The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-02-27

. DOOI CoAoLAOA AOIASNS hAS hASANo ~
!, settled down into a life spent in I'M
remittting, toilsome, and ever-tantaliz-
inc search for the lost child. He
spared neither money nor trouble in
the n object of his existence. lie
searched every work-hOuse, hospital,
infrmery and school in London, until
his eyes were weary and his heart sick
with disappointed longing. He made
fruitless Journeys all over England in
search of a fancied resemblance, or
led by the plausible tale Of an impoStor.
And after a year so spent he was
forced to confess to himself that his
chance of success grew more and more
remote. Mrs. Poland's health had
somewhat improved by the change of
climate, but she, too, mad small pleas
ure in life so long as her son could not
be found.
The colonel's relatives laughed at
him behind his back for his useless per-
sistence.
"Of course the little beggar's dead"
remarked to his friends young Martin
Poland, who, by the way, was the
colonels presumpttve heir. always
was a weakly brat. Just imagine
spending your life in running about
from Poplar to Seven Dials, and from
Lands End to John o Greats TO see
every child in the kingdom who hap
pens to have light hair and blue eyes !!
It's positively irritating to see the head
of the family make such an idiot of
himself -
1T would be rather awkward for
you, too, if the child is found" sug-
gested a malicious old gentleman,
whose mission in life was to rub peO-
pie the wrong way.
''Oh, l should be too delighted re.
piled Martin. But I'm afraid the old
colonel will be imposed upon, you
know, and adopt some scrap of human.
ity that does not belong TO him at all"
In spite, however, of such sneerS,
Col. Poland and his wife hoped against
hope, and took a somewhat melan-
choly pleasure in doing all they could
to relieve the wretchedness of the poor
little gutter children whom they found
in work-houses and hospitals, and even
in the streets.
Christmas was drawing near, and the
colonel, according to his custom was
full of benevolent plans for the welfare
of these waits and strays of infant hui
manity. One day an announcement
caught his eye that a certain paper
proposed to raise a fund for providing
toys as Christmas presents for these
children.
"A splendid ldea!' cried the worthy
man. ''I'll send them a subscription
at once. And we'll go round the shop,
Bessie, m buy some toys for them as
WE'LL"
His wife eagerly assented, and they
spent the afternoon and a good many
sovereigns in buying such an assort-
ment as they felt convinced would do
much to relieve the misery of many a
friendless little sufferer.
"By the way, DEAR" said Mrs. Pol
and. 81 see that there is a competition
for the best homemade toy. / used
to be rather clever at that sort of
thing" The mothers voice failed her
as she thought of the lost darling
whose eagerly expectant face had
done so much to inspire her dexterity.
The colonel pressed her arm in mute
sympathy. ''Do, dear" he replied;
il will be a nice occupation for you"
They spenS a good part of the even
ing in deciding what form the pro-
posed toy should take.
What do you say to a dolls housep"
asked Mrs. POLAND, after several 9TH
er suggestions had been discarded as
impracticable, "made, you know, as a
model of our old bungalow. / don't
think it would be difficult"
Capital, my dear; you must set to
work at once. and I'll help you.'
So the bungalow was duly begun,
and in time finished off to admiration.
Mrs. Poland was really sorry when
the moment came to part with it: the
sweet and bitter memories it called up,
although they cost her many tears,
seemed to lift her out of her terrible
sorrow, and, woman-like, she took a
sad pleasure in reproducing n minia-
ture the house where she had endured
ed to bring her nearer to her lost boy,
and she loved it almosb es a friend.
II wonder who will get the buRga-
low ~ she said to the colonel, when
the dolls house had been duly packed
andssert off TO its destination.
I'm afraid I can't say, DEAR an
swered her husband, ''but / believe wo
can easily find out"
81 think / should like to know what
becomes Of it,
$50 O shall, Bessie; I'll see to
that" said Col. Poland. always eager
to crafty her every fancy.
The scene was a ward for an East
end hospital for children.
Low-voiced, neatiy-dressed nurses
were passing to and fro among num-
bcrs of little cots, each of which con-
tanned some tiny scraps Of suffering
humanity. But the restless limbs were
quieter than usual, the %queruious cries
Il Lass ~frannanf. there vas 81 rara lnnk al