Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-12-26

''Yes,," says he. "rNellie took sick NV
the jaDders fortnight ago, 'nd-'nd she
died, nd I'm takin her body up to Tex
arkany to bury. She lived there, you
know, nd I'm goin to leave the baby
there with its gram
Poor Bill 1t wuz his wife that the
men were carryin in that pine box to
the baggage car.
Likely lookin baby, Bill, says !
cheerfullike Perfect .pictur nv its
mother. Kind NV favors You round the
lower part NV the fact, tho.
] said this to make Bill feel happier.
If I'd told the truth, I'd We said the
baby wuz a sickly, yeller lookin little
thing, for SO it wuz Looked haff starv-
ed too Couldn't help comparin it with
that big, fat baby in its mothers arms
over the way
."Bill," says I, "here's a ten dollar
note for the baby, md God bless you'll"
"Thank ye, Mr.. Goodhue, " says hes
nd he ohoked all up as he moved off
with that yaller little baby in his arms
It warn't very fur up the road he wuz
goin, nd he found seat in one Nv the
front cars
But along about an hour after that
back come Bill, moseyin through the
car like he wuz huntin for somebody.
Seemed like he wuz in trubble md wuz
huntin for friend.
Anything / kin do for you, Bill?"
says /, but he didn't make no answer.
| All of a suddint he sot his eyes on the
prutty lady that had the fat baby sleepin
in her arms, md he made a break for
her like he wuz crazy. He took off his
hat md bent down over her md said
somethin none NV the rest NV US could
hear. The lady kind NV started like she
wuz frightened, md then she looked up
at Bill nd looked him right square in
the countenance. She saw tall, gang
lin, awkward man, with long yeller
hair nd frowzy beard, md she saw
that he wuz tremblin md he'd tears in
| his eyes. She looked down at the fat
baby in her arms, md then she looked
out'n the winder at the great stretch Nv
prairie land, md seemed like she wuz
lookin off further n the rest nv us could
see. Then, at last, she turned around
md said Eyes," to Bill, md Bill went
off into the front car agin.
None Nv the rest Nv us knew what all
this meant, but in minnit Bill come
back with his little yaller baby in his
arms, md you never heerd baby squall
nd carry on like that baby wuz squall-
in md carryin on. Fact is, the little
yaller baby was hungry-hungrier than
wolf, md there wuz its mother dead in
the car up ahead md Its granma good
piece up the road. What did the lady
over the way do but lay her own sleepin
baby down ON the seat beside her md
take Bills little yaller baby nd hold it
on the arm md cover up its head md
her shoulder with shawl, jest like she
had done with the fat baby not long
afore. Bill never looked at her he took
off his hat md held it in his hand, md
turned around md stood guard over that
mother, nd reckon that eff any man
he'd darst to look that way jest then Bill
would we cut his heart out.
The little yaller baby didn't cry very
long Seemed like it knowed there wuz
a mother holdinit-not its own mother,
but woman whose life he'd been hal
lowed by Gods blessin with the love
nd the purity md the sanctity NV moth
erhood.
| Why, I wouldn't hev swapped that
sight NV Bill md them two babies md
that sweet woman for all the cattle in
Texasl 1t jest made me know that what
I'd allus thought nv wimmin was gos-
pei truth. God bless that lady, I say,
wherever she is today, md God bless all
wimmin folks, for they're all alike in
their unselfshness md gentleness md
lovel
| Bill said, "God bless yep' too, when
she handed him back his poor little yal-
Ter baby. The little creeter wuz fas'
asleep, md Bill darsen't speak very loud
for fear he'd wake it up. But his heart
wuz way up in his mouth when he says
"God bless ye!' to that dear lady,
md then he added, like he wanted to let
her know that he meant to pay her back
when he could, "I'll do the same for
you some time, marm, if kin. ''--Eu.
gene Field in st. Louis Republic.