Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-08-14

tConcluded.1

When Bill had called himself a Portuguese
he had poured the last drop from his private
vial OF wrath on his own head. Bill helped |
to load tho sloop with brick at Haverstraw, |
and although 1t was hot, sultry day and the |
work was heavy, he never took drink. |
The other hands might come back, smacking |
their lips and bantering him, but he stood |
firm
"No use, boys,v said Bill, "I did the busi-
ness for that baby--and once is enough.
have got to take keer of him. II stands to
reason. None Of you is family men like me-
/ kin stand rs much running as the best OF
| you, but don't you try and rub 1t in too
steep. hain't the reputation Of being sweet
tempered, and mebbe 1 kin teach some of
| you manners"
necessity for Bills excited words, for the
hands OF: the sloop seemed TO take in the sit
| uation at once, and rather respected the way
Bill assumed his self-imposed duties.
Down the river Bill was thinking what
name the child ought to have. Should ii be
George Washington, Ulysses Grant, or
| Moses9 He knew all the names of the steam
boats going up to Albany, and to call the
child Albany" or Vibbard" was sugges-
ted to him. At last he made up his mind
that Molly should have the naming OF the
child. She's got most rights to him. any
ways" Then he felt kind Of melancholy
with the idea that somebody might come
later and claim the child. Bill had never read
a story book I'm his life, so no romance of a
rich father and mother coming in carriage
to demand their lost baby presented itself to
| his imagination.
Bill became parsimonious, and that week
saved almost every cent OF his wages. He
begrudged himself even the tobacco he
chewed. He only kept sufficient money for
his most meagre wants. He never took a
drink and declined to be treated. To Molly
| he gave his money.
Sure enough, the little boy when Bill saw
him, had on q new frock, and with what
L.. L. III It'll tS~I
"He just looks like daisy, Molly
Isn't he pretty! Kind of sleepy, Amt he,
Molly ?'
Gle does sleep a good deal, but that's
babies But Bin, What. HH this pile hSS Of money nSD
for? amt spent all you gave me yet
don't want it and the child don't HIS cost
for keep is so little. It's mighty good of you,
BIZ and d,d,nov now and then you can give him
comes the poor little lamb will want thicker
things, and they cost more money. Here,
j amt going to take this, depriving you OF
, | your hard-ea wages'-and Molly made
motion as IL to return the handful oi
J | silver.
"But, Mol, just hold hard minute. He
mayn't want 1t now. Supposin' work was
Q got to keep the cash for the time the boy
h grows. He's got to go TO school, and has got
to look as nice as any other boy. He's to bt
! heddicated-know something more MOI
| nh0ullDK DT1CkA ION Ue 90 a lOt Oh bieeD
$ ing Molly 2" inquired Bin anxiously.
# "Oh don't yon keep worrying about him
r He's been playing ever so sweet. Maybe he,
! one of them children what talks late In life
:, | and they, so l hear tell, is always the smart
y est in the long run. Fact is, Bill have
. surprise for you He never said word be
II fore yesterday. was afraid myself he wa
z kind OF dumb" Bill averted his face anC
il | then looked out on the water, for the brothe
/, and sister were talking on the dock.
"But-but, to-day, Bill he said 'mudder
so sweet, and then he said IL over and owe
y again. and held out his pretty little moutl
70 TO be kissed. Oh, Bill, his senses Is cominj
1t back to him, slow, but sure !" and Mol,
10 cuddled the sleeping child closer to he
~ breast
70 Bill kept right on in the good way he ha,
T. planned for himself and never swerved
1t hairs breadth Molly was his savings bank
y Brother and sister contributed to the child
" support In month Bill was richer than b
% had ever been In his life Then he insiste
- that Molly should rent better room. TIL
- one she lived In, he said, looked out on
10 dingy dreary back yard. ''Stands to reason
's said Bill, ''that baby should see horses an
'r trucks and things a-moving about in tn
l. streets. 1t makes 'em lively"
n "Little Bill"-so they called him (Noll
insisting that her brothers name shou
serve for the child)-improved, but to
slowly for big Bill. The police surgeon wa
10 fec. The opinion the doctor gave was
ct | guarded one. ''Therc is manifest improve
I'd ment-not, perhaps, as rapid as should wisf
=. You are capital nurse ma'am, and ] an
sure your kindness and attention will heI
10 the child. He will come round, believe.
lr The cool weather came, and with lowerin
ID temperatures the doctor hoped the chill
n would gain strength. The cicatrice on th
,o seemed to acquire new words. Molly wor
=, dered at them at times, and thought that sh
W had taught them to the child but then agai
q, the little fellows adopted mother was stal
M | fled words sha felt anita rtaip ol,i
ID had picked up somewhere else These ne,
4 words came to the child at first vaguely. Ii
"a | would repeat them over and over again, 9
"a first hesitatingly, then giving them q sligt
u emphasis, as IL to fix them on his mind, some
10 thing like little bird that pipes the frs
he faint tune it has heard.
X The child was more awake now. Thi
a | change delighted Molly. 1t mover was fire.
~ full The child would lay quiet, with its blu
- eyes wide open for hours, without whin
N per.
e So it went for another week or two. Bi
is who was always coming and going, when h
r left New York for trip up the river, wa
10 happy, for the child was bettering fast, so b
70 believed.
70 1t was an October evening when, as tn
Il brick sloop was being brought up to tn
~ wharf, Bill saw Molly leaning against ono &
~ the big wooden posts of the dock. Bill wa
busy with the hawser but at once he sa,
= 2 that his sister did not have the child in he
:, arms more than that, she was crying.
u Bill choked down his grief-he seemed I
know at once what had happened. One las
hope there was Maybe 1t was SO cool tina
Molly had beon afraid to bring the chill
with her.
q "Bill," said Molly, sobbing, "the poor Iii
,t tie fellow has gone toto heaven. 1t wa
z last night. He called to me and said
~ Goodnight, mud-der;. goodnight fai
e der--now 1 am going walking il
. the garden--good--good nightr oh
. % Bill, he had never spoken so long
Z string of words before-then he played for
y moment with ring on my finger, and thel
e added, God bless far-der and mud-der,' ans
q then he looked so lovingly at me, and aroun,
y the room as II searching for you--and thel
Q he died-so quiet Bill! Bill don't you tax
y , on SO! 1t was an accident, and God and hi
little child have no fault to find with you.
I. From The n. y. Times.