The Bessemer indicator., 1893-12-09

little one coming
past you'd have IL worn out over your
bnck in five minutes. That's our little
Goldenrod, and there isn't man in
camp that wouldn't lay right down,
and let her trot ali over him II she
wanted to- Odd name? Well. yes,
rather. Maybe you'd like to know
how she got it, and why she is here
"You see, about twelve years ago,
there was gypsy camp right back
OF us for several weeks. One morning
we found they had left during the
night, and when the captain came out
of his cabin he almost stepped on
bundle that lay in front of it. Picking
IL up he saw that 1t wns something
alive, and supposed the boys had
played joke on him. What was his
surprise 10 find neither puppy, nor
kitten, but n sweet baby face looking
no ut him from the wrnppings- Well,
sir, he dropped into chair just as II
you'd struck him.
"'My gracious he says, 'whnt on
earth shall we do with IT? and he
looked so helpless we had to laugh at
him. She put up her mite OF hand,
and giving his long beard q gentle
pull, nestled down in his arms as
much us to say. Take cnre Of me. Of
course He found a paper pinned to
the white dress where It's mother had
written. For the sake of tile mother
who loves you, take care Of this little
one. l can't keep her, though shs
hns perfect right in the world
"Well, we We're In fix. At that
time there wasn't woman In camp,
but you'll most always find where
there's lot of men together, that
one of them is pretty sure to be about
us handy us u woman, and, as good
luck would have 1t, that was the case
here. After we had all of us had our
say, and some of the most ridiculous
suggestions had been made In sober
earnest Dan Draper steps np and
says he, Look here, cap'n, l reckon
can take about as good caro- of the
little thing as my of us. helped
raise six kids Of my own, and II you
say so I'll turn nurse Thanks,
Draper says he, handing her over
with an air of relief. Its big job
off my hands She's little beauty,
and seeing she has come among us we
must not let her suffer for want Of
care
"Well, the long, and the short Of It
is, we all adopted her, and go shares
in her expense. She knows perfectly
we'll how we idolizc lier, but she
never takes advantage of 1t as most
children would. The captain is her
favorite, md / believe she would lay
down her life for him II she thought
she was helping him by so doing.
Gas she grew older she developed
u perfect passion for flowers, especial
ly the goidcnrod. Many time have
we picked her up fast asleep in the
field with II great bunch of it clasped
in her arms. She wears 1t in her hair,
and fastcns 1t in her dress. and her
pleasure in her curls lies in the
fact that they are golden.
You'd laugh to see Dan comb
them out mornings You'd think his
life depended on getting every hair in
line. There's plenty of women here
now. but he declares he won't give up
that job After he has got them all
in order he fastens a spray OF golden
rod among them, II 1t is the season
for 1t, and acts Us proud over it as If
he was French hair dresser.
'She had no name so we got to call
ing her that, and, guess she will
always go by it. lcastwa; $ out here.
But the special thing for which we
nll nearly worship her happened two
years ngo. when that little tot saved
roo of US from a terrible death. You
sec, 1t was In the fall, md she was
running around after her precious
goldenrod. While she was sitting
among It making n wreath she heard
voices Then steps passed BY, but rs
the flowers were tall and thick she
was hidden from sight. AS two men
approached she heard one of them
say, III pay the ca tain for turning
me out yet. You can count on me.
and the other one n swered, All
right Come along, and Well talk 1t
over with the other fcllers,
THAT WAS enough for Goldenrod
Some danger threatened her beloved
captain, and she ,llowed them keep.
ing out Of sight, and yet within hear
ing, with true gypsy instinct About
hnlf mile out the mon stopped, and
blew n whistle long and clear. Four
or five others Joined thea,. and Golden.
rod listened with terror to hear them
plan to come upon MS while we slept
and. by placing ginrt powder here
and there, send us all into eternity
without our having the slightest no
| tioU of how we got there. They had
| already sent II mess gc to the captain
that would decry him away, ant
meant to catch MIN on the rold. an
deal with him Mt their leisure She
knew it was instant death II sho wa,
discovered. bat The brave heart ncyc,
| i'r-,'h. and it. MAS not ,il III. con