The Northern Pacific farmer., 1882-11-09
JOHN GEDNEY'!S CHILD.

They were taking down the gallows
in the Jail yard of old Henchley, one
gray October evening,-the evening OF
Friday, which has been set apart for ex.
ecutions from time inmemorial.
That morning there had been the
strange aud awful procession from the
Jail; the last good-byes Of jailers and
keepers; and last words ofthe condemned
man: the clergyman's prayer: the
terrible end. Amidst it no woman's
sobs, no terrible parting from Shrek
ing wife, as happens often in such
cases. Nobody knew whether John
Gedney's wife was dead or not He
never spoke of her. But he had said,
just before they put the black cap on
his head
"May God raise up friend for my lit
tie Ruth Poor little Ruth! And let her
always feel hat die Innocent"
Now a coffin lay in the prison dead
house, and the murderer, with peaceful
white face and peaceful crossed hands
awaited burial; and the clergyman, going
home across the fields, thought what a
sad, bad, cruel world this is, and re-
membered, too, the dead mans last
words,
"Poor little Ruth! / think I'll stop and
speak to her before 20 home," he said
'4The child knows nothing Of what has
happened to her, but it has happened
nevertheless"
And with this the good man turned
downa certain street, passed certain neg
lected cottages, where ducks and dirty
children padded together in the puddles
before the doors, and paused at one near
whcih a group of slatternly gossips had
gathered.
They looked at him as he approached,
and there was little smoothing OF
aprons and twisting up of hair. The
tongues ceased to wag for moment, and
the minister heard from within the voice
ofa child, lifted in loud, sharp cry, and
then the words. "You tell story!" in
the same voice, In minute more lit
tie girl with her bright hair all about her
face, rushed out Of the door, followed by
Il woman, who looked half angry and
half terrified.
'Such temperr she said; "but no
wonder. What else can you expect?"
"Oh Mr.. Martin, she said papa was a
wicked man; bad man." cried the
child. "She 3 id don tknow what she
said about my papa. Has papa done
anything like-llke-Oh! l know; it's a
wicked story"
"What have you been saying to this
child, Mrs. Chalmers?" asked the min
lister.
"Well, sir, said Mrs. Chalmers, "She
shows her temper and l thought it was
my duty to warn her."
Against temper? Very proper, Mrs.
Chalmers, said the minister. "There is
nothing more dangerous"
The woman flushed little and was
silent.
''Tell them my papa is good," cried
the child. You SAID you would see him
every day where he had to 20 and live.
Tell them. Oh Mrs Marlin when is pa
pa &C ming back?"
"My Child" said the minister, "your
father wlll'not come back, but you shall
one day 60 to him. Not yet but in Gods
time. A little while ago / WAS with
him."
He looked around upon the group of
women.
owe were alone. He knelt beside mo
and prayed as child might. When we
parted this was what he said:
MAY God raise up friend for little
Ruth. Poor lit le Ruthp'
Good has answered his prayer. Mrs.
Chalmers, get the cllilds hat and such
clothes as she may have. l will take
her home with me and keep her tber...'
"She ought TO be very thankful, I'm
sure, SIR" said Mrs. Chalmers, with a
very red face; ''ior otherwise, as she
has no kith or kin she'd 60 to the poor
house; and little Andy shall bring the
clothes to your house after her. Itsnot
old gowns to make her aprons, and Civ
en- her cape OF my little Sally's to keep
her warm"
And Mrs. Chalmers looked arnund at
her neighbors for praise of her benevo-
lence, which they gave in mods and
hand -liftings; and in moment more
the little Shaker hood was ON the child's
head, and she was walking over the field
with her new protector.
The minister's good, kind wife vel
coined the child heartily, an under
their roof she grew to be healthy and
strong and p1ettv, her principles were
formed, her faults corrected. She was
at sixteen as fine and well hammered &
young girl as could be seen in q years
Journey.
She loved her adopted father and
mother, and honored them, and she was
friendly aad kind to all. But malice and
ignorance are never to be trusted. Al.
though the best people in Henchley
called Ruth lovely girl, the gossips
down in the hollow, envious of the fac
that her education and dress were bet.
ter than their own children's, and that
she walked up the aisle and sat in the
minister's pew every Sunday, was calle'
my child'' by his wife and miss" by
his servants, were always speaking tc
each other of the fact that her father wa:
hung, and taught the story to the young
er ones, with the additional precept tina
such folks children never came to goo,
that the minister would be sorry some
turn out we'll in the end. Unconscious
of this, good Mrs. Martin often sent the
young girl into that quarter Of the towr
with glasses of jelly or loaves ofbread fo1
the poor old women. little tea or SUI
gar, and with charge to read chapter
before she came back. Ruth Gedne1
accomplished the task, but sometime.
With repugnance. More than once crue
things were said to her, and once wher
she was reading to oil Aunty Markham
who had drunken son and miserable
puny grandson who was not quite full
witted, the latter danced on the floor be-
fore her, calling out.
"Your father was hung. and vou'l
come to be hung, too, Miss Ruth; every
body says So"
Mrs. Chalmers, the very person whc
had "said So" boxed the boys ears anc
| slid something apOlogetic; but Ruth wal
too angry to stay; she went home forget
ting to give old Auntie Markham hel
medicine. and her finished face and re<
eyes attracted The minister's attention
The good wife could not explain It; 81
Ruth was questioned. She told the truth
81 know my poor father met with tina
shameful death" she said, "but certainl,
even if he was guilty, it was not my fault
nave heard spite'ul things before, bu
this time it made me furious. Oh: 81
furious! l hated the chiid-l hated Mrs
Chalmers; I could have killed them both
Oh. yes, I was angry enough for that
And came away. wlth "a or hal