The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-07-12

Mr.. Crane. did you know y got a
foundlin' asylum on yer ranch!
What do you mean!"
Some one has put up a mud ana
board shanty over by the creek
left a baby in it. | rode past there as
| come in and, hearin' q child squat
in, looked in. and there was 10 che
there but the baby
III go and see about that" replied
Crane with severity, though in his
heart was a fear that the pink toed
baby had been deserted by its parents.
Somehow the, conditions under which
his aunt had left him her fortune
came up to mock him. She had
predicted that ,he would eventually DO
something erraiic in the way OF mar
! riage, and in case he did he must turn
over the legacy to a foundiings' home.
He had just been Informed that ne
had a foundlings' home on his ranch.
There was something uncanny about
the affair.
Nevertheless he rode on. When he
came near the cabin he heard the enid
crying piteouSy. All was dark. lie
entered and after a search found Il can
die and some matches. Striking a
light, he went to the baby and began
to pat and sing to it as he had heard
mothers and nurses do. The baby ceaS-
ed to cry. Taking the candle to the
bunk, he let the light fail on the baby.
The little thing blinked its eyes, anu
Crane held the candle W here 1t was not
to be seen. Then the tiny face broke
into u smile.
But the child was hungry, and It's
good humor did mot last Yong. Crane,
divining the cause. went tO,a cupboard
made of q box, where he found MIX,
and since there was plenty OF wood
for a fire he soon had the food warm
ed and in the ba5y's bottle. Then. put
ting it between the pink lips. he had
the satisfaction of seeing his charge
pull Justify.
Ten o'clock came, but no human be-
ing. Eleven passed. and when an OLD
loud ticking Connecticut clock wheel
ed II Crane came to the conclusion
IuuJ TIC DdDy Hau DtSh iNlI NS'
Lying down beside it. he determined to
remain with it till NOR ming. then take
it to his own house.
He awoke to see the u shining IN
at the open door. And he saw some
thing else-a woma about twenty
years old, standing, loo a1ing down on
him and the baby, who was using his
breast for q pillow and had one leg
thrown over him. On the omar
face was an expression OF terror, winch
as she looked faded into Il Of salts
faction, then broke into Il ssmile. For a
few moments while Crane was awak-
ening he was too confused 10 speak.
When he did so he said:
go heaven sake, why did you leave
this baby here all night alone"
"Are you the owner Of this land!
"Yes."
"Well, we hadn't anything to eat,
and l toe, k one Of your lambs. A herd
er saw me do it and tooS, ne In. /
told hi my baby was here alone, but
he " ouldn't believe me-. Just before
day light he fell asleep, and ! got
aV ay."
where's the child's fathers" I
Dead"
Were you his wife"
mo"
Crane understood. Matrimony IN
that region was regarded rather as a
luxury than an essential.
The rancher went home and sent
back to the mother a good breakfast,
with fresh milk for the child. He had
not yet sufficiently recovered from ms
pretudices to bring them to the ranch
house. Instead he ,bult them a hne
cabintnear by.
Crane considered that he had saved
the ctild's life or M lght have saved II
and regarded the fail aerless little thlng
as urlder his especial protection. The
moth er needed protect ron as>well as the
chikl. Crane took cat e TO build her
cabi just far enough i,rOmAhis house 10
prevent her troubling linn. She was a
conlely young woman sfr d, though I'M
educated, developed und er better sur
OuuuluSS tudu tuOSe W With ID 49,"
been accustomed a good I leal OF sense.
Crane got into the habit of going to
talk with her, then consr 1t with her,
and in time she became i necessary to
his comfort. His books mel nwhile had
lost a good deal Of their fl eshness FOR
him. He visited "his kid" q S he called
the little trespasser, daily and he
couldn't very we'll see the ki d without
seeing its mother.
Several years went by, andI rane be-
gan to think Of bringing the 1 respass-
ing family to his home-marry ing the
mother-so that he would have them
handy. But his aunt's will stood In the
way. He was too honorable to at tempt
to get round his aunt's provision or to
compromise those who were i'm his
power.
Then he went east for awhile tsl Try
a separation, but he had had fe W
friends there, and they had scattEres l
He returned to his ranch and. bic
squatter family.
1t was hard for him to make up hft
mind to take a widow who had never
t,een married and hard to give up hall