Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-01-22

My name is Anthony Hunt. 1 am
Il drover, and live miles and miles
away upon the western prairie. There
wasn't house in sight when / first
moved there, my wife and l. and now
we have not many neighbors, though
those we have are good ones.
One day, about ten years ago. 1
went away from home to sell some
fifty head of cattle-fine creatures
as ever saw. l was to buy some
groceries and dry goods before 1
came back, and above all doll for
our youngest, Dolly. She had never
had store doll of her own-only
rag babies her mother had made her.
Dolly could talk nothing else, and
went down to the very gate to call
after me to get big one. Nobody
but a parent can understand how
full my mind was of that toy, and
how, when the cattle were sold, the
first thing hurried off to buy was
Dolly's doll. 1 found large one
with eyes that would open and shut
when you pulled wire, and had it
wrapped up in a paper and tucked it
under my arm while l had the parcels
of calico and delaiL.e and tea and
sugar put up. Then, late as it was,
| started for home. 1t might have
been more prudent to stay until
morning, but 1 felt anxious to get
back and eager to hear Dolly's praises
about her doll.
l was mounted on a steady-going
old horse and pretty we'll loaded
Night set IN before | was a mile from
town, and settled down as dark as
pitch while l was in the middle of
the darkest bit of road | know of. |
could have felt my way, though, l
remembered it so well; and when the
storm that had been brewing broke
and pelted the rain in torrents, was
five miles or maybe six miles from
home.
/ rode as fast as / could, but all of
sudden l heard little cry like a
child's voice. l stopped short and
listened. heard it again. 1 called
and it answered me. I couldn't see
a thing; all was as dark as pitch.
got down and felt around in the
grass-called again, and again was
answered. Then began to wonder.
I'm not timid, but l was known to be
drover, and to have money about
me. 1t might he trap to catch me
unawares and rob and murder me,
| am not superstitious, not very, but
how could real child be out on the
prairie in such night, at such an
hour2 Ii might be more than human.
The bit of a coward that hides Itself
in most men showed itself in me
then, but once more / heard the cry,
and said L:
'If any mans child is hereabouts
Anthony Hunt is not the man to let
it die
searched again. At last I be-
thought me of hollow under the
hill and groped that way. Sue
enough found little dripping thing
that moaned and sohbed as 1 took it
in my arms. called my horse and
the beast came to me and / mounted
and tucked the little soaked thing
under my coat as we'll as l could,
promising to take it home to mamma.
1t seemed SO tired, and pretty soon
cried itself to sleep on my bosom.
1t had slept there over an hour
when saw my own windows. There
were lights in them, and 1 supposed
my wife had lit them for my sake
but when l got into the doorway |
saw something was the matter, and
stood still with dread fear of heart
FIVE minutes before / could lift the
latch. At last did it, and saw the
room full of neighbors and my wife
amid them weeping. When she saw
me she hid her face.
''Oh, don't tell him. she said, '.i
will kill him.
"Whatis it, neighbors?' cried
Nothing now, l hope. Whats
that you have in your arm %
IA poor lost child" said /. SO
found it on the road Take it, vii
you !! I've turned faint And
lifted the sleeping thing and saw th,