Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-11-03

Is it the mother?" asked, quickly,
without going into that las. item.
No, mum; haunt, or something in
that line."
Then she can not have it," I deci-
ded, promptly. "No aunt could take
better care of it than Mr.. Jay has; it
would be cruel to take it away now"
every sorry, mum, but rights right,
he can't expect to keep other peoples
children If they wants them; perhaps
I'd better come when he's at home"
VIII shut down the window sharply.
''Kate, I'm afraid poor jays is losing
game"
She was lying cooling to herself in the
corner, and playing with her tiny hands.
It was twenty minutes past six, and Mr..
Jay came in, and took her up in his
gentle way and drew her against his
breast, where he held her for little
while with a loving clasp. Then he
lifted her so that he could look into her
baby-face, and they talked to each other
in language which both understood
the language of the heart. They were
so happy together.
s'There's the policeman again, Will"
I said, little while after Mr.. Jay went
away with his treasure. And my heart
gave a great thump against my side.
He was standing at Mr.. jays door. 81
must see what is going to comeof this"
And ran out.
Mr.. Jay had just opened the door.
The baby was in his arms. There was
a startled look in his face as he saw the
policeman. The shadow of an ap-
preaching evil had fallen upon his heart.
l saw his arms close more tightly around
the little one.
'I've come to see about that baby as
you got from us last year." said the po-
hceman, with professional abruptness,
yet with touch of feeling in his voice.
Mr.. jays face became ashen. He
moved back into the house, as one re-
treating from danger, yet with an air of
conscious helplessness. The policeman
followed, and went in with them.
"The lawful owners of the baby has
turned up, Mr.. Jay. They've been in
Australia. The baby was left to nurse.
They've been advertising for it, said
the policeman.
The poor little man sank into chair,
and bent over with the child in his
arms, laying his face down upon its soft
face.
"They've been long time looking
after the baby" l broke in. eff Mr..
Jay hadn't taken her from the police
station, she would have died in the work.
house, where you were going to send
her."
"Can't help that, mum. Maybe it's
hard on Mr.. Jay if he's got to lovin' the
baby; but the law won't let him keep
other peoples children if they wants to
have them themselves"
The situation was plain, and Mr.. Jay
saw it. He made no resistance. He was
used to self-denial and to loneliness.
The baby had frightened his life for
many months, and it would be brighter
for the reflected brightness of that time
in all his after years.
was not present when the relatives
came and took the baby away, and can
not therefore describe for my readers
the parting scene.
In little while the old order of life
before the baby came went on again.
at twenty minutes of nine
every morning Mr.. Jay let himself out
of his front door, and punctually at
twenty minutes past six in the evening
he let himself in. Every Sunday he
went to church, and in the afternoon
read big, brown volume that we knew
to be the Bible. A casual observer
would have noted no change in Mr..
Jay; but we saw that his steps were
little slower, and that he stopped more
in the shoulders.
"Have you seen the babyp" as ked
Mr.. Jay, few weeks after it was taken
away from him.
"Oh, yes" he replied, soft light
coming into his face. "I 60 every
Sunday, and they let me see her. She's
so bonny! 1 can feel her arms around
my neck all the week afterward, and it's
q comfort to me-"
cit was all wrong" I said.
"No," was his quiet answer. "It is
all right. They can do more for her
than it was possible for me to do. And
then they're her lawful guardians.
1t may be so. But 1 never look at |
Mr.. Jay in his lonely goings out and
comings in, that I do not utter a'silent |
protest against the fate, or whatever |
anyone may choose to call it, which |
robbed him of the bonny baby.