The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-04-16

Dorothy Baker, laying one ham
heavily on her shoulder. do yo
know anything about this Snild?"
Yes" throwing him a look o
mingled fear and defiance; ~ know tina
love her.
Love her! You love everything ant
everyone"
do Ie''
Eyes. with ono exception. Miss Dot
But that is not answering my question
directly. What do you know about thi
stranger" j.
Il said knew that loved her."
.Oh. Miss Dot, why can you not b.
sensible one moment?" and an amused
smile chased away the look of anxiou.
inquiry. why won't you think Of how
am placed, with baby-a mere in
FAINT. on my hands. and
..She is year old, Guardy."
A year DID, How do you know that,
Miss Dot"
''I-oh well, should Judge 20. Would
not your
She looked SO innocently demure that
it was with difficulty that her question.
err refralned from smiling.
Yes. | think YOU are right and he
looked more earnestly at the baby
face. nesting SO contentedlv against
Dot.
The eyes. pretty blue, were wide
open and gazing at him in pretty won
der. lnvoluntarily he held out his
hands, at which the babyecrowed in de-
light. Its little dress was neat and
prettily made. and evidently careful,
loving hands had robed the little one.
We'll. Miss Dot"
Yes. Guardy."
i am sorely puzzled. Let your wom-
| ans wit advise me-
.'Woman's w.t. laughingly. And
you are always begging me to try to be
sensible
We'll. then. try to tell me where
can find home for this child. If can
not find some good. motherly soul to
tax e it we shall have to send it into
the city to the orphan asylum. where
it will be cared for. Why, Dot. What
is the trouble?" and he sprang forward
in alarm.
With face from which every parti-
Gle Of color had fed. eyes fastened on
his in wild. dilated terror, clinging to
the child as if fearful that it would be
torn from her, she faced him.
No. no." Slowly the words fell
from her blanched lips. Don't do
that. Guardy. 1t would be cruel, cruel.
Baby was sent to you. Some one wants
you to care for it. Some one knew
that you were pitiful and tender
hearted. Don't, don't send her away"
''Some one! Do you know who that
some one isl" he sternly demanded.
'.Why, how should know?" and she
looked at him in blank establishment.
Only some one must have thought SO,
or they would not have left her here.
Don't you seea And" she timidly add
ed. 1t must be that God wished you to
care for baby
lie smiled at her childish explana-
tiion.
Miss Dot, what queer girl you are.
Will / ever understand your strange
moods? All terror one moment, tear
fully entreating the next, but always
determined to have your own unruly
| way"
And may l this time? May keep
| baby" she asked eagerly.
do you realize, child, what a strange
predicament this places me in? What
would our neighbors say if ! adopted a
baby?"'
"Who cares what people say? !
don't
| No, know you do not, but do"
Then ! know what we can do,
Gualdy. You can tell Mrs. Grundy
that Mrs. Grey, your housekeeper, has
adopted child. She will consent if
ask her. May L."
Earle Wellman tugged viciously at his
dark mnstache, looking thoughtfully 81
the uplifted face.
You know. Guardy. that I am SC
lonesome sometimes. Just think how
this little one would amuse me. Dc
not refuse me. Guardy.'
NO. will not. Have your owr
way, little Miss Dot. That is, if Mrs
Grey will consent"
''Oh. she will. Now kiss your little
protege." and Dot laughingly held NJ
the cooling baby. With deeper color
Earle Wellman bent his dark head ant
did as she babe him.
That's right" and laughing merrily
the happy, triumphant girl fled from
the room.
1t was at college that Earle Wellmal
met Howard Baker. They were class
mates, and soon became close friends
A long time had elapsed since the da,
they graduated. when Earle received q
letter from Howard, written on his DIV
ing bed. In II, he implored Earle to be
come guardian to his motherless ten
year-old girl. "She is rich in world,
goods" he wrote, but without
home" Earle accepted the charge, an,
placed Dorothy Baker under his moth
er's loving care. This was eight year
ago.
/ Dorothy, Or little Miss Dot. as sh,
was generally called, owing to he
willful, yet loving. a sparkling bit 0
fun and cheer, was changed but littl
at the age of eighteen; while Earl
Wellman, still handsome at thirty
nine. had lost the frank. merry hearte,
way that had once characterized him
and had grown coldly stern and re
polling to all, excepting the irresistibl
Dot.
1t was true, as the servants said-tha
Dot could win smile. even a snatch o.
true, ringing laughter from Earle Well
man, while others failed. Her childish
winsomeness unconsciously compelled
all to love her. Her irrepressible i'm
pulsiveness was forever causing he
trouble. yet she was always ready t
soothe and cheer others with her soft
caressing ways ,Willfully defiant on
moment, strangely quiet and lovingl.
docile the next, she had woven hersel
around Mrs. Wellman's heart until sh
seemed like an own daughter.
1t had been happy household {
! four. till the discovery that Lucie Vel
man had eloped with a struggling arts
, robbed it of all its sunshine. crushin
out the life of the gentle mother, for tn
sudden blow was too heavy. Then it wa
! that Earle Wellman changed-a chang
SD auick and eomplete that it WAS diff