St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-11-30

| come from a little town In Kansas x
Mr. Busbs. The letter contained new.
OF the death of Mrs. Emma Hale dis
tant cousin Of Joseph. Mrs. Hale wa.
a widow and lett one child, boy. two
years old. The writer. ncighbor o.
the dead woman, went on to say She
could care for the child no longer, ani
II his relatives did no: come for him hs
would be sent to the poorhouse. JOSEPH
pondered the matter day and a night
He then coolly proposed sending 70,
the child and adopting it. His wife
fatty refused. What-a child. a two
year old baby, to make litter on hel
clean floors and upset her orderly plar
OF life?
"fou must be crazy, Joseph" she
said. severely. ''If it was . girl. now
and big enough to be out from unde,
foot, might think of il. But there
hain'r no use talking about it."
Joseph Busby rarely opposed hi.
wife, even in SO small matter as talk
ing when she bade him be silent. How.
ever, this time he said:
I've air grower old. Mirandy. The
baby would be something to love us
These words came back to Mrs. bus
by as she bent over the wash tub. DAD
she and Joseph need something to love
them? She thought Of the rambling
old house with its many rooms, Of the
fertile acres surrounding it, and of the
| comfortable bank account. Then hel
mind wandered to the distant GENE
| terry where a white marble cross
; marked her baby's grave.
| Il couldn't give Leah's place to an
other she whispered. And vet he
might make 8 pace for himself Oh,
my baby, I miss her still"
Withdrawing her hands from the
sads, Mrs. Busby crossed the sitting
room and entered the parlor. No one
knew. not even her husband, how
many troublesome questions the
| mother settled before her child's pic
! ture.
She opened the blinds and looked
long and earnestly At the laughing
ba by face.
do You want me to, dear?' she
take a noisy, troublesome hoy into this
home? Is it an idol, Leah. my want
ing everything SO quiet and orderly?"
Ten minutes later she was back at
her washing. The parlor blinds were
closed and all things were rs they had
been excepting Mrs. Busby's eyes;
there was = new light in their gray
depths. At hslf-past nine the last
clothes were on the line. Returning
from hanging them out, Mrs Busby
found . neighbor, MIR. Vance, At the
door.
i've been down to the station" he
said, ''and the eight o'clock train
brought a baby for you. or Busby,
rather"
"A what" demanded Mrs. Busby,
catching her breath.
"A baby" Il was plain to see thas
Mr.. Vance was enjoying the situation
"A woman who was going east on :
visit brought it from Kansas. Said IL
belonged to some Of Busby's folks.
She left it in care Of the ticket agent
and he sent it over by me- It's down
to the road in my wagon. and = trunk.
too. The little fellow has cried most
ever since the woman left him"
Mrs. Busby took down her green
gingham sunbonnet and prepared to
follow him out to the wagon without
word.
"Was you expecting it?" Mr.. Vance
asked. somewhat disappointed at her
quietness.
Not to day." she replied, briefly.
It was plump. but tear-stained lit
tie face that met her eager gaze.
There were great blue eyes. a rosy
mouth and closely-curling yellow hair.
But the child was unmistakably dirty
and began crying again in a piteous
fashion.
Mrs Busby held mp her arms.
'Come to auntie, DEAR" she said coax
ingly You want some bread and
milk. don't you, and to see the dear
little chickens
At the same leisurely gait of the
morning Mr.. Busby again traversed
the path from the barn to the house.
Miranda's line of snowy clothes dry.
ing in the sun brought to his mind tho
conversation of the morning. but he
expected NO reference to it from his
wife. A surprise awaited him The
table was laid for three, and at the
guests place stood clumsy little
high chair that for twenty years had
stood empty in an upper room. And
on the floor sgt = happy faced child
surrounded by clothes-pins empty
bottles. a disnsed candlestick and =
like collection of impromptu play
things.
"Who-wi,o is that, MiranG :"
"Joey Hale Busby," was III Itranda's
prompt reply. and picking up tho
child she put it in her husbands s
arms. There, Joey dear, make
friends with Uncle Joseph. He is the
dearest little fellow" she went ong
so cunning and not . bit afraid"
But I don't understand" and
Joseph Busby's arms closed tenderly
around the little orphan.
The story was soon told.
''Of course, we'll keep him. and do
the best we can by him." Mrs Busby
said by way Of conclusion. Dinner is
ready and the green peas and custard
pie will taste good to little Joey.
guess you were right bout my idols.
Joseph" stopping to fssten . towel
around the child's neck in lieu of =
bib, but they are overthrown. Now
I'll try and not make an idol Of Joey"
You air a remarkable woman, Mir
andy" Mr. Busby said. wiping his
eyes. I'll have always said you was a
remarkable woman, and I'm . leetle
afraid / am maken an idol of you
y. Y. Observer.
a Btcycler's End.
In the morning how swiftly he sped
up the boulevard on his glittering