Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-08-09
Expressing the Baby.
IOriginal.1

Es>$sS>$>>sS>sS$s>> s>>$>>SS>>S>sSSSSSss
lOriginal.1
During the illness Of Mrs. Dolittle,
wife of Dan Dolittle, carpenter, her
baby was in care of her sister in Rose
field, fifty miles away. At the moth
ers recovery, the father having a
Job in Rose6eld and not wishing to
spend the time himself on the journey
back, it occurred to him to send the
child home under care Of the baggage
man Of the train, whom he knew we'll
He found little chest that would do
very veil for travelling crib. His SIS
ter lined it with blankets, put feather
pillow in the bottom and when all was
ready deposited the child. Dan put on
Z tag as precaution In case the con-
tents fell into other hands than the
baggageman, addressing the chest to
"Mrs. Daniel Dolittle, Birkville. This
Side Up With Care. Glass" There was
no prevarication in m1rbipg it glass,
for the baby's bottle W0 there ready
for use. There were a Dat 6b6k and
staple to bold the lid down when
closed but It was not intepda1 that the
lid should be- closed: JYat baSe train
time the father carried biz NV to the
station and turned i 0Y3 81 IL bag
gageman, who received It WlFi63ly, set
it on trunk and put the .pipple on
'0 An oG Sour I later rnf DAN Boi kw an
extra" announcing that 4 b1ldge had
broken under the train o. which he
had sent his baby and let the first two
cars into the river. He ran 70 the sta
ton and 4ng on . relief A1p vent
gage car WI taft E l@SsFsed, tt IL a..
gageman had been killed or drowned,
and there was no sign of the baby.
Dan worked all the afternoon mov-
ing trunks and hunting for his child's
body without avail. While he was at
work his wife, who knew the baby
was on the wrecked train, arrived, and
he was obliged to announce to her that
the child had doubtless been thrown
out of the car door, which was open at
the time Of the accident, and buried IN
der the car or heavy trunks at the bot
tom Of the river. The poor woman
was historical. Dan begged her to go
home, but she would not till she knew
something Of the manner Of her baby's
death. So he let her stay till the
wreck had been removed, but as there
were still no indications Of what had
become Of the child husband and wife
went to their desolate home broken
hearted.
A month passed without any develop
ments as to whether the baby had been
crushed or drowned. This uncertainty
worked upon the mothers mind, and
there was no comfort for her. Had
her child died In its bed she would
doubtless have recovered from the
shock In time. But she brQQdeq over
the poor little things horrible taking
of till Dan began to fear that he would
have to send her to sanitarium.
One morning there was a heavy rat
tie Of wagon wheels on the street be-
fore the door and sharp ring at the
bell. Mrs. Dolittle answered the call,
and an express wagon diver handed
her a book and pencil to Sign for a
package. She signed wonder1poiy, and
the man delivered aQ obiopg box On
it was a tag with the addrest; "Mro.
Daniel Dolittle, Birkville. This Side Up
With Care. GLASS;" Mrs. Dolittle IN
hooked the lid and opened it.
"Mother Of heavenr' she exclaimed
and forthwith tainted.
It happened that It was noon, and
Dan was momentar1ly expected homo
from his work. How long it was after
the receipt Of the package before he
arrived cannot be known, but it was
probably very soon. There in the hall
was his wife lying on the floor uncon-
scious beside the identical chest in
which he had placed her child before
sending It homeward, and In it was
that child, looking as ruddy as an au-
tumn apple, pulling away on a bottle.
If Dan hadn't been a man he would
probably have tainted too. As it was,
he rushed for water, sprinkled it in his
wife's face and brought her to. BY
this time her senses were ready to re-
ceive the impression that her baby was
alive and we'll. She snatched It from
Its travelling crib and Rugged it to her
breast, covering it with kisses. Then
she put It back and covered Dan with
kisses. Then she cried a little and
laughed a little, never for a moment
wondering how her child could come
back to her In this strange manner.
But Dan, spying a note in the chest,
opened it and read it. 1t explained
matters.
A short distance below the scene of
the accident lived an ignorant, stupid
German couple. Neither Of them heard
OF the bridge breaking down, and If
they had they would never have con-
4ected it with what followed. The
German was coming ACROSS the river
IN his punt when he saw q floating
box. The water was smooth, and the
box sailed along right side up. The
man took it in, pulled out the hook,
raised the lid and lw a baby. It wAb
unconscious, and he suDp0sed II load