Western Kansas world., 1886-03-06

Then all at once he heard cry; a'shril
little voice that did not inger in his ears,
but went straight to his heart and kept
echoing there and twining itself in and
out, over and over again.
This little voice stirred Bushrod
strangely; it seemed to tell him things
he had never known before; to speak a
wisdom he had never dreamed of, to
breathe sweeter music than he had ever
heard, to inspire ambitions purer and
better. than any he had ever felt-the
voice of his frstborn-you know, fathers,
what that meant to Bushrod.
Well, Bushrod ,cas brave again, but
there was lump in his throat and his
eyes were misty.
'sSee's here at last" he murmured,
thankfully; ''heaven be praised for that. ;"
OF course you understand that Bush
rod had been hoping for girl, SO had
his wife. They had planned to call her
Mary, after her mother, the quondam
belle of the Northern Neck. Grandfath-
er Joseph Ball, late of Epping Forest,
was to be her godfather, and Col. Brad
ford Custis of jamestown had promised
to grace the christening with his impos-
ing presence.
"Wen, you can come in," said Miss
Bette, with much condescension, and in
humility Bushrod did go in.
DR.. Farley was quite as solemn and
impressive as ever. He occupied the
great chair near the chimney place, and
he still held the gold head of his ever
lasting cane close to his nose.
"Well, Mary" said Bushrod, with an
inquiring, yearning glance. Mary was
very pale, but she smiled sweetly.
"Bushrod, it's boy" said Mary.
Oh, what grievous disappointment
that was! After all the hopes, the talk,
the preparations, the plans-a boy!
What would Grandfather Ball, late of
Epping Forest, say? What would come
of the grand christening that was to be
graced by the imposing presence of Col.
Bradford Gusts of jamestown? How the
Jeffersons and Randolphs and Masons
and Pages and Slaughters and Carriers
and Ayletts and Henrys would gossip
and chuckle, and how he-Bushrod-
would be held up to the scorn and the
derision of the facetious yeomen of West
moreland! It was simply terrible.
And just then, too, Bushrod's vexation
was increased by gloomy report from
the four worthy danes down stairs viz /:
Mistress Carter, Mistress Fairfax, Miss
Dorcas Culpepper, spinster, and Aunt
Lizzie, the nurse. These inquiring crea-
lures had been casting the newborn
babes horoscope through the medium of
tea ground in their china cups, and each
agreed that the child's future was full of
shame, crime, disgrace, and other equal
ly unpleasant features.
"Now that it's boy" said Bushrod,
ruefully, "Tm willing to believe almost
anything. It wouldn't surprise me at
all if he would go up on the gallows!"
But Mary, cherishing the puffy, fuzzy,
red-faced little waif in her bosom, said to
him, softly: mo matter what others say,
my darling; bid you welcome, and, by
Gods grace, my love and prayers shall
make you good and great"
And it was even SO. Mary's love and
prayers did make good and great man
of that unwelcome child, as we who cele-
brate his birth to-day believe. They had
a grand christening, too; Grandfather
Ball was there, and Col. Bradford Custis,
and the Lees, the Jeffersons, the Ran
dolphs, the Slaughters-yes, all the old
families of Virginia were present, and
there was feasting and merry making for
three days! Such cheer prevailed, in
fact that even Miss Dorcas Culpepper,
spinster, and Bushrod, the happy father,
became completely reconciled. Soothed
by the grateful influences of barbecue
meats and draughts of rum and sugar
Bushrod led Miss Culpepper through
the minuet.
"a very proper name for the babe?'
suggested Miss Culpepper.
"Yes, we shall call him George, in
honor of his majesty the king" said
Bushrod Washington, with the pride
that comes of loyalty and patriotism.