The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-01-29
purr, and gazed up into his face with


ly. I've got job. Mr. Jones wants
me to help him drive his cattle down
to the station tomorrow, and he'll
give me a mans pay if we have 'em
there on time and in good condition
Me and Shot'll do the job fine, won't
, we. young 'un?' and he held out his
I hands to take the baby.
E You set a lot O. sto' by that chile,
David" observed his mother, laugh
ing.
"Yes'm. l sent a lot o. sto' by the
baby and Lucy, too" and he patted
the older child's head, as she flushed
with delight. 1t was not David's way
to forget any one.
Mother, 'spose you take the chill
dren and go with me eZ fur ez Uncle
Martins? | don't like Ieayin' you all
"a passed. o wimmen-folks, lie said,
laughing at the very small one on his
lap-"by yo'selves all day; and mebbe
I'll be back late"
It'd be powerful lonesome here"
answered his mother, 'thet's a fac.
But how would know when you was
back p she added, anxiously.
Why, III lowed on meetin' you at
the dividin' fence bout dusk, and
totin' the baby fur you. An the
moon be up early; eff Igit back soon
ers | II come up ter the cabin, but I'll
be sho' ter be at the fence, by night
fall. anyhow"
Mrs. Brown enjoyed her long, neigh
bOrly day, getting a new receipt from
sister Martha, and hearing old Mr..
Martin say how "peart'' the baby was,
and Lucy as rosy as a peach blossom.
AS for David, she never wearied in
talking of him, and it was really dusk
before she was fairly started. The
''dividipg fence" IL boundary line be-
tween two large tracts of mountain
land, was often used as a trysting
place by others than lovers, and would
save David good many steps.
She had wrapped up the baby well
from the night air, and Uncle Martin
had many jokes over the huge knot
in which she had tied a bandana
handkerchief at the back, jest ez eff
you wanted ter tote it in by handle "
Poor mother If she had only known
the use that would be made of this;
but she did not, and went Oh her way
down the steep path in good spirits,
Lucy following close behind.
| As they reached the fence in the
woods cloud was over the moon, land
it was quite dark; but she could see
|
David, have you been waitin'
long?" she called out, and handed the
| baby over in n hurry, turning as she
| did so to see what was the matter
with Lucy; for the child chung to her
skirts in fright, and cried out that it
wasn't David.
When with some difficulty she had
lifted her over the fence, struggling
| and crying still, and had herself
| climbed over-Mrs. Brown was not as
| active as she had been-there was no
| one in sight.
"Davidr' she cried. She heard
rustling in the bushes; but the moon,
shining out at that instant, showed
the place empty. David" she
cried again, in terror.
Then he appeared just at the bend
of the mountain path whistling cheer
lily and with Spot leaping and bark
ing at his heels. But where was the |
baby?
For he had called out to her to give |
him the child as soon as he had caught |
sight of her, and David was not given |
to fooing. She could not answer for |
her sobbing and crying.
Lucy tried to tell him the strange |
story. When she said. "a big, |
DidCh, shaggy lldli, Ie lHTc" ullu
self on the ground, examining every |
mark. Spot smelled too, and his vel |
low hair began to bristle with rage, |
and he growled fiercely, for there were |
surely the recent foot prints of some |
large animals.
Mother, run back and rouse the |
neighbors. Tell 'em to bring their |
rifles" and, breaking off a stout |
stick, David dashed into the bushes, |
Spot springing in front and leading |
the chase.
Once he thought he heard a half
stified baby's cry, and hurried faster |
For a "common-sized" boy, he was
making good speed; but Madam
Brain was on the ome-stretch, and |
she knew it.
At last he caught glimpse of a big,
clumsy. dark form, trotting briskly |
along with what seemed like bundle |
dangling from bis mouth. He was |
none too soon. The cave in which the |
little black cubs rolled about, i'm |
patient for their supper, was but a |
hundred yards or so distant. He
thought she must be near home by |
her Quickened gait, and he knew, If
she ever got the baby inside its black, |
yawning mouth, there would be no |
nope Oh DTluSlIiB lbOuI alive.
With the energy of despair he dart
ed forward and gave the bear sharp
blow over the nose with his long |
stick. Spot closed in at the same |
moment, yelping and swapping at
her legs.
The huge beast, enraged but not
hurt by this simultaneous attack, /
dropped the baby, and reared up on |
her hind legs, looking in the mingled
moonlight and shadow so like hui
man figure that David did not Won
der afterward at his mothers mis-
take. She showed her sharp, white
teeth with a fierce snarl, and stretched |
out her forepaws for grappie. She
was near her own babies now, and
she meant fight.
David looked at the precious bundle |
1t lay Just under the creatures terri |
BILE claws, and to attempt to pick it
up would have him utterly at the
bears mercy, unless her attention |
could be diverted.
AT her, Spot at her, good dog!' he
shouted; and again he rained shower |
of blows on her eyes and nose SO quick
and fierce that, blinded and confused
for the instant, she backed step or
two, growing horribly.
Spot inflicted a sharp bite on her
hind quarter, and she turned ner /
head. 1t was his only chance. Quick
as a flash he seized the baby and |
fled, leaving poor Spot to receive
terrific flow from the brute's paws,
at which he, too, broke and ran, the |
blood streaming from his wound, and
bowling at every jump.
Halfway down the mountain they |
met the Martins with dogs and torch
es. The bear, after fierce fight. was
brought to bay and killed, and the
Door little cubs taken captive.
Old Martin united with rough but
trembling fingers the knot he had
laughed at-the knot which had saw
ed the baby's soft limbs from the
bears teeth. David hardly dared to
be certain that he had heard a cry in
his headlong fight; but when they
had unwrapped fold after fold and
unfastened the veil, there lay the
baby-"David's baby" now, without
doubt or question-as rosy and fresh
as fiowerbud, its big blue eyes full
of wonder and fright, but ready to
smile at the first sight of David.
David was more his mothers hero
than ever. She never told the story
without adding:
"And he was just common-sized
boy when ne done it,"
There is a restaurant to which
French people are in the habit of go
ing. The proprietor-a good natured
German-has a sign over the door
M Il iob raa5S. ttFrannh SDOl<an Here - |