The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-12-13

nd as he said it the tears come up into
Z his eyes.
Your own baby, Bill." says |.
"Yes," SEE he. Nellie took sick NV
the janders a fortnight ago, 'nd-'nd
she died, nd I'm takin' her body up TO
TeXarkany to bury. She lived there,
you know. nd I'm goin' to leave the
baby there with its gran ma"
Poor Bill! it wuz his wife that the
men were carryin' in that pine box to
the baggage ear.
/ Likely loollin' baby, Bill" says 1,
cheerfullike. Perfect pictur' NV its
mother; kind NV favors you round the
lower part Nv the face, tho"
| said this to make Bill feel happier.
If I'd told the truth, I'd We said the
baby wuz a sickly. yaller-loolin' little
thing, for so it wuz. looked half
starved, too. Couldn't help comparin'
it with that big. fat baby in its moth
er's arms over the way.
BILL" says |, here is Il ten-dollar
note for the baby, nd God bless you!"
Thank We, Mr.. Goodhue." says he.
nd he cholled all up as he moved OF
with that yaller little baby in his arms.
1t warn't very fur up the road he wuz
goin', nd he found a seat in one Nv
the front ears.
But along about an hour after that
back came Bill. moseyin' through the
car like be wuz huntin' for somebody.
Seemed Ike he wuz in trubble and wuz
huntin' for friend.
Anything Kin do for you, Bi!l?"
says |, but he didn't make no answer.
All of a suadint lie sot his eyes on the
prutty lady that had the fat baby
sleepin' in her arms, nd he made
break for her like he wuz crazy. He
took off his hat nd bent down over her
nd said somcthin' none NV the rest NV
us could hear. The lady kind NV start
ed like she wuz frightened. nd then
she looked up at BIZ nd looked him
right square in the countcnance. She
saw a tall, Gauglin', awkward man,
with long waller hair nd frowzy beard,
nd she saw that he wuz tremblin' nd
he'd tears in his eyes. She looked down
uC IiN isit btlhy III isNl al MS. III lllCll
she looked out'n the winder at the
great stretch Nv prairie land, nd
seemed like she wuZ looilin' off further
n the rest NV us could see. Then, at
last she turned around nd said: Eyes"
to Bill, nd Bill went off into the front
ear ag'in.
None NV the rest NV us knew what
all this meant. but in a minnit Bill
come back with his little WALLER baby
in his arms. nd YOU never hecrd baby
squall nd carry on like that baby wuz
squallin' nd carryin' on. Fact is, the
little yaller baby was hungry, hungrier
n wolf, nd there wuz its mother
dead in the car up ahead nd it's gram
ma a 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 nd take Bits little yaller
baby nd hold ii on one arm nd cover
up its head nd her shoulder with a
shawl, jist like she had done with the
fat baby not long afore. Bill never
looked at her; he took off his hat and
held it in his hand, nd turn around
nd stood guard over that mother, nd
| reckon that eff any man he'd darst to
look that way ist 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 holdin' it-not its own moth
er, but a woman whose life he'd been
hallowed by Gods blessin' with the
love nd the purity nd the sanctity
NV motherhood
Why, | wouldn't hev snapped that
sight NV Bill an them two babies nd
that sweet woman for all the cattle
in Texas! 1t jest made me know that
what I'd allus thought NV wimmin was
Gospel truth. God bless that lady! |
say. wherever she is to-day, nd bless
all wimmin folks, for they're all alike
in their unselfshness nd gentleness
nd love!
Bill said: God bless vel" too, when
she handed him back his poor little
yaller baby. The little creeter wuz fast
asleep, nd Bill darsent speak very loud
for fear he'd wake it up. But his heart
wuz way up in his mouth when he says:
"God bless vel" to that dear lady; nd
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. marin, if | kim
St. Louis Republic.