The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-08-31
SAVED BY A BABY.
BY X. y. Sfronf.

Hlo, man, Were 90 doin':" and the
chitd-she was little more than baby
looked up in smiling innocence at the
man who was passing.
stern and set was the face of the
pedestrian, and marked with q dull ex-
preston of mental pain. The scowl
which distorted his handsome features
deepened a trifle as the words OF the
baby fell upon his ear, and he started
to walk past the little one without re-
plying.
Say. man, l fink oo's mean" and in
the voice of the child was a reproach
deeper than could be expressed by mere
words.
II fink oos mean," went on the little
GIRL as she wiped her tiny hands upon
her torn dress and turned her sweet but
dust-stained face up to the man.
Eve body says h'lo toSittle Nellie-dat's
me, 90 know. % mus say h'lo, too"
and she put her hands out toward the
man with pathetic gesture that would
have SOftened a heart Of stone.
Then for the first time the man gazed
down at the child: the look OF bitterness
faded from his face and for a moment
he actually smiled.
We'll. Nellie" said he, as he patted
the curly hair Of the little one, ''as near
as can figure it guess I'm going to
the devil" and he laughed softly in a
| manner not pleasant to hear.
Where's e devil?" The child opened
wide her blue eyes as she looked into
the face of her companion, and took
tighter hold of one Of his fingers. 100
has petty wing" she added, touching
stone that blazed from the last finger of
nn hn1 70
p'ees do.'
~"Oh. I couldn't give you that, little
girl; my little girly-only she's bigger
| than you are-gave it to me, and want
| to keep it,
Were is 90 little dirl? wy don't 90
| has her wiz oo?" and the baby looked the
| surprise she felt. is she dead, like my
/ mamn1a?''
For a moment the eyes of the man
| filled with tears, and his voice broke a
l. trifle as he replied.
I mo, little one; my little girl isn't dead
but she's long way from here, and I'll
never see her again.
| AS Frank Wilson-for that was the
mans name-held the child in his arms
4 a moment later, tears running down his
face, he let his thoughts go back to a
| pretty little town in Louisiana, where
|
few years before when she was Nellie
Allen. and his little daughter Nellie.
"a happy home was theirs, until one
e&il day the demon of drink reared his
uly head, and the young husband and
Il f&ther devoted time and money that
Y should have been otherwise expended in
pacifying the fiend who continually cried
for more.
For time the wife had borne in pa
thence the neglect of her husband, but
at last, driven to desperation by the
lack of proper care, and bitter wrongs
4 inflicted by the man who had sworn to
love and cherish her, she had left her
home, taking with her the child, and
b had sought a refuge at the home Of her
father.
Wilson pleaded and begged for just
one more chance, but to all his appeals
= had been turned deaf ear-his wife
never wanted to see him again. After
he came west he wrote letter after let
ter. but all were returned unopened. HI
had conquered the rum demon and had
prospered in worldly way, but his
heart was sore within him. and he
longed for his lost ones.
At last he could stand 1t no longer
and after losing battle with himself
had started for place where he could
|
. brings oblivion to the mind. He had
given up, and intended to throw every
, | thing to the winds and travel the pace
that kills until the end came.
-
. "Hi. there! Your called a telegraph
messenger boy, jumping from street
II car and making a rush toward Wilson
at whom he waved a yellow envelope
1--WE been lookin' all over the town fel
yer, Here's a message marked Rush
, for YER P'raps it's q deaf message
al yer'd better read ut at onct, I guess"
With eager haste Wilson tore oper
the envelope and read the words there
written. Then, pressing close to hi
: heart the little child he held in his arms
he buried his face in her frock in an en-
deavor to hide the tears Of joy tina
streamed down his cheeks.
Say, man. watts 90 cryin' for? Poo
IT rhan!" and with baby tenderness tn
the man. won't 'ey let 90 go to Z
child stroked the half concealed face o
8 devil? MY mamma's don to bod. m
papa says, an I'll ask him to let 90 g
Q zere too. Tum on, 'ets go fin m
al papa"
: .Oh. you darling little innocent.
murmured Wilson. as he pressed his lip
to the child's cheek.
u mo, little one" he said. aloud. look
e ing into the clear eyes of the baby. III
= not going to the devil but I'm going t
heaven-rm going home. home. HON
to my own little Nellie and my big Mel
7 lie. Good by. my child"
s crush this message. please: its i'm