Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-04-04

the, for I'll allow that York Cros.rr
is Ieetle the durndest loncsomcst place
| ever seen.
Well, just atore the train started
agin, who should come into the ear
but Bill Woodson, and he wuz looIin'
powerful tough. Bill herded cattle
three winters, but he'd moved away
when he married one nv the waiter
girls at Spooner's hotel at Hoost'n.
"Hlello, Bill" says |; what air
you toiin' 50 kind ny keertullike in
your arms there 2"
why, Eve got the baby says he
nd as he said it the tears come up in.
to his eyes.
"lour own baby, Bill - says |.
"Ies," sez he. Nellie took sick
Nv the janders a fortnight ago, nd
nd she died, nd I'm takin' her body
up to Texarkany to barry. 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 /,
cheertullike. Perfect pictur' NY its
mother kind NV tavors you round
the lower part NV the face, tho"
said this to make Bill feel hap
pier. If III told the truth, I'll We
said the baby was a sickly, waller
lookin' little thing, for so it wuz, look
ed hah' starved, too. Couldn't help
comparin' it with that big. fat baby in
its mothers arms over the way.
"Bill." says |, cher is ten-dollar
note for the baby, nd God bless YOU
Thank ye, Mr.. Goodhue." saws he,
nd he choked all up as he moved oil
with that WALLER little baby in his arms
1t warn't very fur up the road he wuz
goin', nd he found Il seat on one NV
the front ears
But along about M hour after that
back came Bill, mosryin' through the
ear like he wuz huntin' for somebody.
Seemed like he wuz in trubblc and
wuz huntin for friend.
Anything kin do for you, Bill -
SAYS |. hut he didn't make no answer
All OF suddint ne 80, his eyes on the
prutty lady that had the fat baby
sleepin' in her arms, nd he made Il
break for her like he wuz crazy. lie
took off his hat md bent down over
her nd said somethin none uv the rest
NV Us could hear The lady kind ny
started like she wuz frightened, nd
then she looked up at Bill nd looked
him right square in the countenance
She saw a tall, ganglin, awkward
man, with long yallar hair nd irowzy
beard, nd she saw that he was tremb
lin nd he'd tears in his eyes She
looked down at the int baby in hcl
arms. nd then she looked out'n the
winder at the great stretch uv prairie
land, nd seemed like she WIZ lookin
off further II the rest nv us could see
Then, at last she turned around nd
said Yes" to Bill, nd Bill went
off into the front car ag'in.
None ny the rest NY Us knew what
all this meant, but in minmit Bill
come back with his little waller hab,
in his arms, nd you never heerd d
baby squall 'nd carry on like thai
baby wuz squallin' nd carryin' on
Fact is, the little yallar baby vas hun
gry, hungrier n Il wolf nd there wui
its mother dead in the car up aheat
nd ITS gran ma good piece up til,
road. What did the lady over til,
way do but lay her own sleepin' baby
down on the seat beside her nd take
Bill's little waller baby nd hold ii oI
one arm nd cover up its head nd hel
shoulders with shawl, iist like she
had done with the fat baby not lons
aiore. Bill never looked at her h,
took off his hat and held it in hi
hand, nd turn around nd stood guarC
over that mother, nd reckon tha
eff any man he'd darst to look that wa,
jist then Bill would We cut his hear
ont.
The little waller baby didn't cry
very long. Seemed like it knowe,
there wuz mother holdin it-not il
own mother, but a woman whose Iii,
he'd been hallowed by Gods blessin
with the love nd the purity nd til,
sancti,y nv motherhood.
Why, | wouldn't hev snapped tha
sight nv Bill an them two babies ne
that sweet woman ior all the cattle il
Texas. 1t jest made me know tha
what III allus though nv wimmin WA
Gospel truth. God bless that laly
| say, wherever she is TODAY, nd ble>
all wimmen folks, for they'r AL aIik,
in their un>elfishne.s nd gentlenes
nd love
Bill said God bless ye.' too
when she handed him back his poo
A CE FAD HE AN,