Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-07-23

glad she up and married him. just
like anybody else would have done.
He didn't want her to travel with the
troupe. so when they got to Chicago
they thought that would be good
place. and they stopped. and he hunted
work. 1t was slow business. because
he had never been taught to do useful
thing. and he didn't even know how tn
hunt work. least Of all to do it when
he found 1t: 80 pretty soon things were
going wrong. But II he couldn't find
work. she could always sing. so she
sang mt night. and made little things
In the daytime. He didn't like her to
sing in public. and he wouldn't let her
when he could help himself; but winter
came, It was very cold, and fire was e1-
pensive. Rents went up. and they had
to move farther out to cheaper and
cheaper Places; an you were coming
mean. the boy that Is lost was com-
ing-and they were almost distracted.
Then the man wrote and told his father
all about il and mis- father sent the
letter back unopened and wrote him to
never write again.
"When the baby came, there was
mighty little left to pawn for food and
doctor, and nothing at all for nurse.
10 an old neighbor woman went In and
took care Of the young mother and the
little baby, just because she was so
sorry for them. BY that time they wer"
away out in the suburbs on the top
floor Of little wooden house. among
lot Of factories, and 1t kept getting
colder, With less to eat. Then the man
got desperate. and he went out to just
find something to eat; and the woman
was desperate, too. She got up, left
the old woman to take care Of her baby
and went into the city to sing for some
money. The woman got 50 cold she
put the baby IN bed and went home
Then q boiler blew up in a factory
beside the little house and set 1t on fire.
) piece Of iron was pitched across the
little house and broke through the roof
It came down smash, and cut just one
little hand Off the poor baby. 1t
screamed and screamed, and the fire
kept coming closer and closer.
"The old woman ran out with the
rest Of the people and saw what had
happened. She knew there wasn't
going to be time to wait for the fire.
men or anything, and she ran into the
building. She could hear the poor
little baby screaming, and she couldn't
stand that, so she worked her way up
to it. There 1t was, all hurt and bleed
ing. Then she was scared almost to
death over thinking what its mother
would do to her for going of and
leaving 1t. so she ran to q home FOR
little friendless babies that was near
and banged Oh the door. Then she hid
across the street until the baby was
taken in, and then she ran back to
see If her own house was burning up.
The factory and the little house and
lot Of others were all gone. The peo-
pie there told her that the beautiful
lady came back and ran into the house
to find her baby. She had just gon'
in when her husband came, and he
went In after her, and the house went
down over both of them"
Freckles lay rigid, with his eyes on
the angels face. and she talked rapid
ly to the ceiling.
"Then the old woman was just sick
about that poor little baby. She was
afraid to tell them at the home, be-
cause she knew she never should have
left it, but she wrote letter and sent
It TO where the beautiful woman, when
she was iii. had said her husbands
people lived. She told all about the
little baby that she could remember;
when it was born, how 1t was named
for the mans elder brother, that Its
hand had been cut of in the fire. and
where she had put 1t to be doctOred
and taken care off. She told them that
its mother and father were both burn
ed, and she begged and implored them
to come anu get II.
"You think it would have melted
heart OF ice. but that old man hadnt
any heart to melt. for he got that let
ter and read it. He hid 1t away
among his papers and never told Il
soul. A few months ago he died.
When his elder son went to settle up
his business he found that letter al
most the first thing. He dropped
everything, and came, with bis wife.
to hunt that baby, because he had
always loved his brother dearly, ana
wanted him back. He had hunted for
him all he dared all these years. and
when he got here you We're gOne-l
mean the baby was gone-and had
to tell you. Freckles. for you see T.
might have happened to you like that
lust as easy as to that other lost
boy"
Freckles reached up and turned the
angels face until he compelled her
eyes to meet his.
"Angel," said Freckles at last,
catching her wrist, fare you trying to
tell me that there Is somebody hunting
boy that you're thinking might be
me? Are you belavin' you've found
me reiations?
Then the angels eyes came home.
The time had come. She pinioned
Freckles' arms to his sides and bent
above him.
"How strong are you, dear heartT
she breathed. "How brave are you:
Can you bear IT. Dare I tell you
that"
"Now gasped Freckles. "Not II
you're sure! can't bear It'll I'll die II
you dor
The day had been one unremitting
strain with the angel! Nerve tension
was drawn to the finest thread. 1t
snapped suddenly.
"Die?" she famed. "Die, II I tell
YOU that! You said this morning that
you would die II you didn't know
your name. and If your people were
honorable. Now I've gone ana found
you a name that stands for ages OF
honor, a mother that loved you enough
to 60 into the fire and die for you,
and the incest kind Of rllAnYes. and