Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-09-11


liquor up" But in the wild shout
which followed his announcement the
invitation passes unhcedcd.
Then there is a brief consultation
with the physician. Yes, Mrs. Her
rick is sitting up, and is well enough
to receive visitors, he thinks. The
news spread like wildfire, and in less
time than it takes to tell It, there is an
excited mob of men almost three
hundred Of them-in the street, whith-
cr they have flocked from saloons.
stores and boarding houses.
Doc Starr, Pete Hoskins and Heavy
fairbauk, the roiund proprietor of the
Mermaid, are appointed an interview
lug committee to appraise the happy
parents Of the intentions Of the mob
and are hurrying down the street to-
wards the Herrick abode. They re-
t1rn soon with the desired permission,
1.-THE eager but now quiet procession
moves rapidly along, headed by the
committee and Clip-Ear Tomkins, the
gentleman who runs the White Ele-
pham.
The doors of the Herrick home are
opened wide, the one for the worship
pers to enter by and the other for an
exit. The procession halts and the
four gentlemen leading it enter to
take their look at the little red, ugly,
blinking thing which Mrs. Herrick
proudly holds in her arms.
Doc Starr has seen it before and
may see it again any time, so he does
NOT linger; Hoskins and Fairbank, be-
ing bachelors, merely look curiously at
the little creature and pass on, feeling
queer. But Tomkins is said TO have a
wife and family somewhere back in
the "States," and a hungry, heart
starved feeling swells up in his breast
and two big tears start from the keen
eyes that have not known them for
wears. Tomkins looks long and visit
fully-then the crowd outside tolls him
to hurry. He stoops hastily over the
babe, kisses it bashfully, and, with
something like sob, grabs hand
fnl of coin and nuggets from his
pocket, throws it into the lap of the
astonished Mrs. IIerrick and SAYS,
"Git somethin' fer tn kid" !" and rushes
out.
And so all the rest OF the afternoon
the wondering curious throng goes in
and out of the little room, each one
having remembrance behind him,
Until Mrs. itcrrick's lap ovcrflows, and
thUn a vacant chair and wooden
table arc strewn with little sacks of
gold dust and Uttered with nuggets and
coin. 1t is more money than the poor
couple ever dreamed of having all at
once, and Mrs licrrick sits i'll stupe-
fed amazement and her wondering
spouse hastens down street to spend
part of his suddenly acquired fortune
for whiskev.
And tho miners come in, four at
time. to see and be conquercd-old
men, young men, ignorant miners and
men whose faces if shaven would be-
token thei' owners gentlemen by birth
and education. Married men, some
of them whose throats feel choky and
stiled rs they looked upon this tiny
creature and think of their own little
ones at homo far away, and they leave
the house lingcringly and sneak off by
themselves TO have good lonesome,
comfortable think. Young men, some
of them hardly moro than boys, also
como in and see this baby with strange
feelings in their hearts, and go away
ashamed of themselves, somehow,
though they know not why. AS they
join their friends afterward they ell
dedvor to assume an air of cheerful
nonchalcnce they are far from feel
ing.
There is no procession back up the
street. The men who marched togcth-
er down to Herrick's awhile ago go
away alone, or in quiet groups which
soon separate. Somehow nobody
feels sociable. aud Heavy Fairbank
and Clip-Ear Tomkins as they sit be-
fore their respective places of business
in the evening, think a great deal, but
do not notice how dull trade is.
Tho little red baby, in the midst of
plenty where poverty had reigned be-
fore, squalls and howls, and makes
night hideOus just as other babies do,
never knowing how many hearts she
has softened, nor how many sweet and
tcHticr Tecollectiolis siie mas chuscu w
wake in the rugged breasts of the
throng of hardy, reckless, careless
men who gathered this day to do her
honor.
And Nj and 1trs. Homeiy Herrick
have issued "P. P. C. .'s"-verbal-to
their many friends. They are going
back to the " States" and Carterville
mourns. -[Harrisburg (Penn.) Inde-
pendent.
Hhn R0nt ioht Il DAD d.