Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-08-12

voice trembling with fatigue and excite
ment. Where could that man be?
Jamie Pine has come from Vermont
to meet his father here. Perhaps 1t Is
not strange they have missed each
other, but how shall we proceed to fine
him?''
pine, did you say?"
The judge looked sharply at the child,
who seemed the least interested of the
three. What is the mans business?"
Jamie says he works in q lumber
mill"
Jim Pine!" train hand standing
near interrupted. George! who's go
ing to tell that baby?" he almost whis-
pered. Come over here, mister"
He turned his big black thumb over
his shoulder. and Judge Adams fol-
lowed.
Never heard of no such thing outside
a story book" he CALCULATED, hoarsely.
Lawyer, amt you? Seen you in court,
seems to me. Say, that must be Jim
Pine, sent up for life last week, count
of that killing scrape down IN the lum-
Der district. An that little Teller!
Rough, amt it?"
Miss Angeles imagination had not all
been mortgaged to the realities of 40
years; she felt she knew a dreadful
story, though she heard not a word.
Something has gone amiss, l know"
she said, looking up at the troubled face
of the man, who walked slowly back to
her. Jamie was fast asleep again. his
head prone on the iron arm of the sta
ton bench.
This child must be put to bed. Cam
not you vouch for me at some nearby
hotel and make my peace with Mar
garet until to-mOrrow-to-day rather?"
Her smile was faint, and she caught
at the back of the seat.
Margaret will forgive anything but
my failure to bring you home. There
is one more uptown car; we can get 1t
| if we do not delay. Come, little man"
Janet had expected to be pleased with
Margaret's husband, but she felt rush
of deeper feeling than mere liking as
the tall man took the still unconscious
child in his arms and, directing the
porter with the baggage of the travel
crs, led the way to the corner. She saw
him set his lips tightly as an old, glazed
leather bag, bursting at the whitened
seams, was deposited at his feet; he
/ pushed it over on its side, that the star
/ ing white letters-"James Pine, Burton,
/ Vt."-might be hidden. And the little
james Pine slept on, with his face
/ against the broadcloth arm of the man
/ who last week sentenced his father.
/ And the grandmother and wife slept I'M
der the shadow of a Vermont hill, all
unknowing that their petted baby was
adrift on such a troubled sea.
| Jamie seemed not greatly surprised
when he was fairly awake that his IA
| Their was not to be found.
II s'pose maybe he's dead. All my
folks are dead. 1 guess don't belong
! to anybody"
| He cried, but in a subdued, tear-at-a-
| time fashion that made everybody
heart ache, and sent Janet down on her
knees beside him, while she gathered
| him close in her arms.
Eyes, you do, Jamie. You belong to
me. l hadn't anybody, and you hadn't,
and so the dear, kind God gives us to
| each other"
| If the judge and his wife would have
protested, the sight of Jamie's radiant
countenancs and Janet's own satisfac-
| ton closed their lips.
| And you should not go home now,
| Mrs. Adams declared, when her friend
proposed to return to Loudon at once
| with her newly acquired interest, IF
you emptied whole orphan asylum IN
at our front door. 1 had rather have
Jamie, dear little fellow, than Evelyn
Ford's poodle. She stayed six weeks
with that dog. / did not blame Ward
for saying he should use his own dis
| erection as to what he escorted from the
station next time"
| Janet would have laughed in her
hearty, out-loud fashion, but they were
| standing near Jamie's cot, and he was
asleep. The child had nearly reached
/ the point of utter exhaustion.
1.-The judge surrendered at sight of
u.s." she said with smile. I'VE would
have appealed to any human sympathy,
1 am sure. What story have to tell
Kate Dutton! l must go now to write. e"
But she stopped to lay a struggling
| lock of fair hair in place.
| My own little boy!" she murmured,
and Margaret's eyes filled.
Il believe you needed him, Janet; |
had only IeIt tnat ne heeoed you, be-
| fore"
God has been good to us both"
Janet said reverently, as she kissed the
thin hand of the convict's child.
II do not know what is before us, but
am glad now. Come away and tell me
what the child should wear, and when 1
must send him to school. and all those
things a made-to-order mother must
learn. Troy Times.