Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-30
BERTIE'S MISSION.
Found Out on Easter Sunday
What He "Was For"

Al day the burning sun had scorched
div earth. Along country roads
dust lay, fine and light as powder;
Grass by the wayside was Drowned;
fields of yellow grain fell in great
sths beneath the scythe, and lay like
ucring gold along the ground, while
crimson, blistered face of the pant
reaper pleaded in vain to the cruel
ninary to hide his own glowing coun-
lance behind a friendly cloud. The
Nv trees of the forest gasped for air,
Dir leaves shriveled and the bark Civ
forth an ominous ordor of possible
~nbustion.
Since early morning-when the suns
but family foretold the heat to come
plighk pale woman had been walk
/ along those hot and dusty roads.
noon she had travelled many miles
yet her journey was but half done
she had set out to reach the great
!, where so many sad hearts are lost
the crowd save to their unhappy
Fners. She carried a little child who
psa so pale and wan that he might
wtHen mistaken for one-half his real
b which was almost two years. But
tn his light weight, upborne by the
Fpwhich makes such weights easy to
Try, was at times insupportable to the
ay mother. From time to time she
ne 10 the shade of a solitary tree and
n sat down at the root of it Or on a
he by the wayside to rest for q few
hnents, and on each occasion she
foped over the child to kiss his brow
lips, as if to assure him that he was
the cause of her fatigue. She often
fnoved his little straw-hat, too, and
pity famed the tiny face, fair as a
Pwdrop and, Notwithstanding its deli
pallor, exquisitely lovely.
At high noon the travellers met a
X9m country girl returning from tho
ID after carrying dinner to the now
/ VINO stopped to admire the child and
pure If it was i'll.
mo, not ill.," the mother answered,
Elng wistfully at her child; '.but he's
Esr very strong"
How old is hep" was the girls next
|cStion.
(He will be two years old next
Pnth.n
Land sake! And don't he walk
lie has never walked-yet-he's
fe' But hope he will walk some day.
|nl taking him to the city, because I
re been told the doctors there are
|ser; and if | earn money enough l
pc 10 have him made strong, for he's
yer had any accident. One little
tle Is SO weak that he can't put the
l. on the ground when he tries to
|nu' You sec he's never been able to
IN 10 walk, like other children of his
Fle spoke with a pitiful pleading, as
was necessary to find excuses for the
~ because he was less forward than
Ter children.
poor little fellow!" said the farmers
kindly enough, "and you have to
mn all the time-how tired you
IT, De! Come to the house and rest.
maps he would take a cup of milk"
"e woman thanked her with a CRATE
'ook and the girl continued, hold
out her hands to the child:
,1el me carry him for you. I love
E'ren' and the little rogues know it.
F ~. little pretty! What's his name?"
ms name is Albert, but call him
k.omc to me, Bertie." said the girl,
/ 1le child smiled and held out his
CAnd your own name?" the girl went
WIN an inquisitive look at the moth.
,Mrs.-what?"
NY name is Tingler," the pale won.
answered, coldly.
ne farmers girl did not pursue he1
fslohs, Tor she saw they were unwel-
F."' IN instinct of good breeding,
,.'er found among the untaught than
get credit for, told her further in.
T. night give pain.
n;., Alngler proceeded in silence; but
H. 7Li chattered to the baby and drew
tl'n' many an unexpected peal o.
SHrcf, while at every sound of his
l,'leht the pale mother smiled ant
A 'Ln, tlil her own laughter mingled
,h h,le farmers house they Jared well
"e good people refused to let then