Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-09-17

all over. o, please come and see what
is the matter with my husbandr'
Lord, preserve us!' cried the good
old lady; sis that child crazy? Come,
Peter, let's see what she means"
And the two good people followed
Jane to the damp spot where Tom.
suddenly smitten with ague, lay delir-
ious, half in and half out of his leafy
hut He could say nothing, and Jane,
mindful of the warning he had given
her over and over again, would tell
nothing of the poor-house, and only
said they had no parents" and that
she was his ''wife.'
wherever they come from we must
take 'em home tonight" said Mrs.
Morton. ''Poor babies! You carry the
bow, Peter; I'll fetch the little gall
Jane looked up thankfully into the
old lady's face, and said: .Wait,
please, till get the Child.
1.-The child?" cried Mrs. Morton.
'I.and sakes!'
Then Jane dived into the hut and
brought forth her doll, with its scratched
features and yellow robe; at sight of
which the old lady laughed so heartily
that she had much ado to get into the
gig again.
The children were comfortably
housed that day, and the whole truth
was coayed from them at last; but no
one had the heart to return them to the
poor-Eouse. Jane staid with Mrs. Nor
ton to be brought up as "llelp," and
Tom was apprent;ced to a carpenter.
The innocent little family was broken
up; and '1he Child carefully treas
urcd in James trunk-for soon She had
a trunk of her own and clothes to fill
it was only memcnto of the past.
So the years gliled on. Jane grew a
tall, slim girl; Tom big. brown young
man. There was 10 sign of being
''town poor" about either of them
They were wholesome, well-fed, bright
young people as you would wish to sec.
But one Saturday afternoon Jane, wash
ing the d shes beside the kitchen VIM
dow, looking up saw Tom gazing at
her, and blushed q rosy red which GER
tainly was odd in a wJe of so many
years standing.
''Come to ask you to walk little, if
you will, said Tom.
Jane promised to come as soon as
''thc chores were done; and this i'm
portant act being duly accomplished,
put on her round hat and clean white
apron, joined Tom, and the two. say
ing very little. sauntered down into the
woods and along the wagon-path to the
edge of the little brook that with all
the changes that had come to them
sobbed and gurgled just as it dill long
ago
Remember this place."
YES" said Jane. shyly.
''And how, when we were town
poor, we ran away and thought we
were married and had our house and
farm. Jane?"
yes" More shyly than before.
Its long while ago." said Tom.
"But this place doesn't alter much;
seems just the same. You haven't
altered ether, Jane. You were very,
very sweet them
No answer.
"Janc," said Tom, '.Tm going to
have another little house, some bigger
than we built thcn-not much-and 4
lite garlcn where our beans will grow.
Will you run away with me again.
Jane, and cal ME husband for good?
I'll try to make you more comfortable
than did Thea, my dear"
There was Il hand laid softly on tie
yong girls shoulder, and Tom looked
down into the blushing face. Suddenly
the tender yes were lifted and their
lips met
Land sakes!' exclaimed good Mrs.
Morton, wip.ng her eyes as she kissed
the girl, who had become as daughter
to her old age. Land sakcs! Going
to be real man and &ife after all. -
James II. HutchesOn, in Chicago 1rib-
fkhle