Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-03

you the amount due you on your pen
sion claim, and you may sign re
cclpt."
Mr.. Mitchell handed her roll Of bills
and wrote out receipt. which the old
woman readily signed. This he did in
order TO establish himself thoroughly
in her confidence Then he continued:
II want TO have n serious converse
ton with YOU now about your adopted
daughter Lily. She is your adopted
child. | bclcve|
"Wcll. you might call her So" said
Mrs. Cooper. Though never took out
no regular papers You see. she came
to me in queer sort Of way. But why
should tell you her storyT
II shall explain. | have heard it in
part already. But the time has come
when | must have the fun details in
order to save the girl herself"
"'ro save the girl herself. to save my
Lily! Why, what's happened"
Did you know that Lily had n
child?'
Lilly have n child-of her own. YOU
moan? Why. man, you're drcamin.
Lily ain't morcn child herself.
"\cvcrthclcsS she has a baby. Listen,
There is no time to hc lost As | have
said. she has IA baby. and this baby
was recently abandoned in grave
yard"
go Lord. o Lord You never mean
to toll mo that-hcr own story all over
again. oh. dear. oh. dear, That ever
should live to- SEQ this day. Rut what
could you expect? Whats bred in the
bone will come ont in the G@h, as
the sayin goes
Exactly. and n saying with much
wisdom in it. But YOU say this is
Lily's own story over again. DO YOU
mean she was n foundlingE"
"Yes. woe little tot of thing on
my own doorstep. wrapped in shawl
That's how | found hor ono bitter cold
mornn. But that amt the Strangcst
part guess I'd better tell Won tho
whole story from bcginniu TO end r.
that is. if you're sure YOU mean my
girl no harm"
con tho contrary hope that some
thing that YOU may toll me- may aid
mo to rescue her from a danger which
threatens. Rely upon mo and keep
nothing back
"Wcll. it's II years ago, come
ThanfSgivIn. when wakes up won
dcrin what had to offer NJ thanks
for. 'cppt that was alive, and little
thanks for that. with my old man bur
tod
was born in the church and bred M 10
Christian ways drops to my knees
as | slipped out Of bed. and | thanks
the good Lord for all his morcies. and
remember that | added Somethin
about hcin content though he'd took
away my old man without never giviu
mo baby To comfort me in my lone
illness. for | always had n mother
heart. as there's many another as nov
or gets no babies declare this world
do seem crooked sometimes But that
aside from my story and s'pose you'd
ruthcr I'd stick to that
"Ies. yes Time is precious But
tell your story in your own way, and
we shall get through all the more
quickly. Go on"
"Iou'rc n gentleman with deal OF
brains now. If | was made TO stick
straight to the story. | don't doubt buI
what Id leave ont half you'd wish t,
know. Anyway I'll do my best st
after my thanksgivin ! rose up an,
went o. IT," window to let in Somc
light | raised up the sash to pusl
open the blinds and what do | 500 bu
n most suspicious lookin bundle on my
steps. | say suspicious. cause. though
| never had no babies myself. Nv,
tended manyS the one and gueSsc,
right off that some wretch had put
baby by my door. ''fh" Lord hc praiS
cd | says out loud, though ther,
weren't no one 10y 10 hear. Maybe
he's heard my prayers. after all :,
rushed on rnuugh clothes to 20 t,
the door in. and | fetched in the bun
die. and when | unpinned the shawl
sure enough there was a baby. rcn
live baby. rosy and fat and warm Il
spite of the hard frost outside"
And that was Lily:"
"That was Iilv. sure. | took her I,
my heart that dav. sir. and she's ha,
the biggest corner of il ever since
though NOWADAYS maybe She don
think so. But that's all cause of tn,
drink, which. | own. do ret the hes
of mo at times. Rut then what's n lon