Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-10-29

shom Flint. Her face was fall q
eager purpose
81 came Roddy Zoo, make bow
--quick-to the man-to get you to
mortgage the baby" she said. ''lf
you please, she added, in polite after
thought.
Mr. Flint stared astonished.
"Hey?"
"'ro mortgage the baby-him, you
know" prodding Roddy Docs fat
cheek with her finger. 81 want him
mortgaged right off If sou please.
It's the way they do when when they
haven't any more moneyleft, isn't itS"
she asked, eagerly. She had gone up
quite close to HIM and was peering
wistfully into his stern face. Roder-
lex Dhu, on tiptoe, reached up aud
cluched his dangling watch chain with
murmur OF approval. The little
moist, velvety hand touched his for
an instant on It's way.
The girls anxious face close to his
face, the haLy's touch unfamilia ly,
7 oddly pleasant, and, a. owe AL, the ex-
traordinary pro- osal, combined to-
g ther to produce strange eff ctupon
tiershom Flint's sen es. If he had
ever cried or laughed in his life he
would have better understood the con-
fusion Of sensations. As il was he
merely waited for further develop
ments What would come next?
Won't you do it?H asked Tiliy, a
little note of apprehension in her
voice Hes beautiful baby to
mortgage wisht you wouldr'
t'ioa wish | would, hey2 Mort
gage the baby, hey? Come here, little
chap"
Gershom Flint actually lifted the
child to his knee in an awkward, I'M
accustomed way. Little amused
wrinkles were beginning to radiate
from the corners OF his eyes-stiffiy,
as if the skin were unused altogether
to the process. A warm spot some
where in Gorshom Flints heart was
ma iifesting Itself insistently. He
ran his fingers lightly over the wrig
Cling baby body as if testing its sound
ness.
"What do you value him at?" he
asked, gravely,
"W-wha.2" quayerel lilly, look
ing blank.
''I'm not accustomed to mortgage
for more than two-thirds the value.
So l must know what price You set on
the youngster-how much you think
he's worth, that is. "
"Ohi" breathed lilly. Her brows
were knit in puzzled thought. She
looked at Poddy Doc with all her love
in her eyes and an anxious quiver in
her chin. The tiny fellows had was
nestled against Gershom Flint's coat,
as he clinked the gold chain, with
soft repetition, against the buttons.
''He's worth everything all there
is--to me, )" said lilly, slowly.
Exactly" Gershom Flint nodded
gravely. "Well, 1 will mortgage him
at two-thirds Of his value, interest at
six per cent, payable quarterly. Does
that suit you, hey?"
'0h, yes--oh, 1 thank you so muchl
An / needn't put him in any dredful
IS lum-no, no, mol Roddy, Roddy
Doc, do you hear, darlin'? You're
| goin' to stay right with lilly an be
tied to Tilly's clothesline?"
Gershom Flint uttered a queer gut
tural sound. Roderick Dhu was
asleepl His little hand slowly re-
laxed about the watch chain and fell
with soft slap to the big hand under
meath. Through the thick coat his
little head felt pleasantly warm.
When lilly went home that after
neon she carried, tightly held against
her breast, little role of mortgage
money" that meant home and Roddy
Doc and all things beautiful to her.
She hid the most of it away with care
full prudence and only resorted to it
under actual stress of need. For little
lilly Gamble carried on her narrow,
thin shoulders wise head of her own.
She went patiently about among the
neighbo seeking work, squaring the
hin shoulders and trying to look
"grown up" and capable. 1t was a
discouraging quest for the most part,
but lilly kept persistently, s.ubbornly
at it till she found, here and there,
little tasks to do that helped to make
Roderick Dhu's mortgage 'spend
Butthe little hidden hoard dwindled
in spite of lilly. There was the in
terest money--that came out of it
every month--and every month, with
precise regularity, lilly and Roddy
Doc, shining aud clean, paid it to
Gershom Flint.
He came TO anticipate their coming
with more interest than he would con-
Tess to his logged old heart 1t grew
to be the one bright, fresh spot in his
lonesome existence II the sight Of
Tilly's pain, honest little face and
Roddy DOCS nestle ON his knee Be
tween times, too, he kept the children
in view, quietly and with feeling Of
: responsibility that greatly aston -
himself.
Once he made theHs oa,i ~
ffar / shanty house. He had heard thu
,s owner was planning to tear it {
! in and rebuild in a short time.
she news disturbed him unaccountab
al a lilly was ironing, pieced out b,
saen salt box. The baby. piecsd out b.
,T.ry clothesline, was placidly making
MES outside the kitchen door