The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-02-21


earn money to pny Granny Crane for
doin' chores for Dick. l never saw
nuthin' like it, m atweeu Doll nn'
Dick, Pops a happy old man..
The child had listened and eaten un-
til he could not eat no more. He now
pushed away his plat1, and sprang into
Dolls arms, wbife the young woman
looked prondlxAt the 1n!r head leaning
its curls again6t her husbands shoulder.
At this inst1nt there enme loud rap
ping Mt tlio. door, and she hurriedly
rose to openk gcr hbove the din OF tho
storm came . fAniliar voice.
Hello, there! let me in ii cried.
Merry Christmas TO You all!'
why, what on airth. Zoe. has
brought yon ont such night as this ?"
said Doll, still with Dick in his arms,
but rising to meet the visitor.
Somebody n-dyin'g' suggested Pop.
Not just ut present." answered the
Doctor, with twinkle in his eye, and
pulling off his wet things-"not just at
present. I've only called in with lit
tie triHc for Dick, seeing it's Christmas,
and to say that somebody wants So"
Nobody wants Dick nobody can
have Dick, put in Doll, hnrriedly; and
the child clung to him still closer.
"Wait till have said my say,' re-
piled the Doctor. "How do you know
anybody wants him."
II don't. / beg your pardon, Doc.
But I'm always afraid Of somebody
claiming him"
Nobody SHALL" whispered the boy,
kissing Doll.
Suppose somebody wants an heir
to some propsrty?'
@Well, what OF that?'
"And suppose that heir happens to be
boy called DickS"
@Nonsense!"
as it, indeed? Well, Just read this
advertisement, and this, and this
pulling out paper after paper and cut
ting after cutting, and ending with a
bundle tied with red tape. .Here
have ] been writing letters to lawyers
and al sorts Of people, using oil my
spare time, doing my best to unravel
o very much twisted slsein, and these
are the thanks I get
Doll said no more but opened the
papers and read. Pop, too, got out
his spectacles, and plodded through .
limo or two, but gave up in despair.
And then they all waited, with only
the cracking of the fire and the kissing
of the tea-kettle breaking the silence.
At last Doll stopped reading while
they oil looked expectantly up ut him.
His face had q strange expression AZ he
again took the fair-haired boy in his
| arms.
Dick" he said, I'm afeard it'l
true. an that ye'll be rich man."
Dicks blue eyes filled as he saw
Dolls grave face, and he put his arms
around Dolls neck.
Yes, Dick. there's no doubt about
it. We little thought, Pop an /, ter
years ago this sery.night. that tho lit
tie hungry crying balv We brough,
home from the sea would live to 10 .
big boy such as you, nor that. bein' :
boy, ye might grow to be man, an Z
rich one at that. No, Dick, We didn't
but We loved .ye all the same. An
now, Dick. yc must promise me tha
veil never forgit what We owe to tn,
tine who gave 20 to Pop. and that vel
he good--be--'
Doll could not say another word, but
buried his face in Dicks curls. ant
there was again silence in the room
until the Doctor jumped up and made ,
great racket getting his things togeth
er. and coughing. and saying it wa,
time for him to be off,
1t was really true. Tho wealth wa.
not SO very great, hut Dick, being tn,
only survivor Of both his parents, mic,
little sum had been growing all thi
time. Had not Pop carefully saved ,
handkerchief and ring with letters in
side it, which he hail found in . trunl
washed ashore at the same time that h
found Dick, there would have beel
much trouble in proving who the chill,
was.
| Dick, Of course, had to he educated
and after while left his humble home
but he never forgot Pop or Doll, an,
always spent Christmas Eve with them
I-Harper's Young Folks.