Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-03-24

OF her first huSDandS voice tnaC Sne was
unable to stay with us"
Sandy paused for a minute before re-
plying, and then in deep tone said :
Bob amt my son."
"Not your sonl why, thought =
but 1 beg your pardon" said Mr.. Barn
ston.
"Pardon's granted" said Sandy, SEN
tertiously. "What l mean is, l amt
Bob's real father. He's my son in affec-
tion and in love, but lie amt my natural
son."
"Well, if you'll excuse my curiosity,
where did you get him?"
"It's sixteen years ago now," said
Sandy, slowly, "that L was riding
along the South Platte. One day L
came across a place whar the red
fiends had been fightin' train. When
l come thar ther' weren't no man alive
nor no horses nor nothin'. l rode
along an 1 hearn kind O wall feeble
like. stopped an listened, an then
l looked whar the sound come from,
and found Bob thar, nothin' but a
XIII no were Gnen, Ill a
"You found him in the wagon-boX
Oh, for Gods sake, say you found him
there p 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.
Sandy started, and half rose from his
chair. Then looking at Bob with an
eye full of affection for moment, he
allowed his gaze to rest upon the eager
face of the woman. Then he said,
slowly:
"Thar wer' somethin' as 1 found
alongside O the little one"
81 know" said Mrs. Barnston, 'the
half of a bracelet
Sandy nodded. and in wild, inartic-
ulate cry of delight Mrs. Barnston fell
fainting on the floor. The spectators
of this intensely dramatic scene hast
ened to her assistance, and when she
recovered it was to find the arms other
son around her She hugged him, ks ;ed
him, laughed and cried at the same
time over him. She called him her
boy, her Willie, her darling-every
term of endearment ever heard she
lavished 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 great deal of affection.
He was the first to realize, however,
that Sandy had left them.
Mother" he said, "father must be
told that this makes no difference.
Come with me-"
Mrs. Barnston got up, and holding
her sons arm tightly went with him.
They found Sandy walking to and fro
outside the house.
Mother" said Will, "you must
speak to father. He has been true
father to me-"
At the sound of the title he had so
long been accustomed to, Sandy turned
toward them.
Father" continued Will, Il have
found a mother, but l have not lost
you"
"I do not know what to say to you"
began Mrs. Barnston; "words would
be poor and weak. God bless you, Mr..
McGovern, and He will bless you for
what you have done. 1 cannot thank
you, but can pray to Him that He
will. Do not think that / wish to
take VIII away from you. You have
been father to him, and it is right
that he should be your son. But he is
my boy, my darling"
"Wa'al, marm," said Sandy, as his
face softened into a smile as full Of
as a May morning, grasp
ing, as bespoke, Wills hand, "thar amt
no reason, as knows, why we can't both
love this youngster. He's good boy,
as good as they make 'em, and reckon
we can range things so as to suit all
parties. You an your husband had
better stay on the ranch for month or
two, and wen have plenty of time to
talk it all ont. l was afeared," con-
tinued Sandy, after a pause, "as how
might hev lost the boy long O. your
comm, but sees that amt so, an l
bless God for the joy Hehas given you
this day. Let's all 60 into the house
and talk it over"
And so it was arranged. Mr.. and
Mrs. Barnston and Edith stayed at the
ranch for three months. During that
time Wills mother had chance to tell
how she had been carried off by the
Indians and rescued by the United
States troops within a week;
how she had met her then
husband some eight years
afterward and married him, and how
she had never ceased thinking about