Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-05-08

built man OF SUBSTANTIAL appearance IN
more senses than one, with streaks of
gray in his hair.
The man glanced at the baby and
said, without ceremony:
az guess I've struck the right place.
This is Miss Dilloway, amt it9"
TREMENDOUSLY, holding the baby very
tight, and with an awful foreboding at
her heart, she answered: "Ye-es. Will
you walk ina"
"Well, yes, reckon I will. seeing
I've come &ll this distance to see the lit
tie fellow. There, now, don't get
scared! I've no notion of taking him
from you. / shouldn't know what to do
with him if I had him."
Miss Dilloway's face continued to ex-
press establishment.
"Well, WE'LL" said the man, 81 guess
I'd better introduce myself. I'm Reuben
| Russell, late of Minnesota, at present of
nowhere in particular. I got to Preston
three days ago, and went to work the
first thing to hunt up my niece Clary.
didn't know she was dead until l reached
the place where she used to board.
hadn't heard from her for over a year,
and 1 was pretty we'll taken aback when
they told me of her death and her hus-
bands, so nigh together.
ssBut was more taken aback when /
heard she'd left baby, and that it had
been sent to an asylum. Clary Dayton's
baby, my nevvy-or grand-neVvy-- in an
asylum!
81 travelled pretty quick to the place,
| and I don't know whether | was glad or
sorry when 1 heard 1T had been adopted.
Anyway, what came here for's to see
the little chap-look round here,
sonny-and to make some arrangement
with you about his board--or whatever
YOU call it. I don't want Clary's child
to be living on charity"
ssBut it isn't charity, sir, it isn't
charity! You see it belongs to me"
Miss Dilloway said this with half-vin-
dicative air. 81 had the papers regu-
iarly made out"
sWell, by and by, when he grows up,
he'll have to be educated, and clothes
bought for him. I'll start him bank
account. What's his name?"
Give always called him Baby l
haven't thought of any name yet" an
swered Miss Dilloway, not just liking
this 'Elook ahead" when this bit of hu-
manity in her arms would need education
and boys clothes.
"Land O. liberty! Clary's baby with
out name! Well, we'll. Ahem! VIII
what do you say to calling him after
me-Reuben?"
81 don't know that there's any objec-
ton" said the little woman, somewhat
meekly.
"Well, you think it over. I've got
little business down this way that needs
looking after, so I shall probably be
round here for a day or two, and I'll
come in again"
Mr.. Russells business must have re-
CURED more "looking after than he at
first supposed, for it detained him in
Rentham more than a week. There
seemed to be an hour or two in each
day. however, when it did not require
his attention, and these were spent in
Choking in to see how CIarys baby was
getting on"
It would not have got on at all if Miss
Dilloway had not been present to inter
fere, when gingerbread horses and highly
colored sugar soldiers found their way
from Mr.. Russell's pockets to baby's
mouth. Something was brought for
baby's amusement at every vista
jumping jack, a rattle or woolly
sheep-until Mr. Russell and his
small granddaughter became very good
friends. Mr.. Russell returned to Pres
ton, and was gone just two weeks. At
the end of that time he might have been
seen one afternoon going toward Miss
Dilloway's residence, boldly pushing a
handsome baby carriage before him.
He was hardly seated in Miss Dillo-
ways small sitting-room before he cleared
his throat and began:
GIVE been thinking good deal since
I left here fortnight ago, Miss Dillo-
way, and found I'd become a good deal
attached TOTO the baby; and-ahem
it struck me that, as you're alone in
the world, and I'm alone, and as the
baby seems to kind O belong to both OF
us, it wouldn't be bad idea to made one
family. What do you say2"
, Perhaps what one Of the neighbors said
short time after may throw some light
' on Miss Dilloway's answer.
, ''She's sixty, and he's sixty-tive If he's
day; and it's too ridiculous to SCI
r them together-with that baby!"-
? Youths Companion.