Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-02-06

the cruel neglect and abuse Of man
kind.
"a living cbildl" exclaimed the as
founded and somewhat horrified Able
Grimes. "And if I've killed it there'l
be the deuce to pay"
Yes, Abiel Grimes, and the Lord II
settle with besides.
For a few moments an almost paral
wing terror had possession of this maj
of iron, while another pitiful wall cam'
up to him from that living bundle at hi
feet.
What should he do2
Leave the little thing to perish. and
have murder on his conscience aud the
coroner at his door?
Call policeman and have ii removed
and report reach the press in such
garbled wav as to mix HIM up in ridic
ulous scandal?
And DEMONSTRATING thought-wha'
If it had already been fearfully injured
by his brutal kickf
Might it not even at that awful mo-
ment be dyings
1t was cold night. but great beads oi
perSpiration came and stood out on the
thin, hard face of Ablel Grimes.
At that moment rollcking 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.
Heavensl they had already seen him
and what if they should hear and see
the child; and find it dying from hi:
brutality?
There were courts where men were
tried for murder. and Abiel 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 veSti-
bule, and shut the world out just as
those merry young bloods went singing
laughing, shouting, reeling and roilick-
ing past the dark frowning windows OF
his bachelor abode
fastening to his own elegant sitting
room. where his sister sat waiting for
him, Abiel 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, ''here's
some beggar's child that I've just STUN
bled over on nv step, and | want YOU tC
see if / killed it.
He did not dare to say he had kicked
il over. even to her.
The poor sister had kind heart-she
had been a wife and mother, and had
lost both mother and child-and she
tenderly took the poor little waif. un,
rolled it. examined it, and then soothed
and kissed. and hugged and fondled it
| till it opened its sweet little blue eyes
and fairly laughed in her face.
"Oh, you dear little darling!" she
cried, completely oblIvious in her alb
sorbed delight to the presence of heI
ogreish brother.
well" he snapped out at length ii;
the child hurt'''
''Oh. no; she does not appear to be,
Abiel."
Then throw the she into the fire!''
he cried. with savage stamp OF his
foot.
OF course he did not mean TO have
his sister literally obey his murderous
order. but only to understand that the
child must be put out of his way, and
that he would have nothing more to dC
with it.
'Oh, Abiel, brother, let me keep it
and rear it, and call it mine," pleaded
the lone hearted sister II want some.
thing to love in my declining years
Let me have this See, dear Abiel
how sweet the darling looks. and how i
smiles. even now upon you"
And the little baby did at that mo-
ment chance to throw out its little hand:
towards the iron man, and did seem Il
smile at him just as babies have before
now been known to smile upon theil
murdererS.
BAIL" grunted Abel Grimes. as ht
turned away.
But he had not escaped scathless. Z
a beam from that baby's eyes had
darted into his, and that beam had car
ried ray of Gods sunshine from that
pure, innocent soul right straight down
into his, warming one tiny little spot,
and exciting one of the strongest sensa
tions of his life.
Abiel hurried off to bed, without
putting on his slippers or making hi:
punch, leaving his sister Griselda alone
with the child.
She found and prepared some milk
for it, and secretly avOwed 1t should
never leave her.
That night Abel Grimes dreamed
that little baby's blue eyes were lookin,
at him; and he got up and hurried OF
the next morning, as If to escape from
the little one and himself.
AS he made no further protest his sis
ter kept the child in the mansion, bu
out of his sight, and told the servant
it was an unexpected Christmas pres
ent, which she priced morehighly thar
gold.
One day. seven or eight months later
Abiel came Unexpectedly into his owl
Isitting-room, and found the bright an
playfnl little one tied in chair, ham
mering its little chubby fists on tn
cushion before it, and talking to Itsel
in the unknown language of babydom
"Hello!" said Abel Grimes, haltin:
in front of it; ''you here yet, ma
dame?"
"Jal Jal cool cool" answered baby
looking up with laugh, and maxim
both hands and feet fly up and down a
if attached to springs.
Again something shot from tha. pun
little soul into the dark, hard soul {
Ahiel Grimes.
"COnfound it." he muttered Il b
lieve you're a witchr'
ia ia goo goo ! ia gool' laughe
baby all full of springs.
The next moment she was up in tho:
strong arms, and her little velvet chez
was softly pressed against his lips.
II am glad didn't kill yOul' he SAID
At that moment his sister came hui
rying into the room, but paused wit
| fright and astonishment on seeing h'
brother present, aud baby in his arm
'sThe only child l ever saw that
: could bear to handle, ''he observed, wit
/ kind of sheepish look, as he placed Il
{ little one IN her arms.
Oh, Abiel, she Is an angel sent fro
8 heaven for the comfort of us both
l cried Griselda with warming enth