The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-07

shawl closely about her face and hurried
away.
AT the end of half an hour Jerry
emerged from the inn, climbed to his seat,
bade the pony proceed and rolled away
again. He left the colliery village be-
hind him and was soon in the open
country. Left to himself once more the
little green grave in Willowmere
churchyard began to haunt him again.
He sighed as he pictured the lonely
cottage at home. Bob and his wife
| would be there waiting his return, and
no doubt still sorely troubled by their
bereavement
"Eh." sighed Jerry TO himself, "what
deal o. difference little un dew make,
sure-lyi I'd gi' hundred goold guineas
TO have il back"
The road grew rather rough. They
had been laying down course Of dross
upon,it, and the pony staggered bit as
he picked his way In the darkness over
the sharp points. The cart had no
springs, and it began to jolt and shake
somewhat. Presently ii 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 pricked his ears
like watchdog.
Seems to me like child a-cryin,"
said he. "Yes; tits child. surely.
Whoa, Robin, ladl 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 t'other side," said he, and. went
stumping across the lane. Then the
faint cry came again, and the carrier
Strengthened himself up in amazement.
Blessed If 'tain't 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 at the miscellaneous collec-
ton of baskets, bags and parcels ar
ranged there. And then his face grew
troubled, for he saw hamper and did
not recognize it. .
DcAT, u6dIt sdlu JSIcLuldn. ICI6
be strange work, misdoubt. didn't
never put that i my cart"
The hamper lid was loose, and Jerry
turned it back and. gazed with aston
ished eyes ON the sight which presented
itself. For there, warmly wrapped in
various ancient garments, lay baby
girl, fair haired and blue eyed, who
g+o~n1 81 Ia,..,y1o xxyr;,, Llal op1 xx,ao+ha~
beaten face, and smiled contentedly.
"Dear-a-me!" said the carrier. Dear
a-mei"
He stood staring at the baby until 1t
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
ledead 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 staid
inside little more than two minutes, and
when he came forth again the stout,
comfortable looking landlady followed
him to the cart.
"Look zee there, missis," said Jerry,
| holding his lantern over the sleeping
baby's face. "Look zee therer'.
The landlady nodded and sighed.
"Ah, poor dearr' said she. "'Tis just
dispensation o. Providence, Master
Motif is indeed. Take it home TO
Bob's poor wife-maybeit'n comfort her
for the loss of the other"
So jeremiah set forward over the last
mile of road to Willowmere. The baby
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 on'y Mary
nd cry bit t would do her good, but
her don't cry--not tear"
Bob said the old man. .slook 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 sat by the
hearth as he entered, her eyes 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.
It suddenly woke and shed the full light
of it's blue eyes upon her. For second
she gazed at it wonderingly; then she
clasped it in her arms, and the hot tears
began to rain down upon its round little
pface Old jeremiah watched the little
group wonderingly; then he turned
. sighed and went back to his cart
Newcastle Chronicle
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