The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-05-13
THE COLUMBIAN, VOL. XIV. NO. ]!
COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT, Vol. XLNI, No. j
4 DrOver's Experience.


Ny name is Anthony Hunt am Il
droycr, and live miles away, upon the
western prairie There wasn't house
in sight when we first moved there, my
wife and l. and now we have not many
ncighbors. but those we have are good
ones.
One day. about ten years ago. ! went
away from home to sell some cattIc--line
creatures a. ! ever saw. was to buy
some groceries and dry goods before |
came back. and above all, doll for our
youngest Dolly; she had never had a
shop doll of her own, only the rag babies
her mother had made her. Dolly could
talk of nothing else, and went down TO
the gate TO cali after me 10 "bUy big
one Nobody but a parent can under
stand how my miud was on the toy, and
how when the cattle were sold, the first
thing hurried off TO buy was Dolly :
doll | found large one with eyes
that would open and shut when yOu
pulled wire, and had it wrapped up in
paper and tucked under my arm, while
had the parcels of calicocs and delaincs,
and tea and sugar put up. Itmight have
been more prudent TO stay until morning;
but felt anxious to get back, and eager
to hear Dolly's prattle about the doll she
was so anNiously expecting.
l was mounted on steady going old
horse of mine, and pretty well loaded
| Night set in before J. was mile from
town, and settled down as dark as pitch
while | was in the widest bit of road
knew of. | could have felt my way
through remember it so wcll-.and it
was almost that, when the storm that
had beer brewing broke, and the rain
pclted in torrcnts-ive miles or maybe
six from home. too. ! rode "a fast Il.
| could. but suddenly heard little cry
like childs cry. ! stopped short ',C
listened: | heard it again. called an,
il answered me. couldn't see anything
All was as dark us pitch. got dowr
and felt about in the grass; called agHin
and again | was answered Then | be
gan to wonder I'm not timid; but wa
known to be n drovcr, and to have money
about me- thought it might he tral
to catch me, and then rob and murder
me.
am not supcrstitious vcry--bu
how could Il real child be out on tn,
prairie in such night, at such an hour
1t might be more than human. The hi
of coward that hides itself in most mel
showed itself in me then, and | was hal
inclined to run away; but once more
heard that piteous cry, and | said: II
| Il
Hunt is not the man to let it lie here t,
die"
| searched again At last bethough
me of hollow under the hill, and gropeC
that way. Sure enough, | found a littl
soaked dripping thing that moaned AM
sobbed as | took it in my arms | calle,
my horse and it came to me, and
mounted and tucked the little soake'
thing under my coat rs well as | could
promising to take it home to NANNY
1t seemed tired to death, and prett
soon cried itself to sleep against my be
som.
1t had slept there over an hour whe
| saw my own windows. There wcr
lights in them, and | supposed my wifi
.
got to the door-yard | saw somcthin
was the matter. and stood still with dca
fear of heart two minutes before coul
lift the latch. At last did il and "a,
the room full Of neighbors, and my wifi
amid them weeping. When she IN
she hid her face.
"Oh, don't tell him" she said, 1T wi
kill him
What is it, neighbors?' cried
And one said, Nothing now, | hope
What's that in your arms!
"A poor lost child said I. Il foun
it on the road Take it, will you! "
turned faint.
! And lifted the sleepy thing, and 81
l the face of my own child, my lit
= Dolly.
; 1t was my darling and no other, II;
I. picked up on the dark, drenched road
! My little child had wandered out
! meet daddy and doll while her moth
l was ut work and they were lamenting h
Il us one dead. | thanked God on II
knees before them all. 1t is not mu,
: of Il story, ncighbors, but think of
: often in the night, and wonder how
u could bear to live now if | had II
Il stopped when | heard the baby cry I
help upon the road-thc little bal
cry, hardly louder than asquirel's chin