Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-01-14
A DROVER'S STORY.

My name is Anthony Hunt. I al
a drover, and live miles and miles ava.
upon the Western prairie. Their
wasn't q house within sight when W
moved there, my wife and I, and nov
we haven't many neighbors, thongl
| those we have are good ones.
One day, about ten years ago, | wen
away from home to sell some fifty
head of cattle--fine creatures ~ ever
saw. was to buy some groceries ant
dry goods before ! came back, and,
above all, a doll for our youngest,
Dolly; she had never had store doll Of
her own-only the rag babies hel
mother had made her.
Dolly could talk of nothing else and
went down TO the very gate to call at
ter mo TO buy..a big one. Nobody but a
parent can understand how full my
mind was of that toy, and, how when
the cattle we're sold, the first thing l
hurried off to buy Dolly's doll. l
found large one, with eyes, that
would open and shut when you pulled
a wire, and had 1t wrapped up in pa
per, and tucked it under my arm,
while | had the parcels Of calico and
delaine and tea and sugar put up.
Then, late az it was l started for home.
1t might have been more prudent to
stay until morning but ! felt anxious
to get back and eager to hear Dolly's
praise about her doll.
was mounted on steady going old
horse OF min", and pretty well loaded.
Night set in before was a mile from
town, and settled down asdark az pitch
while | was in the middle of the wild
est bit of road knew of. could have
felt my way, though | remembered it
80 well h III 1t not been for the storm,
which pelted the rain in torrents, while
was,stll live or six miles from home
rode on rs fast AZ | could, but all of
q sudden | heard little cry like a
child's voice, stopped short and list
ened-l heard it again. called and 1t
me. couldn't see thing;
all was dark as pitch. got down and
felt about in the grass called again
and again and was answered. Then
began to wonder, I'm not timid, but |
was known 10 be a drover and to have
money about me. 1t might be q trap to
catch lne unawares and rob and murder
me.
am not superstitious-uot very; but
how could "a real child he out in the
prairie in such night, at such an hour?
1t might be more than human.
The bit OF a coward that hides itself
ia most men showed itself in me then,
and | was half inclined to run away, |
but once more | heard that cry, aud
said l.:
"If any mans child is hereabouts,
Anthony Hunt is not the man to let IL
lie"
| searched again. AT last bethought
ne OF a hollow under tbs hill, and
yroped that way. Sure enough found |
! little dripping thing, that moaned
md sobbed as took IL III my arms.
allied my horse, and the beast came to
ne, and mounted, and tucked the
little soaked thing under my coat rs
veil as could, promising 70 take it
ZONE TO nanny. 1t see"ed tired to
.eath, and pretty soon cried !tselt to
leep against my bosom
1t had slept there over an hour when
saw my own window. There were
lghts IN them, and supposed my wife
ad lit them for my sake; but when
OF into the dooryard | saw something
vas the matter, and stood still with a
cad fear of heart five minutes before
could lift the latch. Az last did lift
!, and saw the room full of neighbOrs,
nd my wife amid them weeping.
When she saw me she hid her face,
ooh, don't tell him." she said. SIT
1ill kill him"
"What is it, neighbors p | cried.
And one said.
"Nothing now, hope. What's that
! your arms %
IA poor, lost child" said L 81 found
on thu road. Take it, will you? | We
lrned saint" And | lifted the sleep
IL thing, and saw the face Of my own
HID, my poor Dolly.
1t was my darling, and none other,
nat / had picked up upon the drench-
| road.
MY little child had wandered out to !
IeeU daddy and the doll, while her
Iother WAS at work and they were la. ,
entiug her as dead. | thanked heav- I
4 on my knees before them all. Ii is
ot much OF a story, nelghbors, but
link of it often, in the nights, and I
onder how | could bear to live now i'll /
had not stopped when heard the cry !
r help upon the road, the little baby, d
irdly louder than squirrels chirp. \
That's Dolly yonder with her mother G
the meadow, girl worth saving | I
ink (but then I'm her father anu par r