The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1882-01-14
A DROVER S STORY.

drover. and | live miles and miles away,
upon the Western prairie. There wasn't
a house within sight when we moved
there my wife and l and now we have
not many neighbors, though those We
have are good ones.
One day, abont ten years agn, | went
away from home to sell some fifty head of
cattle, fine creatures as ever | saw.
was to buy some groceries and d'y goods
before | came back. and, above all, doll
for our.youDgest Dolly. She never had
shop doll Of her own, on'y the 'ag babies
her mother bad made her. Dolly could
talk Of nothing else, and went down to
the very gate to call after me. Nobody
but parent can understand how my
mind was on that tor, and how, when
the cattle was sold, the first thing |
hurried of to buy was Dolly's doll, |
found large one, with eyes that would
open and shut when you pulled wire,
and had it wrapped up in paper and tuck
ed it under my arm, while | had the par
GELS Of calico and delaiue, and tea and
sugar, put up. 1t might have been more
prudent to stay until morning but | felt
anxious to get back, and eager to hear
Dolly's prattle about the doll she was sc
auxiously expecting.
I mounted on steady going old horse
Of mine, and pretty well loaded. Night
set 10 before | was a mile from town. and
settled down as dark as pitch while | was
in the middle of The widest bit Of road |
know Of, could have felt my way
through, | remembered it so well; and it
was almost that. when the storm that bad
been brewing broke, and pelted the rain
in torrents, FIVE miles. or may be six, from
home. | rode on as fast as | could; but
suddenly heard little cry, ike a child's
voice. stopped short and listened. |
heard it again. called, and it answered
me. | couldn't see thing. All was
dark IS l got down and felt sbout'iu the
grass, called again, and again | was an
slw-fed. Then | began to VITO Be- dro
rot ti'nid but "51ney about me. am
Sef' AID to haiGss,-not very; but how
could real child be out on the prairie in
puah night at such an hour! 1t might
be more than human. The bit of cow
ard that hides itself in most men showed
itself 20 me then, and | was balfiuclined
to run away, but once more heard that
piieous cry, and, said |. 'If any mans
chile IS here-abouts, Anthony Hunt is
rot the man to let it lie here to die" |
searched again. At last. | bethought me
OF a hollow under the hill, and groped
that way. Sure enough, ! found little
dripping thing that moaned and sob5ed
ss | took it in my arms. | called my
horse, and ths beast came to me; and |
mounted and tucked the little soaked
thing under my coat as well as | could,
promising to take it home to nanny.
1t seemed tired to death, and pretty soon
cried itself to sleep against my bosom.
1t had slept there over an hour, when |
saw my own windows. There were lights
in them, and | supposed my wife had lit
them for my sake but when got into
the yard, l saw something was the mat
te7, and stood stil with dread fear of
heart five minutes, before l could lift the
latch. At last, | did it, and saw the room
full Of neighbors, and my wife amid them
weeping. When she saw me, she hid her
face.
'Oh, don't tell him !" she cried. at
will kill him"
"What IS it, neighbors e. cried.
And one said !: Nothing now, | hope.
What's that in your arms :"
"a poor lost child" said I: II found it
on the road Take it, will you! I've turned
faint" And lifted the sleeping thing,
aud saw the face Of my own child, my lit
lie Dolly.
1t was my little darling. and no other,
that | had picked up upon the drenched
road. Ny little child who had wandered
out to meet "dsddy" and the doll, While
her mother was at work, and whom they
were lamenting as one dead. thanked
God on 'py knees before them all. 1t is
net much Of a story, neighbors ; but |
think of it often in the nights, and won
der how could bear to live now if had
not stopped when head the cry for
help upon the road,-;he little baby cry,
hardly louder than squirrels chip.
All, friends, the blessings of our work
cfteu comes nearer to our homes than WI
ever dare to think.