Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-03-16

ss,.sS. s.,55 .COy;3%8:, ny. If. i5.rs /. s'9.s. 9aa.
the cos l}~ many ntln P'rsstss5s Is tGere Of II
them, ssTP,I$1|byan. There. til. n,.,,t..,
girl, fat lr, you ever saw, an old lady .
who KEEP looking at me, and three
gentlemaA1"
"Welgny boy, wen try and make
'em comfortable. You better 90 an |
see 'boS rooms being got ready for
'em, ~ I'll ride down to bring 'em
Bobb amounted, and, throwing the
bridlee p over the hitching-post,
n'lf0oked after him, and mutter-
ing to Lmself, Il decla,' that boy gets
better every day" prepared to ride
down TO tho rescue Of the passengers.
1t was not long before the whole party
reached the house, glad enough for the
chance of staying there until they
could 20 On with their journey. it
consisted of Mrs. Barnston and Mr..
BarnstOn, his niece, Miss Edith Uovee.
and two friends of theirs. Messrs
James and Flynn. Sandy's welcome
was SO cordial, and he was so unaf-
.ectedly glad to see them. that all idea
of fornlality vanished, AMI before sup
per time the 'hole party had become
as familiar rs oil friends. Bob
seemed 10 get along very well with
Miss Edith, and while Sandy and
the other gentlemen chatted to-
gether, the young peo. Ie talked
about anything and everything
that could frrnish topic OF conyersa-
ton. b. tn Sandy and Bob noticed
that Mrs. Barnston was very silent
and that she did not seem to be able TO
keep her eyes off the young mans face.
She would look at him with half puz-
zled and most anxious expression until
she saw that she was noticed by the
othr~g, sghen, with an effort, she would
join in Fhe general conversation.
Aftee supper the whole party went
out upon the piazza, when the men lit
their Hgars and talked. At lengtl
S9ady I9ho never missed a chance o.
= .|s boy off, called up Bob t,
iaa, Ban, .s1aes began, in beauti
=, ta,5 S5ii,atstily left t1o l.le " e1siS
Il lluSp'ilu followed her and after shor
absence absence returned. Turning to Sandy
o.. ." must excuse my wife. Mr.. Nc.
culiariy dl5t she lost her first husband
your sons singing has age. age .HGes' an" 'a
Of her first husbands S voice that sli l>o, iesyas
unable to stay with us"
Sandy paused for a minute before re-
plying, and then in de p tone said
Bob amt my son"
Not your son Why, | thought
but | beg your pardon, said Mr.. Barn
ston.
"Pardon's granted, said Sandy, sen
tel tiously. "What l mean is. amt
Bob's real father. He's my son in affec-
ton and in love, but he amt my natural
sol"
well, if you'll excuse my curiosity,
where did you get h.m?"
Its sixteen years ago now," said
Sandy, slowly, that | was riding
along the South Platte. One day /
came across a place whar the red
tiCnds had been fghtin' a train. when
come thar ther' weren't no man alive
nor no horses nor nothin'. | rode
along an l hearn a kind o wall, feeble
like l stopped an listened, an then
| looked whar the sound come from
and | found Bob thar, nothin' but a
kid he were then, in "a"
" You found him in the wagon-box
Oh, for Gods sake, say you found him
thee Z. and Mrs. Barnston fairly ran
from the door in which she was stand
ing and threw her arms about Bob's
neck, turning her head toward Sandy
as she spoke
S'ndy started, and half rose from his
chai, Then looking at Bob with an
ye ull of affection for a moment, he
allowed his gaze to rest upon the eager
face of the woman. Then he said,
slowly:
Thar wer' somethin' as l found
alongside O the little one"
IL know" said Mrs Barnston, "the
half Of bracelet"
Sandy nodded, and in a wild, inartic-
ulate cry of delight Mrs. Barnston fell
fainting on the floor. The spectators
Of this intensely dramatic scene hast
ened to her asst tance, and when she
recovered it was to find the arms of her
son around her. She hugged him, kissed
him, laughed and cried at the same
time over him. She called him her
boy, her Willie, her darling-eYery
term of endearment ever heard she
laylshed upon him. Bob or Willie
Thorndike, as his name really was,
behaved very well. While it was i'm
possible for him to realize that he had
found anew name and a mother, he
YET showed a great deal of affection.
lie was the first to realize, however.
that Sandy had left them.
Mother" he said, "father must be
tod that this makes no difference.
Come with me-"
Mrs. Barnston got up, and holding
her sons arm tightly went with him.
lhey found Sandy walking to and fro
outside the house.
Mother" said Will, "you must
speak to father. He has been a true
f:ther to me-"
AT the sound of the title he had so
.ong been accustomed to, Sandy turned
toward them.
Father" continued Will. "I have
.ound mother, but 1 have not lost
:" do not know what to say to you"
legan Mrs. Barnston; words would
'e poor and weak, God bless you, Mr..
dcGoyern, and He vii! bless you for
faaE you have done, | cannot thank