Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-07-22

lrunlli
ed the truth-that the hapless crea
ture had been left there by some on
who had knocked and fled. Still hold
ing the child IN his arms he ran ou
In the garden and looked on every
side.
Come back" he said; whoever yol
are, come backw
But no one responded. The vino
moaned dismally in the trees thai
lifted their black branches overhead
that was all. He ran to the gate and
looked up and down the road but
could see nobody. AS he stood in per.
plexlty the child cried again loudly
and struggled in his arms.
Bless me~ he murmured, "I must
take 1t in, or 1t will die of cold"
He ran back to the door and knocked
loudly again and again. It was some
time before he was heard. At last,
however, he beard footsteps coming
along the passage, and redoubled his
knocking. The door opened, and
Solomon Mucklebackit, half dressed,
appeared on the threshold. Without
word the minister ran into the lobby.
"Losh me, meenister, is 1t yourself"
calculated Solomon, in amazement. II
thought you were in bed"
Come this way-quickw shouted
Mr.. Lorraine. Bring light"
And still carrying his burden, he
ran into the sitting-room. Solomon
closed the door, struck a match, and
lighted candle, and followed him i'm
medlately. Then his amazement deep
ened. To see Mr.. Lorraine standing
by the Preside with a crying infant in
his arms was indeed enough to awaken
perplexity and wonder.
my conscience, meenister, what haze
ye gotten there?"
"a child! Some one left 1t in the
porch knocked, and ran away. Run,
Solomon, search up and down the road
and see If you can find them. Shame
upon them, whoever they are. Don't
stand staring, but run"
Perfectly bewlldered Solomon stood
gaping; then with one horror-strcken
look at the infant, left the room, and
ran from the house.
Left alone with the child, the min
lister seemed puzzled what to do. He
held it awkwardly, and its cries con-
tinued; then, to. still it, he rocked it
to and fro in his arms.
Finding it still troublesome he
placed 1t down in the armchair, and
softly loosened the shawl in which it |
was wrapt, freeing its little arms.
It's cries ceased for a time, and it
lay with eyes wide open, spreading its
little hands In the warm twilight.
The minister put on his glasses and
looked at it with solemn curiosity.
1t was tiny infant, about two
months old; its little pink face was
pinched with cold, and its great blue
eyes dim with crying. A common
linen cap was on its head, and its
gown was of coarse linen. But it was
so small, so pretty, that the minister's
tender heart melted over it at once.
He offered it his foreflnger, which it
gripped with its tiny hands, blinking
up into his face.
Poor wee mite" he murmured, "I
wonder who your mother is? A wick
ed woman, I'm thinking, to cast you
away on such night as this"
AS if in answer to his words, the
child began to cry again.
81 can see naebody," cried Solomon,
re-entering the room; II haze searchit
up and doom, as far toonways as Mysie
Simpsons door, and beyont to the
and there's name stirring.
It's awful stranger
He looked at the child, and
his head; he looked at the
and nodded it ominously. A
curious conjecture, too irreverent for
ltterance, had passed across his nat
lrally suspicious mind
Gro BE CoNTINUED.)