The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1900-05-31
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! ! ! ! Doll. 7

Ny name Is Antlf0fs Hunt am a
drover, and | live miles and miles
away upon the western prairie. There
wasn't q home Within sight when We
moved there my wIfspand /, and now
we haven't many neighbors, though
those we have got arsSgood ones.
One day about ten, sears ago went
away from home to sell some 80 head
Of cattle-fine creatures as ever you
saw. was to buy. some groceries
and dry goods before | came back and,
above all. doll for our youngest, Dol
iy. She had never had store doll of
her own, only the rag babies her moth.
er made her, -@ IA.
Dolly could talk OF nothing else and
went down TO TIE very gate to call aft
er me tU"buy big dne." Nobody but
i parent eau understand how fun my
mind was of that toy and how, when
the cattle were sold, the first thing
hurried Off to buy was Dolly's doll.
found large one'with eyes that would
open and shut wheHyou pulled wire
and had It wrapped in paper and tuck
ed 1t under my arm while had the
parcels of calico and delaine and tea
and sugar put M slFifsen, late as 1t was,
: started for k,rasf 1t might have
'9een more prudenlStD stay until morn
slg. but felt anxious TO get back and
eager to hear Dongs prattle about her
toy.
was mounted on steady going, old
horse of mine ausqretty we'll loaded.
Night set IN before was a mile from
town and settled down as dark as
pitch while was 10 the middle of the
widest bit Of roadI know of. ! could
have felt my way, though, remember
ed II so well, and II almost came to
that when the storm that had been
brewing broke, and down pelted the
rain In torrents. Ave miles or maybe
six from home yet too.
rode on as fast as I could, but all
n n sudden | heard little cry like
:hild's voice, | stopped short and lis
tened. ! heard II again. called, and
II answered me- couldn't see thing,
all was rs dark as pitch. ! got down
and felt about In the grass; called
again and again was answered. Then
| began to wonder I'm not timid, but
was known TO DO n droYer and 10
have money about me. 1t might be a
| trap to catch me unawares and rob
and murder me.
Pm not uperstitious-not very. But
how coZld real child be out on the
prairie In such night at such an hour
II might be more than human.
The bit Of n coward that hides In
most men showed itself to me then.
and ] was half inclined to run away,
but once more heard that cry, and
said I:
"If any mans child Is hereabouts,
Anthony Hunt is not the man to let II
ole"
searched again. At last I bethought
me of a hollow under the hill, and,
cropping that way, sure enough. found
n little dripping thing that mOaned aud
sobbed as took II In my arms.
couldn't see IL. but ! thanked heaven
I called my horsa and the beast came
TO me, Snd mOuntnd and tucked the
little soaked thug under my coat al
well as cou;l promising to take Il
home TO nanny, II seemed tired Il
death and pretty soon cried itself e
sleep against my bosom.
IL - Al hnF
saw my own windows. There wer,
lights In thea. and supposed my wife
had III them for my sake, but when
got into the dooryard | saw somr
thing was the matter and stood still
with a dead fear at my heart, five min
utes before ! could lift the latch. A
last did II and saw the room full o.
ueighbors and my wife amidst then
weeping
II When she saw me, she bid her face
"Oh, don't tell him. she said. at viii
kill him"
= what Is II. neighbOrsT' cried.
And one said: Nothing: now hop
what's that In your armsY'
II - HNnAs &ASb tAtAAa H1th h AAAH
II on the road. Take II. win you: Nv
turned faint" and lifted up the sleep
II ing thing aud saw the face Of my owl
Il child. my little Dolly.
/, II was my darling aud none othe
that had picked Up upon the rail-
drenched road.
Ny little child had wandered out l.
meet daddy" aud the doll while ho
mother was at work. and they wer
lameutlng her as one dead. thanke,
: heaven on my knees before them oil
II IL not stuch Of n story, neighbOT'
!. but think Of II often In the night
aud wonder how ! could bear TO llv
now n had not stopped when hear
the cry for help Upon the road, the III
tie baby cry. hardly louder than
squirrels ehlrp.
That's Dolly yopder with her niOthe
10 the meadow. a girl worth saving,
think but then I'm her father aud pal
Il tial. maybe the pfettiest aud sweetrs