Daily Republican., 1885-04-09
ATOUCHING INCIDENT.

My name Ia Anthony Hunt. am al
drover, and I live miles and miles
away, upon the Western prairie. There
wasn't q house within sight when we
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 went
away from here to sell some fifty head
of cat:le-fne creatures AZ ever I saw.
l was to buy some groceries and dry
goods before came back, and above
all, doll for our youngest Dolly she
never had shop doll Of her own. only
the rag babies her mother had made
her. Dolly could talk Of nothing else
and went down to tho very gate to call
after me Buy big one."
Nobody but q parent can understand
how my mind was on that toy, and
how when the cattle were sold, the first
thing hurried off to buy was Dolly's
doll. / found large one, with eyes
that would open and shut when you
pulled wire, and had it wrapped up
In paper and tucked 1t under my arm,
while had the parcels of calico and
delaine, and tea and sugar put up. 1t
| light have been more prudent to stay
until morning, but felt anxious to get
back and eager to hear Dolly's prattle
about the doll she was so anxiously ex.
pecting.
mounted on steady.going old
horse OF mine, and pretty we'll loaded
Night set in before was q milo from
town, and settled down dark az pitch
while 1 was in the middle of tho Widest
bit of the road I know Of l could
have felt my way through, renem
bered 1t 30 well, and 1t was almost tba
when the storm that had been brewing
broke, and pelted the rain in torrents
five miles, or maybe six from home
too. rode on as fast as l could
but suddenly heard little cry
!, like a child's voice. stopped shor
land listened. 1 heard it again.
called and it answered me. l cohldn'
see thing.
| All was dark as l got down and fel
in the grass; called again, and again
was answered. Then l began to won
der. I'm not timid but | was know
TO be q drover and 70 have none.
about me. am not superstitiou5-no
very-but how could a rea, child b
out on the prairie in such night n
such an hour? 1t might be more thai
human. The bit OF coward tba
| libtll Az uiobV hiCh ohOWOu AtcoA
10 me then, and / was half inclined 3
run away but once more heard tina
piteous cry, and, said, l." If any man
child is hereabouts, Anthony Hunt /
tnot the man to let it lie here to die
searched again. At last l bethough
!, me of q hollow under the hill, an
: CROPPED that way. Sure enough four
> little dripping thing that moaned an
. sobbed rs took it In my arms. ] Gale
,. my horse and the beast came to me, an
mounted and tucked the little soake
lthip- under M coat as well as could
promising to take it home to mammy
,, 1t seemed tired to death, and prett
soon cried itself to sleep against m
= bosom. 1t had slept there over an hou
, when saw my own windows.
Il There were lights in them, and SUI
Q posed my wife had lit them for my SAX
but when got into the yard l sa'
5 something was the matter and stood sti
Q with dead fear of heart for five minut.
before could lift the latch. AT last
6 did 1t and saw the room full Of neigl
J. bors, and my wife amid them weepinI
:, When she saw me she hid her face,
II 80 don't tell him I" she cried,
a will kill him."
!. What is it, neiahbors ?" cried.
RI And ono said Nothing now,
hope. What's that in your arms ?"
el "A poor lost child" said l
5. found It on the road. Take 1t, W
IL you? I've turned faint" And
lifted the sleeping thing, and saw !
/. face of my own child, my little Doll
d 1t was my darling, and no 9TH
N that had picked up on the drench
st road. My little Guild had wander
1. out to meet " daddy. and the dc
d while her mother was at work, a
le whom they were lamenting as O
- dead. / thanked Gcd on my knt
lie before them all. 1t is not much o
y story, neiPLbors but 1 think of 1t oft
tie in the nights, aud wonder how cou
bear to live now if / had not stopp
It. when / heard the cry for help upon I
Ie road-a little baby cry, hardly loud
to than a squirrels chirp.
al All, friends. the blessings Of G
IN work often ccme nearer homo than
in ever dare to hope.
t,v