Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-03-09

don't want to pay any more"
"Baby Mine" was Allies favorite
song. Many night Mrs. Grant had
sung him to sleep, graded close in her
arms, while her thoughts flew far away
to the father, s'sailing DER the sea-"
And baby learned to love it and clap
his little hands when she sang it for
him, and by and by to join in, his
childish voice coming out full and strong
on the s'baby mine.'' He always called
himself by that name, and gradually all
who knew the little fellow followed his
example, and 'Allie' was only used oc-
casionally. But Rose did not feel like
singing just then, and not in the most
gentle manner she put him down. For
a moment he looked at her wonderingly,
then turned and seated himself near the
door.
But some happy thought must have
fitted through the sunny head, for his
face suddenly lighted and he smiled.
"Wose," he said, ''papa's tomin' home,
and Is doin' to meet him.
"Don't be such silly little goesie,"
Rose answered, without looking up from
her book. 'Papa has only been gone a
week, and he won't be home for ever
and ever SO long,
s'But rs dom to meet M papa"
continued Allie; "doin' to meet my
papa"
So deep was Rose in a most interest
ing part of fairy tale, just where a
Prince was to marry snow-white
maiden, whom he had rescued from a
band of robbers, that she was deaf to all
else. So deaf and so blind that she did
not hear the voice of the child as he
prattled to small rubber lamb, tightly
Rugged in his arms, how, 'Baby mine
was doin' to meet dear papa in boo'ful
boat" Nor did she see the little figure
trudging down the path toward the
boat-house. And the boat-how was it
that the rope, always fastened so Sc
curely, was now unknotted and loose?
How was it? None could tell; careless
ness somewhere-that was all they
knew. When Allie reached the wharf,
he went carefully down the two or three
steps leading to the boat, and, jumping
in, took his seat on the bottom. The
motion that he made started it, and
wind and tide both rising at the time,
the boat moved on with its two little
passengers, and ''Baby mine' and the
rubber lamb were soon adrift on the
" idC NdtCIS, " tCil
papa" Drifting with the tide, at the
mercy of wave and rock, yet no thought
of fear entered the baby heart. What
ing over and falling into those cruel
boat, he talked and sang to his little
lamb, And the minutes flew, the sun
sank in fiery glory in the west, lighting
l. .f,,l hull
liancy.
The minutes heightened into hours,
Allie, both tired and hungry, fell asleep,
soothed by the low grooming of the
waves and the rocking of the boat, as it
rose and fell on the water. Still it
drifted, and the twilight shadows fell and
night crept on. By and by the stars
shone in the heavens, and the dark
ocean was all bedecked with jewels
stolen from their twinkling lights. On
swift tide and fresh breeze. Soon the
water, and sailing higher and higher in
a weird, wild beauty of its own, making
a pathway of sparkling white, where
the boat with it precious charge was
floating. Still baby slept, the golden
crowned head resting on the hard
as if pillowed in his mothers arms.
cradle song was sung by the pillows.
Long before this, at Rose Cottage,
Allie was missed. Rosebud had gone
on reading, all unconscious of the out
side world. 1t was not until the room
began to grow dark and her story ended,
that she closed her book with sigh,
and wondered why her mother had not
returned, for it was past the tea hour.
"How quickly the afternoon has
passed." thought Rose; "but, oh, that
story was just too lovely for anything!
wonder what keeps baby so quiet;
perhaps he's gone to sleep on the floor.
I guess I'd better look for the darling"
Rising from her chair, she looked in
all the corners of the room. Allie,
baby dear, where are you?" she called,
but receiving no answer, she thought:
&c Nurse must have come in while was
reading, and taken him away"
But this idea came to a sudden end.
" Please, Miss Rose, I've come to give
baby his supper. Poor little fellow, he
must be quite sleepy by this time, for
was kept longer than 1 thought 1 would
be-
"Why, Ann," began Rose, with wide
open eyes, "haven.t you got him?'
GLOW can have him, when [ have
but just come back?" she answered.
"Then he must be in the kitchen with
cook" said Rose, hurriedly leading the
way to the room. ''kate," she began,
quickly, sis Allie here?''
No, Miss Rose, I've seen nought of
the little fellow since last looked in at
We readin', and him playin' on the
floor"
"Oh, dear, then what has become of
himP" cried Rose, now thoroughly
frightened.
"Don't cry, Miss Rose, We'll find him
yet; he can't have gone far" said Ann,
ssand here's your mamma now, she'll
know what to do"
Half sobbing, Rose told her mother,
keeping nothing back. Quickly Mrs.
Nf:I-o I'D +I,o rr;rlS