The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-07-20

1cus bornn'
mer came, and he took me to picnics
and excursions, and we had n good
time together. lie always called ME
his little sweetheart and told me how
much he loved me. One day ! asked
him something. | didn't mean to. but
it jus; slipped out. My heart was so
full of 1t that it just spilled over. like.
He was talking about loving me. and
he kissed me. Then I asked him, Are
you going to marry me some day? He
looked at me n minute, and then he
said, DO you think you love me
enough for that" | answered that
very quick. 1T isn't question about
my love- | said. The question is. 10
you love me enough? I'd lie down in
the dirt and let you walk over me-
We'll, then said he, you can be hap
py. for | mean to marry you some
day."
She paused here for n moment and
then added. with a sad cadence in her
voice:
THAT was when | was II. and I've
never been real happy since that day"
80! He accepted your love and gave
you promise in rcturn!' asked Mr..
Mitchell. "That was ALP
THAT was all. but he has often re-
pcatcd the promise, and still believe
he'll keep his word some day"
"Now, thcn." said Mr.. Mitchell, speak
ing softly, 81 want you to tell me when
your baby was born!"
1t was cruel to take her thus by sur
prise, but Mr.. Mitchell thought himself
justified, even though lie was unwill-
ing to give her pain. She looked up at
him, with horror depicted upon her
countenance. and was obliged to put
her hand over her mouth to suppress
the Cry that sprang to her lips.
What do you meanT" she gasped.
Just what I said. When was your
baby born!"
"But-but-I have no baby" she
blurtcd out desperately.
"Oh. but you havcw persisted Mr..
Mitchell.
Then he saw the girl in a new aspect.
A different side Of her character was
revealed to him. She turned upon him
dctiantly and cNclaimcd:
$50 that's your game, Is 1t? You
think you are smart, don't you? But
you can't play tricks OH me. lf you've
found baby, you'll have n hard time
trying to prove it's mine. | tell you /
haven't any"
Suppose that the infant of which |
am speaking was abandoned by its
| parents?"
what Of 1t? That happens every day
| In the year. What does that proven
"But suppose 1t was found in n
graveyard"
"In gravcyard?" she repeated, and
! her eyes opened wide in aslonishment.
Eyes, In graveyard. 4 strange place
for q baby, is it not?"
"Wcll, should say so. How did 1t
get thcre?"
Let me tell you the story. This baby
was found In n graveyard without any
clothes on-not any at all, you under
stand"
"The poor little dearp she said
softly.
"It had been crawling among the
tombstones for several days when II
was discovered"
| "But how did 1t get there?"
| "Ah. that Is the question! We know
that 1t was placed there at night by a
man. We think that the man was the
child's father"
Impossible! No man could be such
a monster. Somebody stole that baby
I'll bet, and then didn't know what tc
do with It,"
mo. In that case he would have left
1t where 1t would be found Tbis,mar
wished the child to die. That is why
say 1t was the father who wishetl t
get rid of the child"
"But why should father wlshA t.
kill his own child?"
Perhaps because he had not mar.
ried the mother"