The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-03
DAVIS DECISION,

| uoW, MrS. rage.
eyer don't mean to say she's dead
doctor?"
Eyes, do" The doctor sat down
by the stove. "And it's cold night to
die, Mrs. Page"
We'll be having the funeral by
Monday, l suppose. I'll have to go
down to Debby's and borrer black
cape. l don't know where the money
will be coming from for the funeral;
and as for that boy"
"You be good to the boy until to-
morrow, Mrs. Page, and I'll see what's
to be done" The doctor went over to
the corner of the room and pulled the
cotton comforter over the fat legs Of a
boy of four, fast asleep.
What did his father bring him
here for, anyway, and then go off and
leave him?-his mother too sick to
take any notice of him, except the fust
time she saw him; thep she went on
like mad. had to call in Mrs. Dewey
to help me keep her in bed. She was
for following him right out into the
garden. Said as how she'd like to see
him in the sunshine. And now she's
dead, amt going to do nothing
more"
The doctor walked down the hill in
the cold wind, turning over in his mind
the different people in the village who
he thought would be likely to welcome
Davy into their household. Mrs. Nc
Arthur, though she had five children,
might take him. There were the
Thompsons-Jake, a lazy fellow, and
Mrs. Thompson doing all the work.
They were both fond of children, with
no children of their own, and one
adopted girl already. The Casetts!
They had lost their only child a few
months before. He would see them to-
morrow.
Eyer know, Milly, they do say the
Doctors looking for some one to take
care of Davy. He says 1t amt pessi-
BILE to leave him with old Mrs. Page,
she treats him SO bad. Poor little
chap"
Jake put his foot on the edge of the
stove and tilted back his chair as he
Rugged up closely the child in his
arms.
How'd yer like a little brother to
play with, Kitty"
Nov, Jake Thompson don't yer be
talking that way,to Kitty. You know
we can't take that child, and you out
Of work most of the summer, and me
away all day at the hotel. I've wanted
a boy all my life. But this amt the
time to take one in"
I'll look in at the doctors on my
way back, and see what he says, Kits
nice girl, Milly; love her, God
knows, but son, Milly!"
He stopped and kissed her-a rare
thing-and Milly, tired as she was, put
the little adopted girl to bed, and
cleaned up the house as for wedding.
Jake found the men of the village
around a smoky lamp at the back of
the store, looking over the mail.
"Expectin' letter, Jake?" asked Nc
Arthur.
well. no. I amt no expectations
in that line, and Jake chuckled to him
self and thought of the little round
faced boy.
1.-THE docs got a pile of EN-"
Letters or boys?" asked Jake.
whats the matter with Jake? The |
doctor amt got no boys. His are all
girls. Letters, of course"
There's nothing like a boy, eff l do
say it."
Little you know about it, Jake"
"Tll know more afore I'm through
with it, though. The doctor been
around tonight? Milly and l are
thinking about-lttle-Davy"
well, that's like you. Jake. Such
man for lonesome young uns l never |
see. We've only got five, you know,
but bless me, IL Nelly didn't talk it
over with me last night kind of sat |
on it, but if l remember right, she had
her way, as usual and said she'd see !
the DOCTOR"
Guess I'll get there fust, Mac. !
Where's my hat?" and Jake started for !
the door.
Hold on, jake" said Cassett; "Tve
got somethign to tell yer all. Amt yer
heard about Davy?" Yer know the doc
tor spoke to me. l guess he thought |
he'd have trouble to find anyone to
take the lad and yer know how we've
been kind Of lonesome and sad since
the boy died. And Hattie-well, first
she wanted him and then she didn't.
and we didn't know what to say. She
didn't like to think of filling the other
ones place, and yet she had plenty OF
time to look after the boy, and it would
make it less lonesome for her. So I
kept telling her, and we were eating
dinner, and Hattie crying a little
women always do cry when they feel a
little bad-when the door opened, and
who came walking in but Davy, with
his dirty dress and his curly head and
his face all wet with crying! We'll,
Davy,' said, where did you come
from?
~ come down from Grams. don't
like it up there Say, can have some
dinner? l hungry. You have some
good dinner every day?'
Every day, Davy said Hattie, a.
piling things up on his plate.
"Think I'll stay Davy said: and
boys, ! kind of think he will. Ell you
could see him, his face shining clean,
aSlpeD in tho crib and Hottia sIttj,o H.,