Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-17

and through the silent night watches cam,
avoice tenderly calling: "Willie, son; come
homen
Stolen from his widowed mother by ,
band of gypsies in distant State. when
few years old, he had wandered hither witt
them. -
And then, forsaken by them in a fit OF i'll
ness, he had been left on the steps of Mr.
Balfour's palatial house.
His life had been hard and 1oveless wher
with his cap.ors; but since Hiram Balfoul
took him in for ''what he could do" ane
the kind, motherly wife had died, his life
had been full of bitterness.
''Be lively there, or you'll repent ftP
shouted rough voice from the doorway
and the little fellow bent lower over his
saw while the great tears dropped down or
the heavy oak stick he was cutting in twain
Then the man in the doorway came out
and measuring on a heap OF sticks said
s'These you must convert into wood to-day
And if, when 1 return tonight, it is not
completed PHI whip you within an inch OF
your Gfe." He went away and Willie was
left alone with his little heart ready to
break with its weight Of unkindness.,
81 know I shall fail,'' he sobbed. so,
wish might die! Why can't I 2" he moaned.
s'Other children do; little boys with rich,
loving papas, too, while have to live to be
beaten by Mr.. Balfour. o, deari wonder
why God took Auntie Balfour away from
me; she loved me and was kind?"
At the end of an hour the weary hands
let go the saw and Willie crept away into
the corner of the garden and nestled down
In the cool grass to rest. Closing his eyes
he lay quite still, thinking. There were
strange thoughts fitting through his little
brain. He sat up and looked about him
cautiously; possibilities which had never
dawned to him before came to him now, and
he caught his breath at the bold idea.
81 am going-going to run-asvayP' he
whispered, hoarsely. ''Maybe I can find
mamma" And through the sultry summer
air hoated something Like an inspiration !;
sweetly, tenderly it came: "Willie, son."
"What if Jenkinson sees me-" he MUIR
INJURED, frightened at the thought as he
beheld the gardener busy with his tools a
few yards away.
But over the fence there was the road
leading to the city, and it wasn't far there,
and once in it he thought he could dodge
anybody. Mr.. Balfour had gone the other
way, farther into the country, and he
wouldn't meet him. Yes, he would run away |!
Jenkinson's back was toward him, and he
knew where there was board of the
fence, and he could slip out and no one
could see him. If he ever meant to go 1t
might as well be now.
FOUR prayed the child, as he crept slyly
through the opening. 80, my!'' Could he do
it'll Yes, he could.
The blue sky smiled above him, the
birds sang merrily in the trees by the
wayside, and every thing seemed glad that
he had gotten thus far.
On and on he trudged toward the city,
the day grew hotter and a pain came into
his temples. The city, it must be hundred
miles from Mr.. Balfour's; he'd heard them
say it was ten miles, but he believed he had
gone further than that now. His head
throbbed fearfully and he was so hungry,
but after all it wasn't so bad as to be whipped
at night.
A sound of wheels came to his ear. Was
it Mr.. Balfour coming after hlm2 o, dear
But no; it was kindly woman in a car
riage who stopped beside him to ask: s'Don't
you wish to rides You're tired to death, my
little man."
'Yes'm, I'm most dead" said Willie,
family; "but l must reach the city before
night"
"Well, Pm going there" said the lady. 81
live in the city" ec
He climbed into the carriage and she let
the curtain down on his side to keep out
the sun and make him comfortable.
After looking him over curiously for some
minutes the woman asked: AREN'T you