Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-02-08
A ChiId's Cry.


many neighbors, though those We
have are good ones. One day about
ten years ago went away from home
TO sell my fifty head of cattle-hne
creatures as / ever saw. Twas TO buy
some groceries and dry goods before
| came back. and, above all, a doll
for my youngest-Dolly. She had
never had a store doll of her own
only rag babies her mother had made
her.
Dolly could talk nothing else, and
went down TO the very gate 10 cali
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 Dollys
doll. found large one with eyes
thar would open and shut when you
pulled a wire, and had il wrapped up
in paper and tucked ii unde.. my arm,
while had the parcels of calico and
delaine and tea and sugar put up.
Then late as ii was, started for
home. Ii might have been more pru-
dent to stay until morning, but l felt
anxious TO get back and eager 10 hear
Dolly's praises about her doll.
| was mounted on a steady going
old horse and pretty well loaded.
Night set in before | was mile from
town, and settled down a. dark n
pitch. while was in the middle OF
the darkest bit of road | know OF. |
could have felt my way, though re-
membered il so well; and when the
storm that had been brewing broke,
and pelted the rain in torrents, ! was
FIVE miles or more from home.
| rode as fast as could, but all OF
sudden heard little cry like "A
child's voice. stopped short and
lstened-I heard it again. | called
and it answered me. couldn't see a
thing. All was as dark rs pitch. |
got down and felt around in the grass
called again, and again was an
swered Then | began To wonder.
I'm not timid. but ! was known TO be
a drover and to have money about
me. 1t might be Il trap TO catch me
unawares and rob and murder me. /
am not superstitious-not very; but
how could real child be out on the
prairie in such IA night, at such an
hour? 1t might be more than human.
The bit OF coward that hides itself
in most men showed itself TO me then
but once more | heard the cry, and
said l.:
IF any mans child is hereabouts,
Anthony Hunt is not the man to let
it die
| searched again. At last | be
thought me of the hollow under the
hill and groped that way Sure
enough. / found the dripping little
thing, that moaned and sobbed "a j
took it in my arms. ! called my horse
and the beast came to me, and i
mounted and tucked the little soaked
thing under my coat as well as | could
promising to take it home TO mamma.
1t seemed so tired, and pretty soon
cried itself to sleep on my bosom. IL
had slept there over an hour when
| saw my own windows There were
lights in them, and ] supposed my
wife had lit them for my sake. But
when got into the doorway ] saw
something was the matter, and stood
still with a dread fear OF heart five
minutes before could lift the latch.
At last did it and saw the room full
of neighbors, and my wife amid them
weeping
When she saw me she hid her face.
"Oh. don't tell him, she said, ''it
will kill him."
What is it, Deighbors?' i cried.
Nothing now, / hope. What's that
you have in your armsT'
"A poor lost child, = said |. IL found
it on the road. Take it, will your I've
turned faint" And lifted the sleep
ing thing and saw the face Of my own
child, my Dolly.
1t was my own darling and none
other, that had picked up on the
drenched road. Ny little child had
wandered out to meet papa and the
doll. while the mother was at work,
and they were lamenting her as one
dead. ] thanked heaven on my knees
before them. 1t is not much Of
story. neighbors, but | think OF 1t
often in the nights and wonder how ]
could bear to live now IL had not
stopped when | heard the cry for help
along the road, hardly louder than
squirrels chirrup. That's Dolly yon-
der with her mother in the meadow
girl worth saying-I think (but
then I'm her father, and partial may
be-, the prettiest and sweetest thing
this side OF the Mississippi.
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