Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-10-31

drops at time. Aslife came back to
the little body with nourishment, the
baby cried weakly, and Abigail
strained it to her bosom, while tears
of mingled JOY and pity rained down
upon the little head What pretty
child it was, despite its suffering !
What a clear, white skin what lit
tie, pointed, dimpled chin what blue,
blue eyes; what breadth of forehead
and fullness of temple; what dainty
little hands; what a soft sweet neck
for nesting mothers lips
For two days Abigail Drew lived in
the awful JOY of one who drains the
nectar from a cup which, when
emptied, must be dashed to earth.
She tried to put away the thought that
she and that little baby girl must part.
She tried to make those two precious
days heaven enough for all of life.
She tried, with all the dutifulness and
reverence of her nature, to bow to her
brothers will and be content But
every hour the whisper in her heart
grew stronger and more insistent-
"Cleave to the child. Keep her, cher
ish her. She is yours,a gift of God,
the answer to your lifelong prayer
At last she went to her brother and
poured out ner heart with an intensity
of passion he had never suspected in
that quiet, reserved, meekly subser-
Went sister ofhis. But, although sur
prised and disturbed, Nathan Drew
was not moved. His heart remained
obdurate To him the thought of a
founding child in the house was un-
endurable. Never a lover of children,
always convinced in his own heart
that childlessness was the more
blessed state, how could he be ex-
pected to look with favor upon an
adopted baby, child concerning
whose antecedents and propenSites
one knew absolutely nothing? No he
would not hear to it. To the Found
ling Hospital at Mayfeld the little
waif must so.
Towards evening of the last day Of
her probation Abigail Drew began to
gather together certain little treasures
of her own-heirlooms. Her mothers
Bible, the laces left her by Aunt Ju-
dith, an old-lashioned watch and
chain, six silver spoons, worn as thin
as paper-these, and a few others
things, she wrapped in bundle and
then, taking baby and bundle in her
arms, she went out, closing the kitchen
door reverently and softly behind her.
Down the road, through the haze Of
the late afternoon, she walked, as
one in a dream, leaving behind her
all that sfe had ever known and loved
hitherto.
From the distant meadow came the
sound of milestone on scythe-blade-
what clear, CHEEKY ring How
could Nathan beat such music with
Punishment for the babe-for both OF
them, did he but know it tin his
heart?
Beyond the bridge, Abigail turned
into the woods and followed the stream
westward, for the road ran too near
the meadow where Nathan and his
men were haying. The child fell to
crying, but she nestled it and kept
on. Just before sunset she came out
Of the woods upon another road and
followed it southwark. The summer
dusk began to deepen, yet she met no
traveller and passed no house. What
lonely country it was, that New
Hampshire mountain yallyl The
great hills looked down over the
woods like stern-faced giants. The
night air smelled Of swamps aud pine
glens and deep-buried solitudes. The
voices were all those Of wild creatures,
mysterious and hidden. How the
weary, heart-sick woman longed for
the sight Of roof, a chimney, an open,
door-especially for the face OF one
Of her own sex. Only the heart Of
woman understands a woman's heartl
At last, when the freAies began to
drift across her path like sparks from
the crumbling embers of the sunset
Abigail, turning bend in the road,
came suddenly upon the welcome
glow Of a farmhouse window. She
FASTENED forward and, turning into the
little path between the lilac bushes,
approachedthe open door. A man
sat upon the doorstep smoking, and, az
he saw the approaching figure, he
rose and called his wife.
A buxom, sweet-faced woman came
bustling to the door, skewer in hand.
The moment Abigails eyes rested
unon her fsce she cried,