The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-06-02

every within.
Abicl Grimes assembled tho high mar
BILE steps in no pleasant frame OF mind.
1t had been a long disagreeable day
to him, because everybody had been toe
happy to feel the venom of hate with
which he regarded them. |t.a
On the upper step he paused in as
constituent, which soon merged into
rage.
Somebody had left basket on that
step--a basket with a handle to it; a
basket filed with something which the
fast-falling snow had already covered
with thin pure mantle of white.
1.-The Internal carelessness or impu-
dence of some servant or beggar," NUT
tered Abel Grimes through his shut
teeth, as he raised his foot and gave that
basket vigorous kick.
He intended to kick it clear from his
cold, hard marble step--not colder and
harder than his own marble heart-in-
TO the middle Of the street. But his de-
sign miscarried.
The basket struck against the iron
rail, bounded back, fell over, and q
small bundle rolled out.
Then from that small bundle came a
feeble wail--a human wail-a cry Of
innocence appealing to Heaven against
the cruel neglect and abuse of mankind.
"A living child" exclaimed the as
founded and somewhat Mortified Abel
Grimes. And if I've killed it therell
be the deuce to pay"
Yes, Abel Grimes, and the Lord to
settle with besides.
For few moments an almost par
alyzing terror had possession OF this
man OF iron, while another pitiful wall
came up to him from that living bundle
at his feet.
What should he do?
Leave the little thing to perish, and
have murder on his conscience and the
coroner at his door?
Call policeman and have It remov-
ed, and report reach the press in such
a garbled way as to mix him up in a
ridiculous scandal
And startling thought-what if
it had already been fearfully injured by
his brutal kick?
Might it not even at that awful mo-
ment be dying?
1t was cold night, but great beads
of perspiration came and stood out on
the thin, hard face of Abel Grimes.
At that moment = rollicking party OF
young men turned the corner of the
street, and came singing. laughing and
shouting forward.
In another minute they would pass his
door
Heavens. they had already seen him,
and what if they should hear aud see the
child; and find it dying from his bru-
tally?
There were courts where men were
tried for murder, and Abel Grimes did
not like to even fancy himself standing
in the felon's dock.
Never did the trembling fingers of
that man work faster than in applying
the key, turning the bolt and forcing
open the door of that palatial mansion.
Then he seized the child and the
basket, sprang into the marble yestibdle,
and shut the world out, just as those
merry young bloods went singing, laugh
ing, shouting, reeling and rollicking past
the dark frowning windows Of his bach
elor abode.
fastening to his own elegant sitting
room, where his sister sat waiting for
him, Abel Grimes fairly burst into the
apartment, white and trembling, with
the living and wailing bundle in one
hand and the basket in the other.
Here, Griselda," cried he, as the sur
prised sister started up in alarm, there's
some beggar's child that I've just stun
bled over on my step, and want you to
see il killed It.
He did not dare to say he had kicked
i over, even 70 her.
The poor sister had kind heart--she
had been wife and mother, and had
ost both mother and child-and she
took the poor little waif, I'M
rolled it,oXamined it, and then soothed
and kissed, and Rugged, and fondled it,
ill it opened its sweet little blue eyes,
and fairly laughed in its face.
"Oh, you dear little darling" she
cried, completely oblivious in her alb
'orbed delight to the presence of her
ogreish brother.
We'll he snapped out at length, "is
The child hurt?'
"Oh, no; she does not appear to be,
Abel
"Ihpn throw tho sba into tha firap |
he cried, with savage stamp OF his
foot.
Of course he did not mean to have his
sister literally obey his murderous or
der, but only to understand that the
child must be put out of his way, and
that he would have nothing more to do
with it,
"Oh, Abel, brother, let me keep it,
and rear it, and call it mine,' pleaded
the lone-hearted sister. IL want some
thing to love in my declining years.
Let me have this See, dear Abel, how
sweet the darling looks, and how it
smiles, even now upon you"
And the little baby did at that mo-
nent chance to throw out its little hands |
towards the iron man. and did seem to |
smile at him, just as babies have before
now been known to smile upon their |
murderers.
"Bah!' grunted Abel Grimes, as he |
turned away.
But he had notescaped scathless.
A beam from that baby's eyes had |
ii rtpl intn hiu and eliza. L.. -