Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-14

basket OF lunch she was carrying t
the men in the bayfield, It surel
was child's cry and baby's, toe
How it stirred the chords of her lone
ly, longing heart! Miss Abigail love
children with passionate, yearnin,
love, and yet it had been years sine
she had even heard baby cry. Liv
ing alone with her brother and his oc
casional help on that remote farm, al
social relationships, all neighborl,
amenities and delights were almos
entirely denied her. And above al
things she missed and longed for tn,
sunny presence of children. She fel
that, it she only had child to care for
her barren, empty life would overflow
with Joy and purpose. The days, now
SO sad and meaningless, would be sc
rich and blessed then! All! there is
nothing like the infinite aching of the
mother-heart in childless breast.
Therefore, that child-cry, floating
up from the swamp, was heavenly
music to the heart of Miss Abigail
Drew. She clasped her hands and lis
tened, her whole being absorbed in
the associations connected with the
sound. Suddenly her heart surged
into her throat, and she caught her
breath with the thought that rushed
across her mind what if a baby had
been left in the swamp deserted!
And what if she should be the one to
lind 1t and take it home, and, oh, what
if nobody should ever come to claim
it! The wistful face of the woman
paled and flushed and flushed and
paed in swift succession as her heart
brooded upon this wonderful possibil-
ity. At length, with little cry that
was all prayer, she sprang toward
the swamp, leaving the basket of lunch
under the blaze of the July sun.
When she emerged from the thick,
low woods at the bottom of the pas
ture, her dress was torn and her face
scratched and streaming with perspi-
ration, but the rapture and triumph that
shone In her eyes, as she looked down
upon bundle strained to her breast.
showed that life for her had suddenly
been lifted above all ordinary conditions
and considerations and that she was
only conscious of walking upon such
roseate air as the old painters limned
beneath the feet of their exalted Ma
donnas. A little face peeped out from
the ragged shawl that wrapped Miss
Abigail's precious burden, but the
plaintive cry had ceased, and the blue
eyes of the little founding were gaz-
ing up into those ''two springs of linn
pid love- that shone above them.
Nathan Drew and his two hired men
were waiting impatiently under the
shadow OF a big elm tree when their
breathless provider finally arrived
with the basket of lunch and that
strange bundle upon her left arm. 1t
was long past noon, and Nathan Drew
was fretting and fuming at his sisters
lnaccountable delay.
''What in 'tarnel kept you SO long?"
le demanded, as the painting woman
dropped the basket under the shadow
of the elm. "And, for goodness sake,
what We got in yer arns?''
GA baby, Nathan!" replied his sis
er. in voice full of soft, reverential
oy. ga poor little baby that was
eft in the swamp. I heard it crying
md went to find it, and that's what
made me so late.''
"Humph!" said Nathan Drew, taking
he covering from the basket and in
'pecting its contents. "What be We
,oin' to do with it?''
A cloud swept across the radiant
ace of the woman. There was some
hing distinctly forbidding in her
'rother's tone and manner. Evident
y, the only question that had entered
lis mind was how to get rid of the
lnwelcome encumbrance that had
,een left upon his land. Their
thoughts were travelling in diamet-
ically opposite directions - the
towards retaining the child,
he mans towards disposing of it.
There was something of the protec-
i've cunning of love in Abigails evasive
nswer to her brother. ''Probably
omebody will come along and claim
in little WHILE" she said.
Nathan Drew laughed derisively.
Then he took huge bite out of one
# AbigaiPs delicious chicken sand
viches and washed it down with gulp
# coffee from the warm can. "Verv
ikely," he replied at length; every
ikelyl" Then he laughed again.
Somebody dropped it accidentally in
he swamp, eh, boys? Somebody'll
'e comm back, most crazy to find it,
y m by
The hired men laughed servilely.
hough it was plain that their minds
we're chiefly absorbed by the lunch
'asket which their employer held be-
ween his legs and was steadily plum
lering.
Swell, come on, boys. Hitch mp
lere and have something to eat!"
ried the farmer. s'We can't bother
bout baby all day. There's work to
,e done"
The tongues of the hired men we're
oosei as their anxiety disappeared,
nd one of them, a smart little French
canadian, exclaimed:
"Ah guess all know where dat
'ebby come from, me! Dat mans leev