have passed here, and y was tney.
mo. doubt, " no stole the child. we mus.
try TO intercept then, before they cross sne
river we NAV not be buck to-nignL; you = !.
had better 60 over to MIR. DeieYsnss aus
star till VIC return, Is - i
But I did not go. went into inc !9 M
cottage, aud fell on my knees oes,as ~, .ns
little empty Glib. God bad given ns s ~.
wish: i Ind no baby. All: me, tne ssh1 10, !.
.ture, the bitterness OF tnose 'oos' we
hours can never be described. ..u.
- Mnrn;np dawned at last, lnrid and misty !;
4 rcd sun struggled up through ragged Dill
lows OF gray fog. About 10 O'Clock my
husband and bis party returned. weary,
bagcard, aud hopeless. They had folioWea
the indians oil night, but when at last they
came IN With them. far behind the river:
thew could gain no tidings oil the child; aud
ali our aiter.elforts were equally unsuccess.
ful. We offered rewards. and instituted
every means o, inquiry, but in vain. Little
Pearl was gone. had no BABY.
There was ample time for leisure tnen
mo- peeyish cries, no little baby wants, to
occrny me: But I, who had hated labor,
fed TO it now as my sole refuge and CON-
fort. The only ease found was in con-
slant action. NV husband worked, too, but
his life seemed to have lost its Impeding
force, its happiest inspiration. s...l
E Years went by, aud not content with my
simole household duties took charge OF
neighborine school; later j aided my nus
band in his Office. My mind expanded;
INV ideas enlarged. II was MO longer an 10.
doIcDt, helpless repiner. but strong, sell
reliant. laboring woman--a true helpmate
for nv husband. Success crowned our
united efforts; wealth and .renown flowed
irl upon us; my husband was elected Judge
and spoken of for Congress. But we were
childless for no more babies came.
Ten years after our removal to the Wcst
we received intelligence OF my uncles
death, and being his only heirs we went
down at once to attend the settlement Oh
his estate. Returning hon,eward, we MADE
tour of Niagara aud the prlucipai nortn-
ern cities.
One Scp.en,ber night found us in New
York aud at the opera. The house was
unusually gay, the music divine, put
through all the glamour aud perfume OF
gorgeous toilets, amid the wai'ing OF the
music and the triumphant strains of the
singers, I sat unconscious, almost lndlfer-
emit the old yearnIng in my hearti rouslngup
TO strange and sudden intensity. Only one
thought possessed me, and that was my ioss
baby, Little Pearl. J. seemed to 0e'llving
over that terrible morning and long nigDt
arain, aud my soul cried out Tor my cnild
with terrible longing that would not De
siienced. Yet in the gay house ana eXqul..
site music there. was nothing suggestive OF
her short, sweet life; why, then, did she
seem so near to me? what was II tnat
shook and thrilled me so?
The opera over, we started for our hotel.
At one of the crossings the carriage made
sudden halt. =
Nothing but strap broke loose, all right
in moment, sir said the driver in answer
to my husbands inquiry. 1911,
I leaned out while lie was arranging it,
looking over the silent city, aud up into
The solemn summer night. The sky was
blue add cloudless, the stars mellow and
misty, and a full moon hung like golden
Jewel in the far west. BY eyes filled with
tears, and an inexpressible yearnlng hiled
my soul.
aWbere is my baby-where is Little
Pearl to-nisht?". murmured. % ~.
"Pease, madam, Just one penny"
! The slender, childish voice, mellow and
sweet as the note OF blackblrd, startled
me out OF my revery, and, looking down,
/ saw tiny figure and an appealing baby
face below in the misty moonlight. ~ -.
! .sPieasc, madam, never begged before,
but grandmarm Is SO sick, and she's eat
nothing since yesterday" .:;,s:
:, Just then the driver spraug to his box,
and the carriage wbirled of again, leaving
the little thing far behind. but caught at
nv husbands arm in breathless eagerness.
~ "Philip." entreated, "stop the carriage.
Unjust see. that child.1 .s 40
{ He glanced back, .hesitatIngly, and there
the little thing stood in the moonlight, Just
as we had left her." 49, :,
az mustsPhiIip," repeated; "don't
deny me-"
Z; And my husband bade the driver turn
back, which he did with muttered i'm
precatioD. ~. :.:
Nov, my little girl,",I said, leaning
out aud extending my arm, "come here,
and tell me low I can help you."
Grandmarm is SICK" she replied, COM
ips close 10 the wheels and raising bel, soft
blue eyes to my face, "and so hungry,
aud never begged before,-msdam -
-, g And where docs your grandma llve'
,dear?" '''' .',.)'
!. Right;doyn this street, in that row; Of
,tenementS."
Take 'het up, Philip; we must look into
this case" .<i;a@
- Ny husband obeyed, and the, driver,
being promised double pay, turned down
toward the. :tenements.. / seated the little
girl beside me, and took her little brown
hand in mine. The bare touch of her
sIender fingers made the very, blood in my
heart thrill, and. wanted to clasp her In
my arms. apd cover her poor, wan little
face with kisses, with. longing that was
absolute pain. Il: ..:,4
IL" How pretty she is,o said, smoothing
hack her tangled golden hair that shaded
her white forehead and sweet blue eyes.
.sShe looks like q frightened bird" said
my husband. smiling :" what will sou do
with her, Belief" 80 :, 80. -. =,
"Keep her FOL ever, If CAM I replied,
with feeling: Of intense happiness at my
heart. ~ -.a-. -. :
/ Just then we reached the teuements.
t.Thats grandmarm's room," said the
child, pointing upward to a..-windoW in
which dim light was burning.
/. We lett the carriage and followed her up
a long flight OF stairs, and into the bare,
humble room. In the rude couch lay an
old woman, her strong, worn face wearing
that nailnr which never knows a change -.