The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-02-23
AN OLD MAIDS LOVE AFFAIR.

OF lunCn :Sne was carrying 10 lne men III
the hay field. 1t surely was child's cry
and baby's, too! How it stirred the
chords of her lonely, longing heart. Miss
Abigail loved children with passionate,
yearning love, and yet it had been years
since she had even heard a baby cry.
Living alone with her brother and his oc
casional help, on that remote farm, all
social relationship, AL neighbofly ameni-
ties and delights, were almos tentirely de
MED her. And above all things she miss
ed and longed for the sunny presence of
children. She felt that, if she only had
child to care for her barren, empty life
would overflow with JOY and purpose.
The days now SO sad and meaning less,
would be SO rich and blessed then. All!
there is nothing like the infinite aching
of the motherheart in childlt SIS 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 listened, her whole
being absorbed in the associations con
necIed with the sound. suddenly her
heart surged into her throat, and she
caught her breath with the thought that
rushed across her mnd-what if baby
had been lett in the swamp deserted
And what if she would be the one to find
nobody should comeNto claim it! The
wstful face Of the woman paled and
flushed and flushed and paled, in swift
succession, as her heart brooded upon
this wonderful possibility. At length,
with little cry that was all prayer, she
spraug toward the swamp, leaving the
basket of lunch under the blaze of the
July sun.
When She emerged from the thick. low
woods al the bottom Of the pasture her
dress was torn and her face scratched and
streaming with perspilation, but the rap
ture and triumph that shone in her eyes,
as She looked down upon a bundle strain
ed to her breast, showed that life, for ier,
had suddenly been lifted above all ordinary
conditions and considerations, and that
she was conscious of walking upon such
roseate air as the old painters limned be-
meath the feet of their exalted Madounas.
A little face peeped out from the ragged
shawl that wrapped Miss AbigaiI's recious
burden, but the plantive cry had ceased,
and the blue eyes of the little founding
were gazing up into those 1.-TWO springs of
limpid love- that shone above them.
Nathan Drew and his two hired men were
waiting impatiently under the shadow of
big elm tree, when their breathless pro-
wider finally arrived with the basket of
lunch and that strange bundle upon her
left arm. 1t was long after noon, and
Nathan Drew was fretting and tuning at
his sisters unaccountable delay
What in 'tarnal kept you So long?" he
demanded, as the painting woman dropped
the basket under the shadow of the elm.
''And for goodness sake, what We got in
yea arms?''
"a baby Nathan replied his sister.
:. 6 !
poor little baby that was left in the swamp
l heard it crying and went to find it, and
that's " hat made NE SO late
''Humph." said Nathan Drew, taking
the covering from the basket and inspect
ing its contents. ''What be We goin' to
do with it,
a cloud swept across the radiant face
OF the woman. There was something
strictly foTbiddiug in her brothers tone
and manner Evidently, the only question
that had entered his mind was how to GET
rid OF the unwelcOme encumbrance that
had been left upon his land. Their
thoughts We're travelling in Numerically
opposite directons-the woman toward
retaining the child; the man toward dis
posing of IL,
There was something Of the protective
cunning Of love in Abigail's evasive an
swer to her brother ''Probably some
body will come alon- and claim it in lit
tie while, She said.
Nathnn Drew laughed derisively Then
he took huge bite out of one of A BIZ
CALLS delicious chicken sandwiches and
washed it down with gulp of coffee from
the warm can. Very likely.' Then he
laughed again somebody dropped it
accidentally in the swamp, eh, boys?
Somebody i be comm back, most crazy
to find it, by N by"
The hired men laugh he'd servilely, though
it was plain that their minds were chiefly
absorbed by the lunch basket which their
employer held between his legs, and was
steadily plunderiDg.
''Well, come on, boys Hitch mp here
and have something to eat"' cried the
farmer. We can bother about baby
all day. There 5 work to be done.
The tongues of the hired men We're
loosed as their anxiety disappeared, and
one OF them, smart little French Cana
dian exclaimed.
All, guess all know were dat bebby
come from, me. Dat mans leev in lumber
shanty Oh Coon Hell; he gone, au' heez OF
hooman have tree, four, five bebby-
prob'ly two All bet dat mans left dat
bebby, Sch
II shouldn't WONDER" replied Nathan
Drew ''Shiftless cuss. Camping down
on my property without even asking per
mission, and using nay lumber shanty,
stove and wood. / m glad he's gone, but
! wish he d taken his hui dern brood with
him. The young un'll prob'ly grow up
jest like the rest of EN-, lazy and with
less
II heard say" continued the little
Frenchman, "dat mans Hinglishman,
good family, but not YER strong for
work. Los heez health, an bliged to
take to de woods. No money-no health
big family. All guess ah'll do bout
same ting as him, bah gosh, if alb get too
much bebby"'
Don't doubt it, AIphonse," rejoined
the farmer That's jest the sort of a
fellow you be, and yer hull Canuck tribe
Alphonse griuned approximately and
took no otfense. Then silence fell upon
the three men until the last drop of their
MONDAY lunch had disappeared
Abigail tenderly laid the baby down in
the grass, while she gathered together
the dishes and napkins and repacked them
in the basket, Her brother stood over
her, watching. He was a spare, hard
faced, iron gray man, who showed by
every line and feature the absence of SEN
timpDt N his pnnapts