The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-02-07

that had to live there. tor Ill allow that
York Crcssin is o leettle the durnedest
lonesomest place ! 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 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 l. What air you
totin SO kind NV keerfullike in your
arms there!"
why, I've got the baby" says he,
md as he said it the tears come up into
bis eyes.
"Your baby, Billr' says 1.
Eyes" says he. Nellie took sick NV
the janders a fortnight ago. 'nd-'nd she
died, md 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 gran'ma."
Poor Bill! 1t wuz his wife that the
men were carryin in that pine box to
the baggage Ear.
Likely 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.
II I'd told the truth, I'd We said the
baby wuz o sickly, yeller lookin little
thing, for so it wuz. Looked half starv-
ed 90. Couldn't help comparin it with
that big, TAT baby in its mothers arms
over the way.
"Bill,' says l, "here's a ten dollar
note for the baby, nd God bless YOU"
"Thank ye, Mr.. GOodhue, y says he.
nd 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 Il seat in one NV the
front cars.
But along about an hour after that
back come Bill, mOseyin through the
car like he WIZ huntin for somebody.
Seemed like he wuz in trubble nd wuz
huntin for a friend.
"Anything l kin do for you, Bill?"
says l, but lie 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, nd he made a break for
her like he WIZ crazy. He took off his
hat md bent down over her nd said
somethin none NV the rest NV US could
hear. The lady kind NV started like she
wuz frightened, nd then she looked up
at Bill nd looked him right quare in
the countenance. She saw a tall, gang
lin, awkward man, with long yeller
hair md 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 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
nd said yes" to Bill, md 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 herd a baby squall
md carry on like that baby wuz squall-
in nd carryin on. Fact is, the little
yaller baby was hungry-hungrier than
a wolf, md there wuz its mother dead in
the car up ahead nd it's 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 nd hold it
ON the arm nd cover up its head nd
her shoulder with a shawl, jest like she
had done with the fat baby not long
afore. Bill never looked at her he took
off his hat nd held it in his hand, md
turned around nd stood guard over that
mother, nd I reckon that eff any man
he'd darst to look that way jest 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 it's W mother.
but a woman whose life he'd been hal.
lowed by Gods blessin with the love
nd the purity nd the ~sanctity NV moth
erhood.
Why, I 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, I say
wherever she is today, md God bless all
wimmin folks, for they're all alike in
their unselfishness nd gentleness nc
love!
Bill said, God bless yet" too, wher
she handed him back his poor little yal
Ter baby. The little creeter wuz fas
asleep, md Bill darsen't speak very loud
for fear he'd wake it up. But his hear
WIZ way up in his mouth when he says
God bless ye!' to that dear lady
nd then he added, like he wanted to le,
her know that he meant to pay her bacl
, when. be could, 'Ill do the same ful
you some time, marin, if l kin. "-Eu
gene Field in st. Louis Republic.