Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-23
he supposed held only fine, fat Christmas

he supposed held only fine, fat Christmas
turkey.
in-.sOhi, my goodness! oh, my soul! It's .
baby! q little live baby, as sure as Pm born.
Ooh. my, my-Oh, my Lord" and Ezra
Potts held his dim light very close to the
sleeping infants face, and bent his face very
close to it, that he might not be mistaken
and find it a turkey after all.
It's q real live baby.' he cried again.
sob, my soul! oh, my wife! won't she, Oh,
tcont sne be glad: Won't Ezra Potts be
glad, too! Won't Ezra Potts and wife be
4 glad together? Oh, dear! a real fine baby.
4 oh, dear! Ooh dearw And Father Potts
fell upon his knees, half laughing, half cry
ing, as he bent very close to the babe.
.1Oh, my wife, my beloved wife, our
daughters come back to us just as she came
4 to us at first! on Christmas-eve, too. On,
my! to Ezra Potts and wife daughter, no,
ho!" And Ezra shook himself very hard
again, and his eyes glistened with tears, al
though he tried hard to push them back.
s'The good Lord sent her" he cried, wind
ing the fine white flannel around the babe.
"Yes, the good Lord sent her, and He
knowed just where to send her-bless His
name-and Ezra Potts and wife sha'n't dis.
appoint the Lord, neither. Oh, my soul
to Ezra Potts and wife from the Lord. Oh,
what sexton is Ezra Potts What q blessed
sexton, Whist lucky sexton! To Ezra Potts
and wife" and he laughed SO hard again he
couldn't for his life have added ''daughter;"
and tying up the coarse, heavy shawl he
caught up his lantern and scrambled up the
belfry stairs, and rang the bells again like five
great furies.
- Praise the Lord !" he cried, tugging on
endureth forever. To Ezra Potts, sexton,
and Dorothy, his wife-oh, my soul." and
he pulled more madly than before, which
brought the grave-digger, who lived in the
| small red house just behind the church, into
the belfry. There isn't bit of doubt that he
believed the sexton crazy, for, besides ring
ing the bells like mad, his coat and hat were
on and his long gray hair was flying over his
| head and face.
"Praise the Lord ~ yelled Ezra. "Praise
the Lord-to Ezra Potts, sexton of old St.
Johns, and Dorothy, his beloved wife, a
daughter And on went the mad, musical
| bells, and speechless stood the grave-d dig
| ger, as he watched the sexton while he rang
| the Christmas chimes as they had never rung
before.
| "A daughter, tell you, Corney! A little
live daughter to Ezra Potts, sexton, and
| Dorothy, his wife !" and letting 90 the ropes
he donned his coat and hat in an instant, and
grasping the grave-digger's hand he hurried
| him down the stairs at great rate.
"See that, Corney--see that there" cried
Ezra, when he had unroJed the infant.
amt it, though?'' and he slapped the grave
| digger hard on the back, who looked more
stupefed than ever.
ITO Ezra Potts and wife, tell you, Cor
ney-I tell you a live daughterv He put
his hands on Conveys shoulder and shook
him with all his strength, which aroused the
grave-digger so much he bent over trifle
| that he might more plainly see the sweet,
| placid face of the sleeping infant.
| COrney was very slow fellow. His BUSH
ness was slow one, for, as the people of
Connyville were usually long-livcd,
tenacious set, grave digging was not a driv-
! ing business at any time. But, finding his
petrified tongue, he said,
"Wa'al, du declar'! Whar did you cum
| by that air chick?"
"To Ezra and Dorothy Potts from the
Lord" solemnly answered the sexton.
| "'Tis, height" said Corney. "Wa'al, 1
| kinder reckon as how 1 wouldn't want the
| Lord to bring many SIGH critters to me-"
"Ah, - said Ezra, shaking his fingers, and
taking his bundle tenderly in his arms,
don't be scared, Corney, He knows into
my soul, yes! He knows where to send 'em
! to Ezra Potts and wife, no, hop And
locking the great door he hurried off into
the village.
| of youngsters on street corner, as Ezra
came in sight. "Have you got anything for
us?'' they shouted.
Ho, ho!" he cried, merrily, mot a thing
| it's baby for my wife,"
"a baby for your wife % they all shouted
with boisterous glee. "a baby for your
wife. Hurrah for Father Potts's baby I"
But none of them could believe that Father
Potts really had baby in the queer-looking
bundle he was carrying.
| "Can't we please see your baby?" asked a
| little girl, shyly.
"Why, bless your heart-bless my heart
| bless everybody's heart !-come right along
and have look-all of you come and have a
look. My soul! come and have a look, all
of YOU" And they all scampered along and
hurrahed for Father Potts and his baby, and
for Mother Potts and her baby; and every
fresh recruit that joined the merry rabble
hurrahed as loud and became as wild as any
of them. Tradesmen left their shops and
customers to see what under the sun the
matter was, and customers rushed to the
doors that they, too, might see the goings
Father Potts had found baby on the granite
steps of old st. Johns, and all the quiet vii
lage went wild with Father Potts.
By the time he had reached the door of his
cozy cottage the infant had awakened and
began crying, which made the children
shout the louder, for beyond doubt
Father Potts had real live baby; and Mrs.
Potts, hearing such an uncommon racket,
fastened to the door to discover its cause.
ooh, my belovedw cried Ezra. MY
wife and happiness! Ive such present for
you-O-oh such present. 20 and as the score
of children came trooping in, Mrs. Potts
thought her husband and half the village
had lost their heads, and she was so aston
lSQeu dC sucu stTauS6 pTOCeeulnSS tuaG iOT
a minute she could not have uttered a word
to save herself.
"What have you got, Ezra?" she cried,
when she could lind her tongue.
"a baby. baby, live baby!" shouted
the little rabble.
"What baby-whose baby?" she asked,
looking first at one and then at another of
the group, and scarce believing her own
ears.
"Ours 20 shouted Ezra. "To Ezra Is,
sexton, and Dorothy, his beloved wife, a
daughter.'' And he laughed, and the chill
dren laughed, and Mrs. Potts laughed in
spite of herself, and undoing the bundle she
took out the incest, sweetest little baby any
body ever did see, which made the children
laugh and clap their hands and think that
Father Potts had found the most wonderful
child in the world.
ooh, dearw said Mrs. Potts, "what a.
why, what dear little creature! Whose can
it be, Ezra:"
p" Ours 20 answered Ezra, solemnly.
"Yoursp' cried the children, who had
gathered close around it, as children always
gather around when there is anything to be
seen.