The McCook tribune., 1897-09-17

ed the truth-that the hapless crea-
ture had been left there by some one
who had knocked and fed Still hold
ing the child IN his arms, he ran out
in the garden and looked on every
side
"Come backw he said; whoever ycu
are, come backr
But no one responded. The wind
moaned disma1ly in the trees that
lifted their black branches overhead.
that was all He ran to the gate and
could see nobody. AS he stood In per-
plexity the child cried again loudly,
and struggled in his arms.
BLESS mer' he murmured. II mus.
take it in, or ii will die of cold!"
He ran back to the door and knocked
loudly again and again. 1t was soma
time before he was heard. At last
however, he beard footsteps coming
along the passage, and redoubled his
knocking. The door opened, and
oOicAhNh hoiI iCopCt,
appeared on the threshold. Without
word the minister ran into the lobby.
Losh me, meenister. is it yourself"
CALCULATED Solomon, in amazement. i
thought you were in bed"
Come this way-quickr' shouted
Mr.. Lorraine. Bring light"
And still carrying his burden, he
ran into the sitting-room. Solomon
closed the door, struck match, and
lighted candle, and followed him i'm
mediately. Then his amazement deep
ened. To see Mr. Lorraine standing
by the fireside with crying infant in
lis arms was indeed enough to awaken
perplexity and wonder
My conscience, meenister, what hae
We gotten there?''
"a child! Some one left it 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 bewildered, Solomon stood
gaping: then with one horror stricken
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 1t
70 and fro in his arms
Finding it still troublesome, he
placed it down in the armchair, and
softly loosened the shawl in which 1t
was wrapt, freeing it's little arms.
It's cries ceased for 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 a tiny infant, about two
months old; its little pink face was
pinched with cold, and its grest blue
eyes dim with crying. A common
linen cap was on its head and it's
gown was of coarse linen. But it was
so small, so pretty that the minister's
tender heart melted over it at once
l1C ohCi GU IL Lis lSlClhSSi, WAiCA ls
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.
Il can see naebody." cried Solomon,
re-entering the room; Il hae searchit
up and doom, as far toonways as Mysie
Simpsons door, and beyont to the
waterside. and there's name stirring.
It's awfu' strange
He looked at the child, and
scratched his head: he looked at the
minister, and nodded it ominously. A
curious conjecture, too irreve-ent for
utterance, had passed across his nat
urally suspicious mind
tTO BE CoNTINUED.)