The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-12-19

surprise OF her presence, sne spoke III
q sharp, rasping voice:
$50 you are Annie Brown, are you?
And well looking woman, SO one
looks only at your face. But what
has my sisters child to do with this
filthy room, this tumble-down house.
this forsaken street, and all of this
misery you seem part and parcel of ?
Take your baby, Annie, and come
with me. You shall be lady, child,
as your mother was before you, even
if she did die in the poorhouse. and l,
hand-tied 5000 miles away"
"But John " gasped Annie. when
surprise would let her speak.
"And what of John? ?" cried the
goldwitch sharply. Il offer you a
home such as you never even dreamed
Of. rich dresses, food and jewels has
your John given you such things? Will
he ever give them to your
"John is my husbaad, the father Of
my baby, father of the two God gave
US aud took again; l can not leave
him you knew"
Il know nothing Of the kind" cried
the goidwitch. you are my niece,
my own sisters child your John who
ever he may be. is no kinsman Of
mine: | want nothing of him ; you
say two of your children are dead I; go
will the third one be in this reeking
atmosphere it is suffocating me al
ready. You have no right to kill
your child /; NO right 70 refuse him a
chance such as he will never have
again. As for your John. you may
send him $1,000 tonight. He is a
man they are all alike: he had rather
have the meney than you"
These last two arguments were
strong ones, and illness and poverty
had made Annie weak. There was
more feeble resistance, more golden
promises. and at last she yielded.
Strange and bewildered enough she
felt when the prancing horses stood
before the great uptown hotel where
obsequious walters stood ON every
hand. "Now rest" cried the gold
witch, whose word seemed law unto
Others.
So Annie rested. The bed was
white and fowny; there were laces
aad ribbons Auttering around it; but
in spite of the softness and whiteness
the child that lay Oh her bosom wept
and walled with q low. heart-breaking
cry, and at last the baby, who up to
that day had never spoken any word,
or tried to speak, opened its little
quivering lips and called out loud and
clear
Papa Papa!"
It Was as though the voice of God
spoke to the heart Of the mother. She
sprang from the bed and folded her
worn old shawl about herself and boy.
Close beside the door sat the gold. witch,
soupdly sleeping. With bated breath
and noiseless footsteps she stole past
the old woman. Down the grade stair
way, and through the lofty halls che
sped, looking neither 10 the right hand
ner to the left. She reached her
home at last, dark and dismal as to
outward surroundings, bright with the
memory Of former joys, sacred to the
memory of former SORROWS. The fire
was cut, the hearth was dark. A
msment later and a glad fame leaped
and sparkled, the sleeping baby was
left while his mother converted a few
boarded silver pieces that were to have
bought her . dress into tea, sugar,
crackers, hot rolls, and, while the fit
Of recklessness was strong upon her, q
pint Of cranberries. for old times sake.
Her shopping completed. how Annie,
% it were. few home! How that
CO pissed turkey was forgiven for hav.
ing passed through old Huxleys
hands, and tucked into an even as
warm and comfortable as any high
toned turkey could desire! How the
potatoes danced and tunbled and at
last absolutely burst themselves with
pride at being allowed to participate
h the most luxuriant repast! How
tho cranberries cracked and sputtered
in their load demand for sugar How
light the rolls we're, and how strong
the ten
After the dinner was we'll under
way. Annie had time for vigorous
putting to rights Of the disordsred
room. time even to make the baby |
sweet and clean, a she Was herself, in |
very best dress, the pretty, old fash
Toned empires cloth that had borne,
with some degree Of gentility the wear
and tear Of the last tour years. So
John came home to tidier wife. q
sweeter baby, . seater room and .
GrandeI dinner than Ia had deea med