The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-01

just as you did tha lit+Ia H. ~! ,o,"aii
you once, that made vo,, ho,, oma 49,, io,e.
ago" fP' 'Ao'' -'Ae
Ezra, what ia II sbe saws oho,,t o,,., I;.,io
babe? Read that mart over AGAIN y o"' iA'''0
81 beseech Won viii ali IS IS H en,, h.u.
beseech You with theSa syoid;n,e .anrs -
keep my babe. tn watch anJ tnnS omd ooro
for it Just as Won would 'I ,,,,, on" i.t
you did the little life tba, hiassod oy'
that made you so hanny once Iona 400 );
just as Won did tbe IT'LL ,ita biossod
you once, that made vo,, 90 bannv once
| long ago. repeated Mrs Potts handin9 Low
to hide the falling tears ssNoyy oo on Ezra
and finish" w" o. '--' --N'
/ "There are Others ricber In nurse than
| you with whom mioht have 1eft INV child.
but your great richness Of heart your ten,
| der sympathies, YOUR love of God and man
are riches prize for NV babe above the
wicked, fascinating wealth of the world.
which is so alluring, but obi so unsatisfy,
| ing. Oh, God! if my Wretched life had
been as spotless as yours: il the bleak winds
OF temptation had been as gentle to me as
they nave been to YOU; if 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 I he
seech you to keep my innocent darling, to
care Tor it as you would, as you did your
own; and though its parents may have sunk
low uown in the cruel eyes of this cold, win
try world, remember how He, born in
betnlehem manager, gave you that blessed
nope OF redemption which makes your life
| so Dflgnt and glOri0us--and this little babe
MAJ grow to bless and comfort you when
your yesrs are many and your feet are
treH ,2sk.ssi near the grave. Watch over her.
l peseech you; guide her Alright, l beseech
you, ana may Christ bless you; may Christ
bless my baby as He has not blessed its
SUFFERING MOTHER"
IL was very fortunate thing for Ezra
rotts ana wlfe that, Just as he had finished
reading, the babe began to worry and re-
qulre tne combined attention OF the two Joy
i ,ia, P0ttses, Tor 1t would have been most
4llncuit matter Tor either OF them to speak
because OF the tears that filled their eyes and
the great lump that had risen in their
,hroats. In lew minutes, however, sweet
looking Mrs. Potts, in her neat gray dress,
Iriiled cap, ana spectacles, and whose dispo-
sition, by the way, was every bit as amiaDle
as her looks, said very slowly:
have thought, Ezra, ever since you
came IN, that mayoe.maybe 1t was her child
our hltty,s Daoy."
"PshawW cried Ezra, striking his foot
very hard upon the floor and looking as saw
agely, at his beloved wife Dorothy as it was
possible for MIN to 40; Never talk such
nonsense again. | Wouldn't stand it; no,
indeed, wouldn'tP'
perhaps | was wrong in speaking my
mind, Ezra, but, somehow, l couldn't help
it; and, Ezra, don't you think the baby looks
llttle-lust llttle-as she did when she
was smallp
"Nonsense again! =" cried the sexton, hit
ting the floor such second rap with his foot
that it fairly frightened the little creature in
his wife's lap half out of all its little senses.
" II 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
you wouldn't, would he, babyw And she
kissed it half dozen times. and fondled it,
and made sight over it, and then held it up
for Ezra to kiss, which the old fellow did.
q" 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 a very grave face,
though he didn't feel grave-not bit, good,
clever old soul.
Lord bless u.s." cried Dorothy. SIT 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"
"Oh, my Lord!" cried Ezra. ooh, my
soul, what woman My soul, what wife
and what ba-bee! Yes, to Ezra Potts,
sexton, and Dorothy, his wife-a daughter
praise the Lord, a daughter" And Ezra
laughed and shook himself, and laughed
and shook the cottage walls, and set Mrs.
Potts to laughing; which, in spite of all they
could do, set the tears a-rolling 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 came-goodness, what
morning that is to be remembered lit was
such a time as was never known before or
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.