Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-08-28
"a
Loving Heart
o<a
~ ALDEN CHAPMAN

A.
sSsssssssssssssssssssss
p2psr unien-l
-rsiere. old fellow. I th.ak jon can
get hefne comfortably now
Tiss tones OF the speaker were as
gentle and pleasing n was his clear.
open face. Warren Sprague had
found dog whining and writing In
his path. one bleeding foot upIifled.
A keen-pointed. thorn had penetrated
the paw and bad broken or there.
With infinite care Sprague had re
moved the torsuring splinter. The
graceful animal licked his hand AZ.
fectionateiy. starting away ilmping.
hut wagglng his tall as IL his great
trouble of the moment was dlssipated.
Sprague started slowly In an oppo-
site direction. As he did 80 there
arose from some bushes the figure OF. q
young woman Of perhaps twenty. she
was exquisiteiy featured and. grace
fui and girlish Of figure. but the face
was full of anxiety and pallor and her
attire common and worn. She stood
pecriRg after the man until he turned
into the first house where the village
bs =an.
-IIe was like some angel of mercy
IN that dumb nnimalT she breathed.
Surely he would lean tenderly
towards poor homeless waif." and
the speaker sank down again among
the bushes beside a bundle Of wraps
encasing sleeping child Its cherub
face WAS In sweet repose.
II will wait until dark" spoke the
woman I'm a low tone. Then to part
with the little dear. II must be given
10 siirer care than l can provide"
. Just nj dark that evening cry
called the aged mother of Warren
Sp-aGue 10 the door. There lay the
little child. and she who had witnessed
the kindly act of Sprague watched
from a near hedge and then went on
her way satisfied.
But to reappear the next morning.
She came TO the pretty cottage of
which the little child had become n
welcome guest. Old Mrs. Sprague
greeted her az the door. The visitor
said that she had heard that they had
taken In a child left on their threshold
She was used to children. she was
seeking work and was experienced as
cook and housekeeper. and Mrs.
Sprague at once engaged her.
Both son and mother were glad OF
the assistance proffered. From the
start the little one took to its nurse
as IL she were an own mother. From
the start, as well, neat, modest, tire
less. Airline Dalton, as she called her
self. lifted all care from the shoulders
Of Mrs. Sprague.
''She is a treasure" declared the
latter with genuine ardor.
"She has a heart of gold to love
that poor little waif the way she Ger.
tainly does" said the son.
A month went by. The little one
throve apacc. Airline hustled about
he house. always with a happy smile
upon her face. Sprague felt a grow.
ing liking for the girllsh attendant
She was very reticent as to her ante
cedents. She seemed to have no In.
clination to spend a holiday In, the
town; she made no outside friends.
One day Sprague learned why. Ar
tine was with the little one In q shell
erred corner Of the garden and
Sprague was passing beyond, when hi
caught the sound of a sharp cry
peering close. he noted Airline holdins
nttle Isola protectingly, almost def
antly, I'm her arms. Confronting hel
was man with exultant face and evi
eyes. He Kissed toward her:
EFT seems ! have found youl Now
hen. money, or ] assert my rights ant
YOU can bid goodby tn the baby"
Airline drew from a pocket a little
purse. She threw II at the feet of the
man. take 1T" she gasped pitifully
"only go away. IL you are human
leave the little one among the kline
hearts here"
The man swung away. Airline hur
| ried into the house. For days follow
'na-she acted like a person tormente,
with fear. She never left little IsOl,
alone Tor moment. -Sprague had re
celved shock. There was no doub
that her visitor was her husband. Flo
the first moment he realized that low,
had taken root In his heart.
About midnight a week later a sus
pIcIous sound In a room downstair
aroused him. As he went out into tn
hall. q revolver In his hand. he note
an unfamiliar glow. Descending. h
made out n man tying up n bandI
containing the family silver Spragu
recognized him as the garden vIsitol
Hands upi" ordered Sprague sterr
Nv. 81 have you where your pe=sect
ton will cease You are the hushan
II the young woman and the fathe
II the child we have adopted"
"It Is not truel' was InterpoSe
| quickly. and Airline stood In the doc
way. This is the man whe kille
his wife. my sister. by his cruelty an
paglecf. and he has followed me II
a year. extorting money as his priC
for allowing me 10 keep her child
I'VE will remedy that" declare
Sp-ague. "My man. II is In my powt
10 send YOU TO prison. You viii writ
what ] shall dictate. legally abandon
ing all claim to the child Little Iso
shall become my child and-Ariine's
And as the compact was signed ar
he haiIled schemer skunk away, Wa
ter Sprague told airline Dalton OF b
love.
L Tknir nhIanA