The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-12-05
THE BABY THAT CRIED.

i was pleased more than i had been
since she told me, two years before
that she would be my wife. We had
been married year then. and all OF
that time was spent In the dreary back
woods section, not far from Olden.
down in Howell county. was inter-
ested in small fruit ranch down there
in southern Missouri. and on IL was
making living and growing tina fig
uring on the brilliancy OF the future.
All OF that year was spent dreary
enough. goodness knows. Mary cook
cd our three meals n day, and came
home to eat them. In the evenings
we sat about the fire together when it
was cool. or in the summer named tho
consultations while out on the bit OF a
cleared place just in front OF the small
log house / had built.
Our nearest neighbors were two
miles away across a creek that was
unbridged and whose current was
deep and strong all spring and sum-
mer There had been house across
the ridge about stOne's-throw dis
tant for some time several years. |
suppose-but since we had moved here
il had remained unoccupied.
WHO are they. MaryP" l asked.
II don't know. | only saw some
household stuff going over there to-
day, and suppose somebody must be
going to live there"
The next day the neighbors came.
There was a tall. blocking man
OF 35, young woman, and baby.
The name was Bryant That after
noon l came home earlier than usual.
and when Mary was ready we went
over to be neighborly with the new
corners. / learned from Bryant that
he had rented the piece of land that
joined mine half way between onl'
houses. and that he intended to look
after tho orchard on it. Byrant was
from the rth-somewhere up in
Minnesota, ! .think-and climate was
what he was after.
You'll find it mild enough here. +"
j said in our preliminary remarks.
I'VE seldom have very sevcrc frost
and snow is n rarity"
Mrs. Bryant was bright looking
young woman OF %, with large eyes
and brown hair Her cheeks appeared
pinched trine. and Mary and /
wondered IL she had not seen some
very serious trouble. Their baby had
the big eyes OF its mother and the
pinched checks too. we thought but
il was q sweet-looking baby. Before
we left the little thing set up cry
that the mother could not quell with
trotting and baby talk. How tho
youngster cried! II was too much for
my nerves. so that when we had re-
peated our welcomes in high pitched
voices Mary and went away
After we got home the baby kept up
its dolcful yells. which came to US
clearly on tho calm evening air. 1t
was two or three hours before quiet
came again. and then tho light in the
window that we could see just across
the ridge went out.
In u few days Bryant told mo that
his wife was not we'll and Mary went
over to see her. The baby was crying
when she got there and the young
mother had a far-away look in her big
eyes. She could not look ut Mary as
time she tried to rest those eyes on
anything in particular they would fill
with water. After few moments
Mrs. Bryant looked down at her fret
full baby. The little thing was crying
itself hoarse and tired 1t was pitiful.
but the mother said nothing. She only
murmured OH and the tears came
with sob after sob. Mary comforted
her as she could and the woman spoke.
IL am not used to this life, y she
said; but Mr.. Bryants health is so
bad We had to leave the cold Of Mime
sofa; but since we'vo been down here
where it's so warm the baby's got bad,
too and"
There she stopped in another food
OF tears. Mary, like the woman she
Is cried little with her. and when
Bryant came homo in the evening no
found his wife and Mary and the baby
all crying together.
Day after day we could hear the
wells OF the Byrant infant My mans
heart was not touched, fop Mary had
not told me the young mothers grief
j only wished that the youngster
would be in Halifax-any where cue
in the little house across the ridge.
His yells came in through our open
windows and kept us awake. and all
day long as well. 1t seemed TO me. his
cries kept up.
Mary" said one morning several
weeks after the Bryants moved in as
our neighbors, II am going over to
sec about that kid. II the Bryants
won't move we will"
..But"--here Mary's voice faltered
as she thought OF tho mother--'put
II of" she went on. Anyway. the
baby hasn't cried this morning"
NO" said !, .and the reason is
that II kept M awake all last night
with Its yells and now It's going to
sleep when everybody else is up. I'm
going"
Before Mary could say another word
] loft the house and went over 70 the
eryanta The renter.himself came 70