The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-03-10

~
the storm, was more distinctly seen.
A miserable, stunted boy, thinly clad,
without cap or shoes, and stockings,
crouched over the fire, holding his
persisted hands TO the warmth. He
had red hair, large blue eyes, and a
gentle, intelligent face. Peggy Don
mel felt her heart draw toward BIN at
once.
"Poor wean; but you're kilt wi
the wet an cold. Did you come far
the day ?" she asked.
The poor lad lifted his large soft
eyes to her face without speaking.
"Be seated an warm yourself; the
guide man makes you welcome
The boy sat down on the stool she
placed for him before the IRE, and
smiled at her in silence.
"Who had the heart to let the
likes O you travel the night :? What
do they call you, my poor wee man ?"
No answer. II declare he's dummy,
john" cried she; "the poor wean p
The storm ragged on, but the wan
derer was safe and happy. He
stretched out his bare feet on the
warm flag stone, and the steam rose
from his rags, which had been soaked
through with the rain. Meanwhile
Peggy set back her wheel, lifted the
pot from the crook, and filled a
wooden bowl with mealy potatoes.
The boy eyed them hungrily and
when she spread handful Of salt on
a stool, and put tin of milk into his
hand, he required no further invita-
ton.
John Donners i'll temper vanished
as he watched the child eat his sup
per, and heard his signs of content
ment.
Where shall he sleep? Tim
O'Brien's beds no made yet"
"I'll shake straw in the corner
there near the fire." replied Peggy,
can throw a wheen sacks over him"
cay; it'll be better nor the back
O. dixie Pm thinking" returned
John.
Inc poor creature was now quite
dry and warm he laid down on the
straw that the kind woman prepared
for him, but he first caught hold of
her hard hand and pressed his lips
| upon it It. s--t---s--'a
Look, John, look !" cried she
with tears in her eyes "did you ever
see the like O that ?''
1t was twenty years since child
had slept under that roof, full twenty
years since small black coffin had
been carried down the mountain,
containing Peggy Donnels son, and
more than half her heart She
dreamed of her dead son that night
as she had not dreamed for long
time. She tancied that he came to
her bedside and begged her to be
good to the friendless child for his
sake. The storm lulled before dawn,
and by the time the Donnels got up
to their work the stranger was up
also. When Peggy took her milk
pail, prepared to so out to the byEe,
he sprang forward and took it from
her hand. SmiGngly she consented
to let him help her milk Motley and
Buttercup and strain up the milk
then, while she made breakfast, he
signed to John that it was his wish
to assist him also. Very useful he
was in finding the cattle, and driving
them to fresh grazing ground; and
he did hundred helpful things dur
ing the day.
He's sight better than Tim
OBrien. Let us keep him, an he'll
be as good boy as we could get, i
said John Donnel that evening.
"What name shall we call him ??
asked Peggy, quite pleased at her
husbands proposal.
"Niel wad he a good enough name,' y
thought John.
So the dumb boy was called "Niel, u
was given suit OF grey freize and
socks, and became the servant instead
OF the truant, Tim O'Brien.
A season of extraordinary prosper
lty began for the Donnels from the
day Mel came to them. No acct
dents happened to the cattle that
winter or spring; the hens laid dill
gently, SO that Peggy made quanti-
ties of money by selling eggs; the
churn was always so full Of butter
that the staff would hardly move in
it; and butter was bringing eighteen
pence per pound in Letterkenny mar
ket. If Donnel sold, he gained more
than his neighbors; if he bought
everything was cheap for him.
"We did weel to shelter the boy,'