The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-07

:, sheriff" " he hoarsely whispered fv' heard em all before. You gave em U | up fil and town, and-snd struck me. on the sleeping child 'cussed me. strueE nights of bread and water and vermin Wait, sheriff. You gave me ten minutes to leave town. It was wisely done.
 hustled. sheriff. | was afraid of you And then as l came down to the oid poo' | 1 stopped short. There was child there: T little white slip of 2 thing. who M hsd | stockings to one side and was just bai- anced on the edge of the basin. Even as I looked she stepped in and disap- peared. In three leaps l followsd her. | and di Jed ard brought her up and pulled | her out and rubbed her dry, and put her | clothes on her the best l could with my l clumsy fingers. Then I brought her up here in the sun where she could rest and | be warm. And because. she hasn a | mother to cry for she cried for her doll, | and I made her the best doll could | just as somebody used to make oolis TOT
 The sheriff had stood very still. "Is this true?" he asked in a low voice.
 There's the child" said the vagabond simply As he spoke he unconsciously drew himself back in the shadow of the rocks and brought the figure. of the little one into relief. Eloquent in it's innocence 1t seemed to plead for the human wreck whispered, isn't it a beautiful sight, to-. think it is but sleep. that the IttIe pulse is steadily. beating: that the little eyelids will unclose and the little lips will part. And 1t might have been the sleep of death" He loctee up suddenly ''sherif, you are coming man, Men trust and honor yeu. I tell you that all your honcrs ain't worth the loving pres sure of that little hand. And, she owes kar fn t< oh vi fn mo The sheriff was strangely, silent. His | eyes were on the vagabond.s face, but l the fierceness had passed from them.
 T baSy % TsSsra rpcsen hs matersd nGs sdd tramp You've nothing to offer that would be t fair exchange. What's 2 reward to mel" He paused and looked able man in the community, sheriff They could poorly afford to lose you. But If 1t had been you in the black pool Tn not at all sure I would have raised worthless fellow. sheriff; vagahoIid, { 1 shameless prodigal. But there's hear under thess raas that hungers for love | gentle word from those rosy lips, art worth more. to me than all the rewards | you can bring"
 His voice sank, and his eyes turned again to the sleeping child.
 | ''I am very grateful the sheriff fal | striving to recall some early memory. HC came little nearer and sank down upor | ledge of rock.
 Lave is a beautiful trait, sheriff, ' said the vagabond. with a quick return i to his hantering tone; more especially when it Is evenly distributed. I thinl If I'd had my share when l was a bo! I might have been more of a credit t( my loving friends. But I didn't get It I wasn't popular in the home circle. Al | my childish faults were maKnif1ed. al my brothers were excused. No doubt he was brighter and handsomer. and
 felt that. too. I think now that if the, had been little kinder to me l nigh not have come to this"
 l He paused and his head dropped. Tn, | sheriff had risen and came still closer He put out his hand,
 Jim. he said with a quick gasp
 The wanderer shook his head | '"rco late" he murnlured, "too late"
 The sheriff's hands were both ex- tended.
 Brother"
 Again the wanderer shook bis head ana rising to his feet turned away.
 The fchild stirred uneasily. The tramr | paused. 'Hush" he whispered with up lifted hand. The child opened her eye 1 and raised herself on one chubby elbow
 'Hullo, daddy" she laughed; have yol
 The sheriff knelt beside her.
 "Rosalie dear" he said. and his voic, was very gentle. T want you to as' your Uncle Jimmie here to come hom with us" And he lifted the child tc smile and, putting her fingers in tn, vagabond's hand, looked up in his face
 Come, Jimsv." she lisped.
 And so they passed down the pathway 1 the sheriff slowly pacing ahead, and tht child leading the prodigal.