The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-07-25
TOTTIE'S FATHER.


love Of Heayen!''
Dora Leslie hurrying home from her
work that Saturday afternoon, paused
and turned to see who had spoken to
her.
/. It was a woman, who sat on the
steps of a vacant shop holding a little
child. She was a decent looking wo-
mat, dressed in black, and the child
was very PRETTY. She could hardly be
the beggar Dora had supposed her to be
at first, and her next words proved
that it was not to ask money that she
had spoken.
II ann so SICK she gasped. IT think
3 I am dying. The child-don't let the
child get run over. The station house
take her there, please - 5.~
She gasped and was silent.
Dora knelt down beside her.
oh, you poor thing she said.
"What shall I do?x Do you live near
here? Can / help you home"
The woman shook her head. b..
Tt don't make any difference she
said. Il haven't a friend in the world
But the poor child-you'n see that she
gets to the station-house? They keep
lost children there H@
'She shall not be hurt" said Dora.
Now lean against me. You'll feel bet
ter soon. maybe" .
THANK you,," said the woman, and
was silent 49,.
A crowd was gathering now, po-
Iceman amongst them. An ambulance
4 was sent for, and soon it arrived. with
a dapper young doctor unconcernedIy
swinging his legs from the rear.
Let's look at the. woman," he said,
bending over her as she lay with her
head in Dora's lap. Are you friend
of hers?''
II never saw her before said Dora.
''She spoke to me as passed, and told
me she was alone in the world :,
Well-she won't be apt to add any
thing to her remarks" said the doctor,
Strengthening himself and twisting his
moustache. "And as we don't take in
corpses at the hospital, I'll be off,
Does he mean she is deadY' asked
Dora
"Just that" said the policeman, lift
ing the woman's head from Doras lap.
We'll, every one comes to it some
day" --'
Dora arose and lifted the child to her
arm. The little thing threw it's arms
about her neck and clung to her. Only,
she, of all the crowd, knew that it be-
longed to the dead woman lying there,
and Dora did not mention the fact to
any one. @..s
This was not from forgetfulness, but
because she had already said to herself
20
and beautiful to be sent to an asylum
I know just how dreadful it would
be- she whispered to the little one.
II am going to take you home, and my
mamma shall be yours, and L
be your big sister. t know mamma
T will make fuss at first, but I mean to
have my way"
1t was strange idea for young girl;
but Dora was an odd sort of creature,
who dared to think as she pleased
about most things, and her mind was
fully made up about keeping the child
as she hurried away homeward.
How late you are, dear" said her
mother, as she opened the door; i've
been frightened about you, Good
gracious! what is that?'
It's a baby, mamma" said Dora, and
then she told the story. y .
'"The woman said she had no one in
the world, you know" she added by
way of conclusions "and so I brought
it home I think it will be lovely to
have little thing like this; don't your
ITO have itv' cried poor Mrs. Leslie.
Z "What do you mean, child?'
j Just what l say, mamma" said
Dora. This motherless and fatherless
child is cast upon our hands, and we
are going to bring her up as we'll as we
can, mamma dear" -
Bring it up! Why, you have gone
crazy, Dora!" cried her mother. 1--WE
are just able to earn our own bread
and a strange child!It is not as if we
Enew who it's people We're What
dreadful thing you have done" ::
It seemed to me right, mother"
Dora said. "Ours is a poor home, but
think what public charity is.''
TIE mother shook her head. # r
"Of course it is DREADFUL" she said.
But you are not experienced enough
Z TO know what a perfectly insane idea
your is. Just hear what our neighbor
will say of it." 49, .ts.
4 The neighbor, a Mrs McLinn, who
had the other half of the flat, was call
ed in. She sided, ofscourse, with Mrs
Leslie
Take in strange .childy Never, Ii
Miss Dora was older, she'd never
dream Of it, They ought to get it out
OF the house as soon as possible 2 And
added: THE mother must have been a
low creature to sit about dying in the
street,
'Oh, we might any of us do that
Mrs. Leslie said; ..and to judge by the
looks of the little girl she was a respec-
table woman, who took good care of
everything
Mrs. MeLinn, with her arms aklmbo,
abusing a dead woman, shocked the
poor but refined lady.
If we were in our former circum-
stances should think that Providence
had found a good deed for me to do,
and do ii, = she said.
Well, /" said Mrs. McLinn, I'D never
do it if I was rolling in gold. Other
folks children always being a curse to a
house. =
And she went away tossing her head;
and Dora kneIt down beside her mother
and put her arms about her waist.
Let us think it over one night, any