The morning call., 1892-09-20
Old DOLLY.

UIt's bitter cold night, mother, saio
Farmer Bradshaw to his wife as he turned
away from the kitchen door, where he had
heen peering out into the darkness to ascer-
tain the nature of the weather. Il shouldn
wonder If we had snow before mornln IL
held of a long spell this year."
81 wonder where Lucilla Is to-nls"''
murmured Mrs Bradshaw.
always thinkin' of her, ain yo"'
motherP Well, I'm in the same oo"'-
'speeially to-day; keep expecting 10 see
her every minute. ,,
"Perhaps she has thoughts OF visitingus
said his wife. hopefully, land that's why
she doesn't write. We have not heard from
her for long time"
''Yes, yes-and it's queer she never comes
home. lis three years since she was mar
rjed it amt like her 20 stay away from Us
so long. Things Lave not all gone right
NTH her. I'm afraid. She was always
proud and high-strung, you know. ana
you d rather suffer alone than have any one
Rnow of her misfortunes.
An hour crept slowly by, broken only by
he click of Mother BradshaW's emitting
needles 'fhe old naD gazed into the nre
with an absent look, as II trying 10 IO"O"
he wanderngs of his only child. IT..
"Dav offer Tomorrow is LueIias birlL-
cav father" broke in Mrs. Bradshaw al
sti ,,nov mother l never liked the looks
a. that husband o hers. he Went on, ne
rad such a slippery tongue. And ne was
siways dressed so nice and seemed 10 nave
r5fhing to do. Pm sorry she married In
slch hurry. hadn't timeto think, hardly,
sf0re she was gone
well, father, It's no use maxim our
selves miserable woTryln' over what uoh que
md settled" said Mother Bradshaw, as she
rose TO make preparations for the night
eIucilla would have him, spite OF all L
could say, and p'raps she's happier tnan we
think"
Mr. Bradshaw said nothing, but went to
re door to take final look at the wea %
How the wind h0wls and means! ne
exclaimed. 'I'n bank I'D the hre tonight;
twill be dreadful cold by mornin'. l
shouldn't wonder if the snow covered the
tops O the fences"
In half hours time all was qniet around
tie Bradshaw farmhouse except the wInd,
which kept buSiiy al work pIllng up great
banks Of snow, blOckadlng the roads, coY-
eFing the fences and completely putting
stop t. all travel for several days;
Winter has come in earnest, SAID Mrs.
j adshaw tie next morning, as she drew
sside the window curtains.
There. uow! exclaimed the farmer with
T. start. How could 1 be so fOTgetfulY
What s 1t, father?"
"Old Dolly, Lucia's pet mare. meant
e put her under shelter last night and
forgot it, | suppose she's nearly froZe by
Cd time or maybe showed up. She's In
the south pasture. l must 20 and get her
ia ut away"
'Oh. well, she is q sensible creature and
doubt took shelter in the old stable down
there" said Mrs Bradshaw.
That reminds me, mother. I'm sure |
saw light in the stable window last night.
same tramp must have got in"
Oh, nonsense! Who would be out In
surh Weather@
"Well, l don't know, l saw it quite plain;
% perhaps twas trick O. my eyes, they're
ss.tin' so poor"
OF course 1t was" said Mrs. Bradshaw.
Breakfast over. the farmer briskly
thOVeed a pathway between the house and
barn, fed the stock and then prepared for
journey to the south pasture by donning a
aeavy 0yercOat fur cap, hOme-knit mittens
ana a large. thick scarf.
III look in and see what has tenRnted
he old tRrn on my way back" be said half
okngly as he lett the house
The wind had gone down considerably,
put still blew strongly. The snow was
ieep, and at every step Mr.. Bradshaw sank
INTO Il Up 10 his boot tops; this made walk
lng very hard. But at last he reached the
pasture. Old Dolly was not there.
Mothers right, the clever critters taken
shelter in the barn." he thought.
de hastened toward the crazy building
AL entered It; IS, there was Dolly. sure
enough, standing 10 broken-dOwn stall,
aud evidently making the best Of her cheer
less condition. As Mr.. Bradshaw ap-
preached she wbinnied softly; az the same
ME another BOise-a very strange one for
slch a place attracted his attention. He
stoned Ii was a cbld's cry! Hurriedly
Irnng n the direction from which ii came,
& sight met MS eyes which made him start
back IN surprise. On heap of straw, COW
cred by an old horse-blanket, lay woman.
and by her side pretty baby. The farmer
uttered a loud exclamation.
20 Lueila! Is it you2"
The woman rose feebly.
yes, father, it is l. have come home
sgain."
20 my girl-my poor grill" He sprang
forward and clasDed her in his arms. "Why
aIdn't you come into the house instead of
stopping here2" he asked as soon as he could
speak.
Il could not walk any farther. l had
spralued my ankle, aud should have per-
ished IN the snow but for Dolly. She rec
cgnlzed me at once when | stumbled
against her in the pasture. and Whinnied
Then / knew her, and even better, that
was near home managed to put baby on
her BACK, hoping she would take US to
SEINE place Of shelter-as she did, you see"
looking about the barn with a faint smile.
ed very we'll"
"Yeu poor soul! What viii your mother
ayY" cried the farmer. with tears in his
e3es: ITO think you should pass the night
e This placei But come, Dolly - good
)lly-help me to get your mistress home.
AID you shall have The best feed you ever
1sd in all your born days"
The old farmhouse is no longer cad
ace; Lucills and LCcilla's child make
lghtness there from morning until night.
The Door wife's story is a common one
ie man she had married so hastily proved
be a gambler OF the lowest type: he
2. USED her and at last deserted her. Then
2. Ow -O 1''u4' NC
od Dolly is alive still, and has the warm
bic. Diausn@"
For Il 1t hadn't been for that critter's
et ne olo ne2 you and me would have been
a.. Prsa. hhoIher he often says. And
daughter, responds tearfully: N"ppS
surely father. God bless old DoIlvp,
TUE CTnrU