Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-12-28
II Was His Own Child.

/ \ urONer, anu hNo hihS'
away upon the western pra'rle,
There wasn't a house in sight wheh
irst moved there, my wife and |, ana
now we have not many neighnors,
though those we have are good ones.
One day, about ten years ago, lweht
away from home to sell my tiity mead
of cattle-fine creatures as lever saw.
Ii was to buy some groceries ana airy
goods before | came back, and, above
all, a doll for my youngest-Dolly.
She had never hada store doll OF her
own only rag babies her mother
had made her.
Dolly could talk nothing else, ana
went down to the very gate to call
after me to get big one. Nobody
but parent can understand how,
full my mind was of 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 yon pulled a wire, and had It
wrapped up in paper and tucked it
under my arm, while had theparcels
OF calico and delaine and tea and
sugar put up, Then late asst was, !
started home 1t might have been
more prudent to stay until morning,
but felt anxious to get back, and
eager to hear Dolly's praises about
her doll.
was mounted on steady-gOing
| old horse and pretty well loaded
Night set in before was a mile from
town, and settled down rs dark as
| pitch while | was in the darkest bit of
road | know OF. | could have felt
my way, though, i remembered il so
| well;and then the storm that had been
brewing broke, and pelted the rain
in torrents, | was five miles or may
be six miles from home.
| Irode as fast us Icould. but all OF
a sudden heard little cry like "a
child's voice. stopped short and
listened-I heard it again. called
and it answered me. couldn't see
n thing. All was as dark as pitch.
| got down and felt around in the
grass-called again, and again was
answered, Then began TO wonder.
I'm not timid, but | was known To be
a drover and to have money about
me. 1t might be a trap tocutch me
unawares and rob and murder me.
am not superstitious-uot very;
! but how could real child be out on
the prairie in such q night
| at such an hour? II might b.
more than human. The bit Of COW.
ard that hides itself in most men
| showed itself TO me then; but one,
more heard the cry, and said /
''lfany mans child is herenbuuts
Anthony Hunt is not the man to Iet
| it die"
! ! searched again. st last to-
thought me OF the hollow under Tn.
hill and CROPPED that way Sur
enough, | found the little dripping
thing, that moaned and sobbed as
took it in my arms. / called to my
horse, and the beast came to me. and
/ mounted and tucked the little aoak.
| ed thing under my coat as well as
could, promising to take it home Ia
mamma. 1t seemed so tired, and
pretty soon cried itself to sleep on
my bosom. 1t had slept there over
an hour when ] saw my own windows
There were lights in them, and snp
posed my wife had lit them for my
sake; but when got into the door
way saw something was thematter
and stood still with dread fear o
heart five minutes before | could lin
the latch At last did it, and saw
the room full Of neighbors, and m,
wife amid them weeping.
When she saw me She hid her fuce
"Oh, don't tell him" she said n
will kill him.
What is it, ncighbors?" / cried
Nothing now, | hope-what'sthnt
you have III your arIns?"
"A poor lost child" said I. !"
found it on the road. Take it. vii
your I've turned faint. And
lifted the sleeping thing and saw IN,
face Of my own child, my Dolly.
1t was my own darling, ana non,
other, that had picked NJ on IN,
drenched road. My little child ha,
wandered out to meet papa and th,
doll, while the mother was ut work
and they were lamenting her M ON
dead. thanked heaven on nv knee
before them. 1t is not much Of
story, neighbors, but I think Of !
often in the nights, and wonder how
| could bear to live now if / hod no
stopped when | keard the crv "a
help upon the road, hardly lGpde
than squirrels chirup. That's Dol
ly, yonder with her mother n an
meadow, q girl worthsayinG--Tt binI
(but then I'm her father. and martial
may bel the prettiest and sweets.
thing this side Of the Missjssinni :
San Francisco Gail. Z"
----~zDlSse n
Going the Rounds.
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