Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-09-27


| tie puckered faces; two lilac pink frocks /;
two white pinafores! There did not APP
pear to be the slightest difference be-
tween them.
Mrs. Rooney's cry of terror and as
constituent brought all the women round
the bed, and awakened the poor weary
mother. Exclamations of I" Save usi''
"Dear. but that beats ALL" mingled
with the feeble wailings of the two
babes.
"What II we do, anyway? There's
something bad an uncanny here!" cried
Mrs. Rooney (which o. these weans
is the RIGHT ane?''
"Gie them TO me, an hand me thon
big knife off the dresser" said the
mother. I'll kiss them bath, and the
one my heart warns to will be my ain
child; AS for the other one, I'll just set
tie it wi the knife
"Stand back, you women, there"
commanded Mrs. Rooney, speaking au-
thoritatively i'm her character of nurse.
They obeyed, sitting down again beside
the fire.
Z" Now gle them to me,'' said Grace,
nOlulng OUT neT ndnus.
Mrs. Rooney handed her one of the
infants. She kissed it, and laid it be-
side her on the pillow.
"My heart warmed to it, Molly
Rooney dear; that's my ain child. Now
gle me the wee rascal that's come to this
house for no good end"
She took the second babe and stretched
out her shaking hand for the knife, pre-
pared to cut its throat; but at that very
instant there was noise heard over
head, and small, beautifully dressed,
and very pretty lady came down the
wide chimney, using the chain of the
crook as ladder. She bounded over
the fire, across the room, and stood be-
side the bed.
In one second she had snatched the
child out of Grace's hands, and ran back
to the fireplace, turning to shake it
furiously at her, as she cried. " You'll
rue the day you tried to hurt my child"
She sprang upon the hob, put her
tiny dainty feet into the links of the
chain one after another, mounted them
whirlwind.
..Oh, my poor wean," sobbed the eX-
hausted mother, sinking back upon her
pillow, shell haze We yet!'
INA, ma, Grace" said Mrs. Rooney,
in soothing tones, "she'll no get Your
wean; but it IL tax you to watch it weel,
an never leave it its lane in the house
unless you put the tongs across the era
die. But sure you ha' plenty O. childer
to watch it."
Joseph McDonagh was spending the
night in a neighbours cabin, and the
women were really afraid to venture out
of doors to call him: besides, what good
could he have done had he been there?
They sat on, telling quaint and strange
stories about the wee folk, some Of
which had been told them by their par
ents, and others that had come under
their own observation; but all agreed
that So strange a circumstance as that
Just witnessed was a bad thing for the
neighborhood, and especially for the
McDonagh family.
81 never affronted the gentry to |
my knowledge" sighed the poor moth
er, "but Joe helped Mr. Todd S garden
er to cut down the old hawthorn tree on |
inc IiWn rriua. WAS elSnt uays, an |
there's them that says it's very bad |
thing to do. fleeched him not to
touch it, but the master offered him six |
shillings if he'd help wi the job, for
the other men refused" She sighed 1
again and shut her ewes.
That's the way Of it, whispered |
the crones over their pipes and poteen;
that's just it. The guide man has had /
the i'll luck TO displeasure the gentry
an there'll be trouble in this house
yet"
Grace did not hear these cheerful t
prophecies, for she had dropped
asleep.
Weeks passed and the augury had Rot /
been fulfilled. Little Eliza throve apaee,
but her mother never lost sight Of her