Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-03-05


up dozen NV your best oranges nd a
dozen nv your best bananas nd take 'em
over to that baby with my compli-
mentS."
But before he could do it tho lady he'd
laid the baby on one nv her arms nd
he'd spread shawl over its head nd
over her shoulder, nd all NV suddin
the baby quit wOrrin an seemed like he
he'd gone to sleep.
When we got TO York CrOssin look
ed out II the winder nd seen some men
Carryin u long pine box up toward the
baggage car. Seem their hats off, knew
there wuz dead ) .dy i'll the box, nd
couldn't help f., l sorry for the poor
Crcctur that he'd died in that lonely
place NV York CruSsin, but / mought
Ecy felt heap sorrier for the creeters
that had to live there, for I'll allow that
York CrOssin is u leettle tho durnedeSt
lonoSomest place l ever seen.
Waal, jest afore the train started
agin, who should come into the car but
Bill Woodson, nd he wuz lookin pow
erful tough. Bill hcrdcd cattle for me
three winters, but he'd moved away
at Spooncr'S hotel at HoOSt'n.
Hello, Bill" says l. What air you
totin so kind NV keerfullike i'll your
arms there"
"Why, I've got the baby" says he,
nd us he said it the tears come up into
his eyes.
"Your own baby, Billw says l.
eyes, says he Nellie took sick nv
the JandCrs Il 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 grau'ma.
Poor Bill! 1t wuz his wife that the
men were carryin i'll that pine box to
the baggage car.
"LikCly lookin baby, Bill" SAYS /
cheerfullike. Perfect pictur NV It's
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 sickly, yeller lookin little
thing, for so it wuz Looked half starry
ed too. Couldn't help comparin it with
that big, fat baby in its mothers arms
over the way.
"Bill,' says /, "here's ten dollar
note for the baby, nd God bless you :"
"Thank ye, Mr.. Goodhue," says he,
md he choked all up as he moved off
with that yaller little baby in his arms
1t 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 WIZ in trubble nd wuz
huntin for friend.
Anything l kin do for You, Bill?"
says /, but he didn't make 10 answer
All of n suddint he sot his eyes on the
prutty lady that had the fat baby sleepin
i'll her arms, nd he made n break for
her like he WIZ crazy. He took off his
hat nd bent down over her nd said
sOmethin none NV the rest NV us could
hear. The lady kind NV started like she
WIZ frightened, nd 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, nd she saw
that he wuz tremblin nd 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 YES" to Bill, nd Bill went
off into the front car agin
None nv the rest nv us knew what all
this meant, but i'll 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.
III nd carryln on. Fact is, the little
yaller baby was hungry-hungrier than
a wolf, nd there wuz its mother dead in
the car up ahead nd its granma "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 md
take Bills little yaller baby md hold it
on the arm nd cover up it's head nd
her shoulder with "A shawl, jest like she
had done with the fat baby not long
afore. Bill never looked Mt her he took
off his hat md held it in his hand, md
turned around md stood guard over that
mother, md l reckon that eff any man
would We cut his heart out
The little yaller baby didn't cry very
long. Seemed like it knowed there wua
mother holdin it-not its own mother,
but woman whose life he'd been hal
lowed by Gods blessin with the love
md the purity nd the sanctity NV moth
erhood.
Why, 1 wouldn't hev snapped that
sight nv Bill md them two babies md
that sweet woman for all the cattle in
Texas 1t jest made me know that what
I'd allus thought nv wimmin was Cos
pei truth. God bless that lady, say,
wherever she is today, nd God bless all
wimmin folks, for they're all alike in
their unselfishness md gentleness md
love
Bill said, "God bless yew too, when
she handed him back his poor little yal-
Ter baby. The little creeter wuz fas'
asleep, nd Bill darsen't speak very loud
for fear he'd wake it up. But his heart
wuz way up i'll 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, "T'n do the same for
you some time, marin, if kin '-Eu-
gene Field in st. Louis Republic.
Gladstone on Montenegro's Traditions
We have the greatest respect for
Prince Nicholas of Montenegro, but a
natural Discrimination to have to start