Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-27
20 aoabs stn sorsly troubled by rnsh


no docbt stin soreiy troubled by rneir
bereavement.
En- sighed Jerry TO himself. what
> deal o difference little Al dew make,
surely. I'd gf ahundred goolt guineas
10 have il back"
The road grew rather rough They
had been laying down course II dross
upon il, and the pony staggered a blt as
he picked his way Ia the darkness over
the sharp points. The cart had no
springs, and il began 70 jolt and shake
somewhat. Presently il got over the
stones and onto smooth surfaces again.
Then Jerry was suddenly aware OF
child's faint cry somewhere close at
hand. He started and prieked his ears
Ike watchdog.
Seems 70 me Ike q child arcryin."
said he. "Yes; us q child, surely.
Whoa. Robin, lsdi Let's see what this
may be- Whoa, them
The pony stopped. and jeremiah got
down. and having lighted his lantern
went over toward the hedgeside. The
cry had stopped then. He looked about
him curiously. but saw nothing. "Must
be on r'other side" said he. and went
stumpIng across the lane Then the
faint cry came again, and the carrier
Strengthened himself up in amazemenr.
Blessed IL faint in my cart!- said
he. "Well-well-this do be very per-
ticker strange. A child cryin in my
cart"
He held the lantern over the cart tail
and looked AZ the miscellaneous collec-
ton OF baskets. bags and parcels ar
ranged there. And then his face grew
troubled. for he saw a hamper and did
not recognize IL.
Dear, dearl" said Jeremiah. "Here
be- strange work, misdoubt. ! didn't
never put that i my Cart"
The hamper lid was loose, and Jerry
turned 1t back and gazed with aston
ished eyes on the sigh. which presented
itself. For there, warmly wrapped in
various ancient garments. lay a baby
girl, fair haired and blue eyed, who
stared at Jerry's wrinkled and weather
beaten face. and smiled contentedly.
'Dear.a amer said the carrier. Dear
amer
He stood staring at the baby until it
began to whimper again. There was q
feeding bottle in the basket with it, and
Jerry hastened TO thrust the tube into
the little rosy mouth, at the same time
giving voice to certain soothing chuckles
which he had used when hushing his lit
tledead granddaughter TO sleep. Then he
covered the baby up again and went for
ward to Little Ashby and pulled up at
the door OF the Brown Cow" He staia
inside little more than two minutes, and
when he came forth again the stout,
comfortable. looking landlady followed
him 20 the cart.
Look zee there, missis," said Jerry,
holding his lantern over the sleeping
baby's face. Look ZEE there"
The landlady nodded and sighed.
"Ah, poor dearr' said she. "'Tis Just
a dispensat;on o. Providence. Master
Motif Is indeed. Take it home -
Bob's poor wife-maybeit'n comfort her
for the loss of the other"
So jeremiah set forward over the last
kllAlt vi IOt4 ~ w IAOWAC lc
slept quietly all the way, for the road
was smooth, and the motion of the cart
was soothing.
Poor Bob, his eyes red with weeping
for the dead baby, was at the gate to
welcome his father. jeremiah got down
| from his perch very softly and ap-
preached him.
Now. my lad" said Jerry, show do
ZEE feel now like. and how's poor Mary?'
.'Bad-very bad. feyther, is Mary"
said Bob. Her sits by the hearthstone
and don't say word to nobody. Mis-
tress White-she says at if only Mary
nd cry bit 7 would do her good, but
| her don't cry-not a tear"
Bob said the old man, "look thee
/ here,"
He held the lantern over the sleeping
baby. Bob. opening his eyes and mouth,
stared and gazed in amazement. The
old man set down the light, and lifting
the child from its nest turned with ii
toward the house. Mary by the
hearth as he entered, her ey > dry and
burning, her face full of despair.
Mary" said old jeremiah very softly.
"Mary-look thee here. my dear"
He laid the sleeping baby on her knee.
II suddenly woke and shed the full light
of its blue eyes upon her. For a second
she gazed at it wonderingly; then she
clasped il in her arms. and the hot tears
began to rain down upon its round little
face. Old jeremiah watched the little
/ group wonderingly; then he turned,
sighed and went hack TO his cart
/ Newcastle Chronicle.