Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-05-06
DAVID'S BABY.
By ELLA B. MoSBY.
aHe's Jest a common-sized boy,

the minister's wife and Mrs. Brow
one of his outlying parishioners,
mountaineer from one of the steepes
.. and widest peaks of the ridge. Hei
husband had died in the great snow
storm of the past winter, and David, hel
only boy, was her sole prop and stay
Mrs. Wilmot thought a suit of clothe:
, would not come amiss, even if second
hand.
But what was ga common size" fol
boys? In Mrs. Wilmot's experience
they were of all sorts and sizes. Hell
mind reverted to Richard, her long boy
and his Aunt Ellen's frequent entreaty
Richard, my dear, uncross a few oil
your legs!" to Robin, a head shorter
who was now crumpled up in a heap
over 'Stories of Lion Hunting in South
Africa" and John, a round, roly-poly
of boy-and she looked slightly per
picked.
''No'm, he amt to say big, nor yit
small; he's jest a common-sized boy,
betwixt and between"
Mrs. Wilmot, in despair, went after
the clothes, and saw by the delight in
his mothers eyes as soon as she saw
them that they might at least be worn
by David.
SIN mo- than thankful, ma'am."
Her voice trembled, and Mrs. Wilmot
fastened to ask:
Haven't you a little girl, too?"
''rhar's two gals-Lucy she's goin'
on seven, and the baby; the folks calls
her 'Davids baby he's 50 good-natured
with her. / never see a boy so TUX up
with a baby befo'. She amt a mite of
trouble when he's 'round;" and her
hard-worlted, thin, worn face looked
| quite illumined by her smile of pride
and delight.
Robin let his book fall. "Are there
any bears on Priests mountain" he
asked, suddenly.
"0h, nonsense!" said his mother; but
Mrs. Brown answered seriously:
"Ef it's a mild winter, mebbe you
won't see one; but in a long freeze
they'll come right low down the noun
tain. They don't ginerally attack hui
mans; the damage they does mostly is
TO young creeturs-pigs and sech
things. / seed one myself; twas in the
summer, too, three or TO years ago;
and l don't want TO see another"
Tell me about it," said Robin. com
ing over to the chair next hers.
'Well, twas a long, hot spell, and I'd
gone out to git blackberries. Mos of
'em was leetle and dry with the drouth,
but jest above my head on a long ledge
Of rocks ! see big clump Of briers, all
hanging with berries, big juicy berries,
ez shiny ez silk. l kin see 'em
now. 1 put my hand out to
pull the nearest branch down, and
then heerd growl-there amt much
more unpleasant noises than a growl |
or a hiss, in the woods, j kin tell We! |
Thar stood big bar just on 'tother !
side o. the blackberries, shown his 1
teeth in an ugly sort o grin. l didn't |
stop to have no words bout the berries 1
lin fact, there was mighty few berries 4
in my basket when | got home, came /
so fast. Them was the finest berries on F..
the mountain" she added, regretfully; /
big and shiny and sweet-loollin', and
Jest burstin' with juice; and | hadn't
fairly teched 'em when l heard that
growl."
would he have showed fight If you
had stayed % inquired Robin, eagerly.
Mrs. Browns eyes twinlIled.
81 didn't keer to argy a point with
him." she answered.
'What other wild beasts live near
you?" pursued Robin in tone of posi-
tive envy.
why, squirrels and possums and
foxes. and wildcats-it do sound mighty
lonesome to hear em cry! Ireckon the
woods is right full o prowlin' yarmints
after nightfall."
but you have Dave TO take care of
you," said Mrs, Wilmot.
"Yes'm; and he's tqSrable strong
fur a boy. He kin shoot, too, mos ez
well ez his uncle. He's been taltin'
David out huntin' with him this spring
and summer"
A few weeks after this talk David
hustled into the mountain cabin at
shutdown" in great excitement
Hello, Sissy."-to Lucy there, :
the baby. who was laugh
ing and gurgling with delight TO see
will take you in min
nte-jest ez soon ez he kin wash his !
hands,"
David Brown was a plain, freckled- S
laced boy, so tanned that his skin was {
several shades darker than his flaxen S
hair And pale eyes; but the sweetness
md good humor of his homely face I
made it a pleasant sight to more than ]
'David's baby" Everybody on the +
liked David. from the gruff i
themselves down to their {
.ars that snapped and snarled at almost I
everyone else. As he whistled to the (
Daby, who was now changing her rap ]
,urous noises TO a more imperative de-
nand, Spot, his own ''yaller dog" 7
watched his every movement with his Z
ieen, blinking eyes, and the black kit I
en-, a recent stray, rubbed itself be- 1
ween his legs with a satisfied puIr. and
-azed up into his face with its yellow /,