Year: 1860



 will answer for the mother that has such sen!"

 "Softly, softly, if you please" expostula ted her laughing husband; Don't be quit oblivious of the fact that Iexist." Sh turned to him with look that must hay silenced the veriest grumbler in the world We reached Boston, took a carriage to gether, and only at the hotel entrance dit my new friend bid me adieu. "God bles you!" said the beautiful, noble woman, al she gave me back my baby. should hay, knelt and kissed the hand of such princess but my arms and were then SO awkward at baby tending that nothing else seemed possible accomplishment at one and the sam time. The clerk glanced suspiciously at mt and my burden.

 "We are fall, sir. Not room to be had.

 I sent for the proprietor, and again m, name vouched for me. What is it to have family in the land? But where in the world, Mir. Edward" he demanded, "dd you get that child" I told the story. He shook his head, but said nothing.

 1 sent for chamhermaid to come to m, room. I begged of her to take the child and care for it during the night At frs she would hear to nothing. put my hani in my pocket and gave her particularly large bribe, but was young and green. Sh' took the child.

 But shure an ye're not the young gin tleman that 'ud be after lavin' we're baby! Holy Vargin! My characther 'ud be ruined intirely, intirelyw I assured her of the rec titude ofmy intentions, and sent her of, but she was at my door in the morning before had left my bed, and nothing could induce her to keep the charge another instant.

 took the stage for my country home The driver recognized the lad he had driven so often over the same road. "How you're grown, to be sure, Mr. Edward! Your folks won't know you, Pm thinking, Especially with that baby in your arms. It seems te me you are getting to be family man c leetle too carly"

 l laughed and took my seat. But as we began to near my home grew terribly ner- vous and cowardly The house stood back some distance from the road, and as walk ed up from the gate saw the whole family gathered on the piazza to welcome me. ] thuk should rather have walked up to the cannon's mouth. My sister started down the steps to meet me, then stopped stepped upon the piazza.

 My mother, pale as death, sunk into her chair. My pretty cousin Ella, on whom I had always, from rouud jacket days, been sweet ill sneaking sort of way, dartcd an annihilating glance at me, and ran to sup f,fL "What do you dare to bring here, you shame less young rascal? Is this place - He broke down So angry that utterance was utterly impossible At any other time should have shouted with laughter at the ludicrous spectacle he presented; now I only hastened to tell my story. In few me ments my mothers arms were round me, my sister and cousin were contesting Eeuri for possession of my baby, and my father recoy- cred from his rage sufficiently to welcome his only son, though did hear him growl through his white beard, Confoundell spooney."

 F advertised far and wide to NO purpose, but my baby grew so into the affections of all the household that had no other steps to take. We named. her Perdida, and ] left her with my mother. When 1 returned year after year, found her each time grow healthier and prettier, and she each time manifested an affection for me, charmingly egitimate-for was she not My baby T' As such 1 cherished her

 She was six years old when left West Point for active service. After that led a wandering and adventurous life for years, "by flood and field" My baby" wrote me at first, often. Her first letters were curious speclmens-half-written, half print ed, and sometimes her meaning eked out with rude drawings. In those days she was charmingly personal. q do so and sol think SO and sol love so and so." But years changed her caligraphy, and alas !! the feeling Of her letters. Now, in her charm ing girlish characters stood, "Your mother does so and so," or "your sister thinks and loves," etc. My mother wrote We can't call Perdida your baby any longer. She does not permit the title, and you, were you to see her, would scarce imagine that our fair young queen was ever baby. I'm too old to be an enthusiastic, but our darling is surely the loveliest vision these eyes have ev CT rested on She makes hearts ache, but as yet their pain is vain. We tried to be so cautious but she has somehow learned about her finding, and it is bitter knowledge to the proud little heart. sznay be that that makes her melt only to us Will you never come home to see us and her ?" l It was the spring of the year 1856. l was on my way home to America. An el- derly gentleman who had evidently been a soldier, occupied the state room next to mine. A similarity of taste and feeling brought us much together daring the vJy- age. He had been absent from his country many years.

 ] "Wheu I left it," said he to me, "I meant never to revisit the shores that had been accursed to me. lost there my wife and child I thought then I could never see again the spot that had been so fatal te me And yet I return BOW, impeIIed by some feeling which I can neither account for nor resist. I dream that am going to sec ny child sometimes even in my waking moments, am fully convinced that I shaI find her

 "How4H I interrupted, in spite Of myself " is not your child dead ?"

 Alas, do not known

 "You do not know did she not die be fore you left America 27

 "No Three months ago should have said wished she had rather than live lbs, to ne, exposed to fates I shuddeT to thiaI af Nau ar4 rsavp hor,af,J Mou,