Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-03-22

idea made me uneasy. My best pla
was to ride on as fast as | could, an,
get out of the mystery into safe quar-
tiers. Just here was about the darkes
bit of road in all the route. Mountln
my horse, l was about to urge him on
when the cry came again. 1t di,
sound like child's; the plaintive wal
OF child nearly exhausted
"GOd guide mel" said, undecided
what to do. And as l sat anothe
moment listening, l once more hear,
the cry, fainter and more faint
threw myself of my horse with an ex
clamation.
"Be 1t ghost or be II robber, Anthem,
Hunt is not one to abandon child 4
die without trying TO save it,"
But how was / 10 save it?-hoy
find III The more l searched about
the less could my hands light on any
thing save the sloppy earth. Tn,
voice had ceased now, 50 | had ne
guide from that. While l stood try
ing to peer into the darkness, all m,
ears alert, food of sheet lightning
suddenly illumined the plain. At :
little distance, just beyond O kind o.
ridge or gentle hill, caught glimpse
of something white. 1t was darL
again in moment, but l made my
way with unerring instinct. Sure
enough, there lay poor little child.
Whether boy or girl / could not tell,
1t seemed 10 be three parts insensible
now, as | took II up, dripping with
wet, from the sloppy earth.
"dy poor little thingl" said as
hushed it TO me. wen go and find
nanny. You are all safe now"
And, in answer, the child just put
out its feeble hand, moaned once and
nestled close to me.
With the child hushed to my breast
l rode on. Its perfect silence soor
showed me that it slept. And, sir,
thanked God that he had let me save
1t, and l thought how grateful some
poor mother would be. But l was
full OF wonder for all that, wondering
what extraordinary fate had taken any
young child to that solitary spot.
uc,.ing ID sight OF home, l saw all
the windows alight. Deborah had
done 1t for inc. l thought, to guide me
home In safety through the darkness.
But presently | knew that something
must be the matter, for the very few
we had were collected there.
My heart stood still for tear. thought
OF some calamity to one or other of the
l had saved o like one from
perishing. but what might not have
to my ownf
Hardly daring to lift the latch, while
my poor tired horse stood still and
mute outside, went slowly in, the
child in my arms covered over with
the flap of my long coat. My wife
was weeping bitterly.
"What's amissl" asked in faint
voice. And 1t seemed that whole
chorus CT voices answered me.
"Dolly's lost A"
Dolly lostl Just for moment my
heart turned sick. Then some in.
stinct, like ray OF light and hope,
seized upon me. Pulling the coat off
the face of the child held, lifted the
little sleeping thing to the light, and
saw Dolly
Yes, sir. The child had saved
was no other than my own-my little
Dolly. And l knew that Gods good
angels had guided me to save her, and
that the first flash OF the summer
lightning had shone Just at the right
moment to show me where she lay
1t was her white sun-bonnet that had
caught my eye. My darling It was,
and none other that l had picked up
on the drenched road.
Dolly, anxious for her doll, had
wandered out unseen to meet me in
the afternoon. For some hours she
was not missed. !: CHANGED that roy
two elder girls had gone over to our
nearest neighbours, aud my wife,
missing the child just afterwards. took
~ ior granted she was with them. The
little one had come on and on, until
nign1 and the storm sertook her,
m crIa a sho iell down trig dtep-d and vi,
thanked heave ,.,,. .nA
III, sir, and - aloud before them
md his hoi laid that none but ed
ler. = - angels had guided ne to
- "a not much OF story to listen
e, am sure of that. Bet l often
-alnk of 1t In the long nights, lying
awake, and ask myself how | could
bear to live on now had | run away
from the poor little cry in the road,
hardly louder than squirrels chirp,
and left my child to die.
Yea, str, you are right. That's Dolly
out yonder with her mother picking
fruit; the little trim light figure in
pink-~lth just the same sort of white
sun. homie. on her head that she wore
that night ten years ago. She is .
girl that was worth saving, sir, though
/ ssy it; and God knows that as lonl
as my life lasts shall be thankful tina
l came on home that night instead o
staying in the town.
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