Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-03-12

AOu4y PA0CC Nv LUX NIUSoAu OUb j
moqt hev felt q heap sorrier for the
cresters that he'd to live there, for I'll
allow that York Crossin' is q leetle the
durndest lonesomest place / ever seen.
Well, just afore the train started agin,
who should come into the car but
Bill Woodson, and he wuz lookin' pow
erful tough. Bill herded cattle for me
three winters, but he'd moved away
when he married one NV the waiter
girls at Spooner's hotel at Hoost'n.
Hello, Bill" says I; 'what air you
totin' SO kind NV keerfullike in your
arms there"
why, I've got the baby says he;
nd as he said it the tears come up into
his eyes.
"Your own baby, Bill" says I.
"Yes," seq he. "Nellie took sick NV
the janders a fortnight ago, 'nd-'nd
she died, md 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 car.
Likely lookin' baby, BILL says I,
checrfullike. Perfect pictur' NV it's
mother; kind NV favors you round the
lower part NV the face, tho"
l said this to make Bill feel happier.
II I'd told the truth, I'd We said the
baby wuz a sickly, yaller-lookin' little
thing. for sc it wuz. looked haff-
starved, too. Couldn't help comparin'
it with that big, fat baby in it's moth
er's arms over the way.
BILL" says I, ''here is a ten-dollar
note for the baby, nd God bless you!"
THANK We, Mr.. Goodhue,' says he,
nd he choked all up as le moved off
with that yaller little baby in his arms.
1t warE't very fur up the road he wuz
goin', nd he found a seat in one NV
the front cars.
But along 1about al hour after that
back came Bill, moseyin' through the
a like he wuz huntin' for somebody.
Seemed like he wuz in trubble and wuz
luntin' for a friend.
Anything l 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 nd bent down over her
nd said somethin' none NV the rest NV
us could hear. The lady kind NV start
ed like she wuz frightened, nd then
she looked up at Bill nd looked him
right square in the c~ountenance. She
saw a tall, ganglin', awkward man,
with long yaller hair md frowzy beard,
md she saw that he wuz trenholm nd
he'd tears in his eyes. She looked down
at the fat baby in her arms, nd then
she looked out'n the winder at the
great stretch NV prairie land. nd
seemed like she wuz lookin' off further
IN the rest Nv us could see. Then, at
last she turned around md said: "Ycs,"
to Bill, nd Bill went off into the front
car agin.
None NV the rest NV us knew what
all this meant, but in a minnit Bill
come back with his little yaller baby
in his arms, md you never heerd a baby
squat md carry on like that baby wuz
squallin' nd carryin' on. Fact is, the
little yaller baby was hungry, hnngrier
III a wolf, nd there wuz it's mother
dead in the "a up ahead md it's gram
ma a good piece up the road. What
did the lady over the way do but lay
her W sleepin' baby down on the seat
beside her nd take Bills little yaller
baby nd hold it on one arm md cover
up it's head md 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 jist then Bill would We
cut his heart out.
The little yaller baby didn't cry very
long. Seemed like it knowed there wuz
q mother holdin' it-not it's own moth
err, but a woman whose life he'd been
hallowed by Gods blessin' with the
love md the purity md the sanctity
NV motherhood.
Why, 4 wouldn't hev snapped that
sight NV Bill an them two babies md
that sweet woma 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! I
say wherever she is to-day, md bless
all wimmin folks. fsr they're all alike
in their unselfishness nd gentleness
nd love!