Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-23

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and care for it just as you would your own,
| just as you did the little life that blessed
you once, that made you happy once, long
ago."
| Ezra, what is it she says about our little
babey Read that part over again."
- beseech you with all my broken heart,
l beseech you with these scalding tears TO
keep my babe. to watch and tend and care
for 1t just IS you would your own, Just ~
you did the little life that blessed you once,
that made you SO happy once, long ago."
just as you did the little life that blessed
you once, that made you 80 happy once,
long ago." repeated Mrs. Potts, bending low
to hide the falling tears. NOW 90 ON, Ezra,
"There are others richer In purse than
you with whom might have left my child;
but your great richness Of heart, your ten.
der sympathies, your love Of God and man
are riches prize for my babe above the
wicked, fascinating wealth of the world,
| which Is SO alluring, but oh so unsatisfy-
ing. Oh, God! ii my wretched life had
been as spotless as yours; II the bleak winds
they have been to you; II Christ had tended
me with that unfaltering care He tends the
tiny sparrow, my babe might be calmly
sleeping now on this breast, SO torn and tor
tured with ceaseless agony. Again be-
seech you to keep my innocent darling, to
care for 1t as you would, as you did your
own; and though its parents may have sunk
low down in the cruel eyes Of this cold, win
| try world, remember how He, born in o
Bethlehem manger, gave you that blessed
so bright and glorious-and this little babe
may grow to bless and comfort you when
your years are many and your feet are
trembling near the grave. Watch over her.
| you, and may Christ bless you; may Christ
bless my baby as He has not blessed Its
"SUFFERING MOTHER"
1t was very fortunate thing for Ezra
Potts and wife that, just as he had finished
reading, the babe began to worry and re-
quire the combined attention of the two joy
| full Pottses, for it would have been most
difficult matter for either of them to speak
because of the tears that filed their eyes and
the great lump that had risen in their
looking Mrs. Potts, in her neat gray dress,
frilled cap, and spectacles, and whose dispo-
| sitiOn, by the way, was every bit as amiaDle
as her looks, said very slowly:
81 have thoueht, Ezra, ever since you
came in, that maybe-naybei 1t was her child
Our Kitty's baby"
"Pshaww cried Ezra, striking his foot
very hard upon the floor and looking as saw
agely at his beloved wife Dorothy as it was
indeed, Iwouldn'tv
''Perhaps 1 was wrong in speaking my
mind, Ezra, but, somehow, couldn't help
it; and, Ezra, don't you think the baby looks
little-just little-as she did when she
was smaflY'
"Nonsense again." cried the sexton, hit
ting the floor such a second rap with his foot
that it fairly frightened the little creature In
If you talk any more such internal stuff I'll
sling that bundle plumb into the street.
mind you, plumb into the street."
"Why. Ezraw cried his wife, .'you know
kissed it half dozen times. and fondled it,
and made a sight over it, and then held il up
for Ezra to kiss. which the old fellow did.
Well, Dorothy. you must make up your
mind"
"My mind, Ezra?" she cried. "Make up
mind about what?''
"About keeping it," he answered. point
ing at the baby, with very grave face,
though he didn't feel grave-not a bit, good,
clever old soul.
"Lord bless u.s." cried Dorothy. cit was
all made up just the minute you came in, for
the Lord knew well enough where this little
thing ought to come-of course He did"
ooh, my Lord!' cried Ezra. "oh, my
and what a ba-bee! Yes, to Ezra Potts,
sexton, and Dorothy. his wife-a daughter
praise the Lord, daughter" And Ezra
laughed and shook himself, and laughed
Potts to laughing; which, in spite Of all they
could do, set the tears a-roling down their
cheeks.
They must have been the happiest, jolliest
folks in Connyville that night-or anywhere
else, in fact. But by and by Mrs. Potts put
the baby away to bed and made Ezra go and
sleep in the company chamber. lest he would
forget himself and crush the little creature.
And, Mrs. POtts's word for it, he came to
visit the bed no less than four times in the
night to make himself sure the child had not
been surreptitiously spirited away while his
good wife slept.
When the morning camt-goOdness, what
a morning that is to be remembered.-it was
such time as was never known before OF
since in that house. In the first place, the
good old parish minister came gathering in
before they had eaten breakfast and begged
they would excuse his haste and the absence
of his neckerchief, but he must see that
child. Sakes alive! they'd excuse anything
of him that morning, and he must needs
stay and have some breakfast and offer
thanks afterward, for Ezra said that on that
occasion thanks must be offered by one more
thorough in the business than himself; he
wanted it done up brown, he said-the curl
Gus fellow.
Then came the children trooping back
again, bringing little presents and things:
and soon afterward came all sorts Of older
people bringing larger presents and other
things; and they all made so much Of the
babe and declared it was the most wonder
full little creature anybody ever did see in
that part of the world, or anywhere else.
And the good minister over in the corner
said it all reminded him of that beautiful
scene i'm the stable of Bethlehem, when the
wise men came and gave their gifts to our
newborn Christ. He wanted to know, too,
IL all of them could teach by example the
great lesson of forgiveness He taught; if all
could forgive their repentant debtors as He
forgives us our debts. And Ezra, laying his
hand on the good minister's, said, with
streaming eyes, ''Praise the Lord, ycsv
But such presents Rattleboxes, whistles,
all sorts of dolls, wooden horses and candy
dogs, and a red soldier with blue gun, and
a real gem of cradle from old Isaac's, the
cabinet maker, and Squire Phelps gave it a
hundred dollars in sterling silver. Every
body was so happy, too. II each resident of
Connyvilc had had just such a baby given
them they wouldn't have been one bit hap
pier. No, indeed!
After ali had looked at the baby, and taken
it in their arms and kissed and talked to 1t
to their hearts content-the baby, by the
way, being in the best Of humor and seeming
to enjoy it all-it was taken up to old St.
Johns Church to be christened. That
church had never known such festival like
that before. The village girls had brought
all the flowers the town Afforded, and fairly
filed the chancel full; the evergreens were
so profuse it seemed as IL one had somehow
strayed into o fairy's grove; and the bells