Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-08-25

beautiful country Liddy's spirits rose
higher.
Many times Mr.. Bowers got down
from his cart to pluck the brightly
colored posies that grew by the road
side, and which called forth her en-
thusiasm and admiration.
But Mr.. Bowers lived some dis
tance in the country, and at last the
little clattering tongue was still from
pure fatigue. And as it began to grow
dark the curly head dropped lower,
and she fell asleep; her little fingers
clinging to his brown, horny hand.
In taking the child Mr.. Bowers had
been actuated by the kindly impulses
of his nature, but as he neared home
he began to have some misgivings as
to how his wife would receive this new
claimant upon her care and love.
But he understood her disposition
pretty well, so he determined to trust
to his own tact, and to the womanly
instincts of her nature.
Certainly no one could be more
astonished than was Mrs. Bowers, when
her husband walked into the house
with Liddy in his arms, who was still
sound asleep.
tits the last place where I should
suppose you would bring more chill
dren, John," she said, sharply. IT
hope you don't think of keeping her?"
"Of course not, my dear. She's a
poor little orphan that I've brought
home, to get her away from a cruel
woman. I'll notify the town authori-
ties in the mornin', an have her taken
care of. You can give her some supper,
can't you, an some sort of place to
sleep?"
81 hope I'm not so much Of a
heather, John, as to be unwilling to
give poor child bed and support"
Liddy was awakened and given a
supper of new milk, fresh bread and
berries, such as she had never tasted
before.
Mrs. Bowers then improvised bed
for her in her own room, and having
seen the little head upon the pillow,
returned to the porch, where her hus-
band was smoking.
"What pretty little creature she
is" she said, ''and so gentle and low
ing"
eyes; more's the pity! The poor
house is hard place for sich!"
''Dear-dear! what if it was one of
our children, John?"
''Ah, to be sure!" responded John.
81 s'pose our children's $ as likely to be
left orphans as anyone's."
81 s'pose I'd better see the select
men this mornin'," said Mr.. Bowers
the next day, as he arose from the
breakfast table.
81 dun know as there's any partic'-
lar hurry bout it" said his wife as
she glanced to where Liddy was play
ing out in the grass "Let the poor
thing stay for few weeks, until she
gets bit of color into her little pale
face
'sBut she'll be such care to you
Mary"
"Oh, as to that, where there's so
ference"
'Then she's needing clothes"
81 can manage that easily. Mary
has a number of dresses that she's
outgrown that'll just tit her" "2>
There was twinkle of satisfaction
in Johns eyes as he went to his work.
Good, honest man! He we'll knew
that the additional burden would
oblige him to work many more extra
hours.
And as time wore away "Liddy"
grew nearer to the hearts OF both John
and Mary, and was to them as their
own daughter. So that when Uncle
James returned from California and
sought and claimed her, only the
thought of how much better he could
do for her could make them willing to
relinquish her.
"You are very rich, aren't you
uncle?"
81 don't know what you would call
rich, pussy, said Mr.. Dean, pinching
the rosy cheek that was laid lovingly
to his. 81 have enough to make my
niece quite little heiress when 1
die
''But don't want you to die, and I
don't want to be an heiress; but do
want some of your money not for
myself, though"
Laying down his papers, Mr.. Dean
looked in surprise upon the sweet
face that was lifted so earnestly to his.
What do you want it for, my
child?"
''For my poor foster-f father. I've
just had letter from my old home,
and they are in greattrouble. They've
had a great deal of sickness, and so
had to mortgage their place-and now
it's going to be sold. Oil uncle,
think how kind they were, when there
was no one else to be kind to me, and
let me do something for them nowr'
''Of course, my love!' said the old
man, rising hurriedly to his feet.
'Dear! dear! that is sad story you
tell! meant to have done something
for them before this. But we must
make amendsW
NJ. Bowers, his wife and their three
children were sitting together in their