The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-18
The Wee Cry In the Might,

1 No "So SAy M tu0 9Eblte ~"
Ny name is Anthony Hunt. I am q
droyer, and live nine miles ayay ppon
the western prairie. There Wssn't a
house In eight when first moved there.
my wife and I, and nov we have not
many neighhors, though those. we have
are good ones,
| One day, about ten years ago. I went
away from home to sell about ffty head
OF cattle-fine creatures as I ever saw.
| was to buy some groceries and drygoods
before came back, and, above all, q doll
for our youngest, Dolly. She had never
had q store tdoll ssof her owu--orly rag
babies her mother made her.
| Dolly could talk snothing else, and
went down to the very gate to call after
me to get big one. Nobody but o
| parent can understand how full my mind
was Of the toy, and how, when the cattlo
were sold the first thing I hurried off 10
buy was Dolly's doll. I found large
one with eyes that would open and shut
when you pulled q wire, and had it
wrapped up In paper and tucked it
! under my arm while bad the parcels OF
| calico, and delaine and tea, and sugar
put up. Then, late as IL was. started
| for home. It might have been mora
prudent to stay until morning, but I felt
anxious to get back and eager to hear
Dolly's praises about her doll. =
was mounted on q steady.going old
horse and pretty well loaded. Night set
in before was o mile from town, aud
settied down as dark as pitch whiIeI was
IN tho middle Of the darkest bit of road
| know Of. could have felt my Way,
though, ! remembered it so we'll; aud
broke and pelted the rain in torrents,s1
waa I've miles or maybe, aix miles from
home.
/! rode ..s fast as could, but ali Of q
sudden heard u little cry like o child's
voice. stopped short aud listened. nj
heard 1t again. called aud 1t answered
me; ! couldn't sec thing all was ns
dark as pitch. I got down and felt
around In the grass--called again, and
again was answered.. Then began TO
wonder. I'm not timid,. but I was
known to be droyer, end to have mon.
ey about me. I. night be Q, trap to
catch me unaware and rob and murder
me. am not euperatitious, not yery.
but how could real child be- out on the
prairie IN such night, at such an hour7
II might be more than human, The bit
of coward that hides itself In most
men showed itself TO me then, but once
more heard the cry, aud said /: .G Z.
d"lf any mans child 10 hereabouts
Anthony Hunt In not the man to let it
de-"
l searched again. At last be.houghe
me Of hollow under the hill aud
groped that way, Sure enough fonnd
little dripping thing that moaned and
sobbed as | took 1t in my arms. Icalled
my horse and the beast came to me and
| mounted and tucked the little soaked
thing under my coat as well rs I could,
promising to take 1t home to mamma. Is
seemed 80 tired, and pretty soon cried
itself to sleep, on my bosom,
1t had slept there over an hour when
saw my own window. There were lights
In them, and supposed my wife had lit
them, for my sake, but when got into
the doorway saw something was the
matter, and stood atill with e dread fear
of heart FIVE minutes before I could lift
! the latch. At last did 1t and saw the
room full of neighbors aud my wife
amid them weeping. When abe saw me
she hid her face.
sob, don't telI him." chs cried. "It
will kill him." lfE. . 8a
"What is it neighbors p cried. 4
Nothing now, I hope. What's that
you have 10 your arm ?"
"A poor lost child" said I II found
it on the road. Take It, will you! I've
turned faint" And lifted the sleep.
ing thing aud saw the face of my own
child, my Dolly, i, ~, M
i was my own darling and none other
that I had picked up on the drenched
road. Ny little child had wandered out
to- meet papa and the doll while the
mother was at work, and they were
lamenting her as one dead. I thanked
heaven on my knees before them.
II is not much of q story, neighbour,
but +! think Of 1t often In the nighto and
wonder how I could bear TO- live. now, ifS
bad not stopped, when / heard the cry.
for help upon the road, hardly louder
than o squirrels chirp. 'sSsa7as gF'.
That's dolly iy0nder with her, mother
in the meadow; o girl worth saving, /
think but, then, I'm her father, ,rnd
pss!!s., s;syis :he prettiest and sweet
eat thing this side Of the Mississippi. -
Sc. Louis Globe. Democrat. - ...sl .s0.ilis