Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-10-14
THE DAISY NINE.

''llallo..' exclaimed Joe West aloud
whats that" and he paused in hi
hurried walk with his head bent for
ward and his rifle graspcd firmly il
his hands. "Now if l didn't know
better, l'dstakc my life that was ;
child's cry"
Once again the pititul little wal.
was repeated, and with a rush Joe
tore along that lonely mountain trail.
like one mad.
\ sudden turn in the road, and then
in the dim light he saw a small OBJ
ject just beyond him.
Joe wonderingly bent owe it and
touched it timidly with his hand, and
almost jumped a foot high when his
hand came in contact with another
hand, a very small one, vainly reach
ing ~heavcnward for the help that
came at last.
ssBlcss mc.,' said Joe on the verge
of tumbllng over in Il fit, so intense
was his establishment. 'sBlcss me!
Well l never. A poor little baby"
Then he looked about him in a
uuLSu hIiIu vi way lOI SOIlC cADIdtId.
tion of the mystery.
But the silent old told nothing
nor the blinking stars overhead.
Had the little one been abandoned?
if SO, by whom? Or had it fallen
from some cloudlct overhead?
But while Joe was wondering and
trying to- get his scattered senses to-
gcther. the baby rcncws its walls
and tossed its little hands aloft. The
weak voice was faint and hoarsc as if
it had cried Il long time.
sPoor baby" said Joe, s'what a
brute l am. it must be chillcdthrough,
aud lo matter where it came from
its not going to be left here any
longer"
Then he took Off his coat and
clumsily wrapped the child in it,
luckily giving it a breathing space in
its folds, and %awkwardly. but ten
DERBY, he lifted it in his arms and
started toward the camp.
carrying IL baby and a rifle is
hardly in my line" thought Joe. q
queer smile about his mouth. ssbut 1
guess Ill manage it, if i don't meet
"a bear or cougar
The warm coat and the protecting
clasp had stilled the cries of the lit
tie one and it slept until the camp
was reached.
.'lIallo. there, Joe, that you? What
are You CARRYING wrapped up in your
coat. Il cub or a papoose?:'
Come and sce,r said Joe.
He stood his rifle i'm the corner and
SAT down near the fire and began UNI
doing his bundle. while the boys
gathered around him wondcringly.
But the light and the noise awoke
the sleeping child. and it cried aloud.
IA baby. IL baby"
They started back as if a canon
had exploded in their midst, then
eagerly pressed forward once more.
.'Why-whcrc-how-'
Wait" said Joe, / found it on the
trail about ii mile back.
Found it-but who"
We'll know sometime. maybe.
But what's to lie done with the pool
little thing, it's cold and hungry"
''Give it something to eat" cried
BILLY Warrington. Here hand il
over to me. I'm used to kids. NJ,
step-lnother made me turn nurse,
that's why l RAJ away from home.
You'll drop it Joe. and you're scariug
the poor little thing into a fit"
Billy took it gently and with soft
pats and cooling words soon sootlled
it into calm, and when a cup Of milh
was placed to its lips, its little hand.
grabbed it and the boys had tn turn
their heads to hide the tears IN theil
eyes. to see how hungry it really was.
''Oncc get its face Washed" SAID
Billy. .'you'll find out she's a little
beauty. for it's Il little girl and abou,
two years old. | think. Shouldn't
wonder but She can tell her name.
After much petting and a number
OF watches presented to her, she he
gan to look about her and to max,
friends. She could only say IL few
words, papa, mammal" and, wher
asked her name. said "Dada," o
something similar.
.'It's Daisy, l think: and you ar,
a little daisy, that's a fact" quott
Joe, who was becoming decidedly in
terested in his queer find.
"But what's to he done with her?:'
: said more than one. There amt
woman in camp. and we can't get OF,
before Tomorrow"
Billy here intcrnosed again.
s'Never mind about women folks
IN see to her. Well get up a search
ing party by daylight and we may dis
v something. Somebody viii
claim her. she'll never be left to us.
When the searching party went on
they did hnh s,%""thing.
Onl.. :. -, rom whsre JQ