Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-09-13

"I-I put her in my bed" said the
woman, shyly "She's pretty little
thing, and Is clean out of her head, but
she hain't no wedding-ring."
"Well, she is punished now, poor
girl, for her share in the wrong-doing
without you and me saying anything" "
"All aboard!' sounded outside. As
the train ratified away, DR.. John went
softly to the little room where the emi-
grant woman lay unconscious of this
world, so nearly on the threshold of
the next
In the chill gray of early dawn DR..
John came out in the kitchen, where
Jonas Macon, the switchman, sat over
the fire; he had been forced to sleep in
his chair the long night after days
work. The hospitality of the poor often
means personal deprivation.
us she goin' to live?" asked the man.
81 hope so. The baby is fine boy"
"Both of 'em better dead, it what
wife thinks of her is true" sighed the
man. Gas for the boy, if he must grow
up and work as I've done, never gittin'
no further, he won't thank you for
a-savin' of him"
"He may turn out great man some
day; and them" said DIR. John, half to
himself-"she is not common or un-
educated woman, the mother-he may
be the better for the story of his birth,
strive to rise the higher for it."
"Likely not he won't. Them 'sylum
children don't amount to much in gen.
eral. Takes mighty smart man to
come out of the mud"
''Your wife has done nobly by her, u
said the doctor. "She has the best
heart"
''She is kind" muttered the man,
"an' she have stood about everythin' a
woman can stan. I'll git my own
breakfast. You tell her to turn in an
sleep with the kids awhile"
The doctor went back to his patient,
and Mrs. Macon brought the little
flannel bundle out by the stove. Later
the children were wild about 1t. Did
the train leave the baby? were they
they see in the windows of the trains,
as they passed, lots of baby faces look.
ing out for mothers to take them?
At night Mrs. Macon woke the doc
tor, who was taking nap in the chill.
dren's bed.
81 think, SIR" she said, worriedly,
1.-The little lady is gone out of her head.
She's feeling round in the bedclothes
for n dog, and calling one pitiful-lilxe. u
81 have been blind foolv' cried the
doctor. ~ felt all the time I'd ought
to know her" He ran to the sick
room, and, luckily, had some quieting
medicine in his case. The sufferer,
however, resisted long, as she slept
sighed, and one tiny hand felt around
nervously, while the other, clinched
hard in the sheet, resisted all pressure
to open it.
The next morning the white-haired
children were very quiet; they played
long way from the house, and to-
wards evening DIR. John kept them by
him in the kitchen, telling stories. To
this day the youngest one looks in vain
for n bnby to come by train that shall
be his own property, an illusion crea-
ted by the doctors stories.
"She's asleep" said Mrs. Macon.
coming out, land here's little purse
found In her pocket couldn't get
II before, for, loony as she's been al
day. she watched me IL went neal
her things"
A shabby little purse, containing
only a five-dollar bill and card-Craig
divers, with his Office address
81 didn't need this to tell me-" said
the doctor. "She is married woman
all right, Mrs. Macon; her name Il
well-to-do. How she came here
haven't the faintest idea; she disap
peared last fall, and her aunt has
searched all over the country for her
In the morning when the doctor
went to see his patient he found her
conscious, looking with ineffable dis
dain on the red-faced bundle beside
her.
you're the kind doctor who stayed
off the train on account of me-" she
said, family. "You were ever SO good
but I'd much rather have just died.
She" with n weak glance at Mrs Ma
com told me about you"
"Most women would be pleased with
that nice little baby"
Would they?" indifferently. at has
black eyes, and is so ugly. Besides, IL
has no sense. My dog knew every.
thing"
Tut TUT" scolded the doctor; "that
is not pretty talk"
"You act like my old maid aunt"
weren't your dogs eyes black, too,
Mrs. Minny?"
"How did you find my nameP" she
cried, piteously. "And you can't call
me that; for some one love dearly has
that name for me"
"You said it when out of your head, "
said Doctor John, calmly. Now go to
sleep"
"But I've got lots OF things ] must
attend TO about him." looking at the
baby curiously. you see, having him
makes me different feel I must do
things for him don't want to tell"
Tonight will do"
II might die"
"You are not in the slightest dan
ger, nor is the boy; and, though you
have had your own way long time
possibly too long you must mind
now"
She obedicntly closed her eyes, and
In the late afternoon when DIR. John
returned greeted him with n radiant
smile.
'T'm quite sure am going to die, :"
she said, happily, land you don't know
how glad | am. feel so good and sem
sible, ] know can't live long. Now ]
want you TO write out legally all about
the child and me, how came here. Ills
name Is to be Francois-French for
Francis, you ltnow--de Rcstaud, after
his grandfather, who Is general In
France. His fathers name Is Henri dc
Restaud. My name, which Is funny, IL
Minerva Patten dc Rcstaud, and my
old aunt, Hannah Patten, in Newcastle,
Me, has my marriage certificate and
all my other papers. She took them
away when she visited me up In the
valley of the Troublesome. She was
afraid my husband might take them
from me and say we were not married IL
he wanted 20 go back TO his people In
Paris. / never wanted TO see any OF
them; one member OF the family was
enough" with ghost OF smile)i but
the baby has made me see things DIFF
ferently. The family nrc very rich, and
there Is only one heir, Henri's older
brothers son. Henri said he was sick
ly, his mothers family being consump-
tive. That little baby may grow up
man, and he would hate me because /
had not looked after his interests. OF
course twill seem strange TO people In
France that ! was here without any
LII. M ILnA L. ...L,. L nj ,.nIt IA nj