The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-03-22

hllly!
All turned in a startled way to see
that Pete Pelter was standing beside
| them, with look in his face that seemed
half sad and half angry.
"Why, dad! we've got back
The girl sprung nimbly up and caught
| her father round the neck, where she
cling, kissing his bearded face. The
rough mountaineer kissed her in return,
| Just as a better dressed father would
have done, and stroked her hair very
| tenderly.
"All right, amt We, Rilly?" he said.
"Ranter took good care on we while |
was away? Got to be off again, but I'll
be back this evcnin'."
He kissed her again and put her down
on the ground.
"Now you an Ranter be off to yer fun.
He's the compny you've got to associate
| with, an no otherr'
The girl and the dog ran away to-
gether, and the man turned again to
speak to Mrs. Fromer.
81 don't want my gal to be intrudin'
| an | won't low her to be intrudin'," he
| said, with kind of rude dignity.
"She wasn't intruding. But I will
say this, Pete Pelter, you ought to stay
home more and keep her in some sort OF
I order. It's too badi the way she goes
on. Why, she's the wors' child on Hilo
Mountain"
"There hain't no man would say that
to me bout my gall" the father said,
roughly. Then he softened his tone,
remembering it was woman he spoke
| too.
"Ye're wrong bout Rilly," he con-
| tinued. "She amt the wust child. She's
the best child, the lovin'est, generous
est, bravest, best child that's goin.' It's
her way that makes We think different,
| an ways depends on p'ints an view.
Rilly amt SO bad, bein' rough, as some
is bein' smooth. Eff her mother wus
livin-well. she showed what she'd ave
done when she gave her the purity name,
Amarillo. She'd ave made her the
purtiest behaved child on the mountain.
But no other woman don't bother"
Mr.. Pelter made an awkward bow and
walked off toward his cabin, and Mrs.
Fromer went into the house to think it
over, leaving little Jerry outside. She
was very glad that he had so soon for
gotten Rilly's invitation and his own
disappointment.
No child on the mountain-or off the
mountain. for that matter-waS quite SO
good as little Jerry Fromer. His father
believed it. and his mother knew it. lie
made no trouble at all, but amused him
self in all sorts of pretty little ways.
leaving his busy mother free to attend
to the great amount of work which
every housckeeper-even in a mountain
cabin in California-always finds to do.
Almost always the weather permitted
him to play out of doors, so that he was
far happier, as we'll as far healthier
than if he were Shut up in the house.
And as he never thought of running
away, this was all very satisfactory to
the mother. Sometimes she did not
have to look after him from noon until
supper time.
This afternoon was one of those for
tunatc times. All through the long,
pleasant time of sunshine the careful
housewife was left undisturbed to work
and think. She thought most of her
own child OF course. but she thought a
good deal about Pete Peters child
also. Perhaps people were little too
hard on Riily. after all. Perhaps if the
ncighbor women would only take little
more friendly interest in her She would
not be such = rude little ruliian. Really
she never knew of the child doing any
thing actually wicked. But she was
such Il rowdy.
At length she noticed that the sun
shine had grown dim. Evening was
coming and .ierry's father would soon
be home, and she must bring the little
fellow in and make him neat, as She
always did for the fathers home coming.
She went to the door, but Jerry was
not where She had left him. She looked
quickly about, but her child was no.
where in sight. She called: no answer
came. In a panic she ran all about the
house and up and down the road, calling
as she went: neither sight nor sound of
her child could she gain. Little Jerry
was lost.
THAT girl! That dreadful girl" Mrs.
FrOmcr mOancd, as she realized that her
baby was gone. But, then ! would
have heard her if she had come about
Desperate and heartbroken she con-
tinued her fruitlcss search, growing
more and more excited with every min
ute. When Mr.. Fromer came home he
found his wife SO nearly frantic that he
could hardly learn from her what had
happened.
1t was terrible thing when he did
learn and realize it. There was no
knowing how long the child had been
gone, but with darkness coming swiftly
on he would have time before he could
be found to get hopelessly lost in the
forest that was not so very far away.
He might be wandering there even now;
and it was no safe place for little child
to wander. TO say nothing of the dan
gers of starvation or exhaustion, wild
beasts were not unknown there. More
than once or twice mountain lions had
been seen or heard not very far from
the little scattered settlement.
Very quickly Mr.. Fromer satisfied
himself that his child was indeed gone,
and he was about starting away to sum-
mon the neighbors to help him in the
search, when Pete Pelter appeared.
There was trouble in his face and anx-
iety in his voice.
Was Rilly here ag'in after lett ye?
L g