Drusilla with a Million

James came

tairs who wishes to s

e want?" ask

s to see you personally. He says he

looked up

one of the setting-room

hesi

is it,

ly a gentleman; he looks l

ntry too, and I'm real glad to see any one from the place wher

about fifty years of age, dressed as a farmer would dres

id. "I'm real glad to see somebody from the

d his overcoat

her of James Gleason, who owns the Spri

hought for

name, but perhaps you move

se you know William Fisher, the editor of

s face br

rsed his wife through all her child

n of my wife's. Her name was Jenn

! Well, I do declare, it's like

We lost our little girl about two year

la was all sy

. What did

school; it run through all

ld was

was our only child. I catch her settin' by the door wa

sorry. Have yo

nother doctor from the city. But the

ll, and it made them have an appetite; and if one can eat well, they can ginerally git enough strength to throw off sorrow. You just set still a minute, an

that she had been carefully cherishing for time of ne

ifteen minutes and drink

ason seemed to be very familiar with them all, and Drusilla's eyes br

call him. He'd like to hear all the news of the old

ooked emb

you know, but just peculiar and I don't like to leave her longer than I can help. I had to come down on business-I've been seeing about some cattle over in New Jersey, an

him with inquirin

I do?" s

train. I was sleepy and went to sleep and when I woke up my pocketbook that I always carried right

wan!" said

at I would send back my ticket money, but he wouldn't give it to me, and I-well

h is the

about three dollar

e. I'll get some money fro

ames returned with fifteen do

tle extra, as somethin'

ore than

on as I get home. You'll get it day after to-morrow. And I'll s

ng her

asked. "But I suppose you have everything. I'd l

a was t

u to think of it," she said

he door and helped hi

o no good, my doctor will know of something that'll help her. She might co

tched hand, and for a moment he seemed rat

remember your offer. I must catch m

sit. As they were talking, Dr. Eaton's card was brought to her and Drusilla asked him

gth and it does my old eyes good to see you. John, this is Dr. Eaton, my family do

ed at her

ick, are you

seases that you didn't know you

ctor l

life, Mr. Brierly. She's good for

don't like the word work. It's stuck clos

ork. But am I interrupting

dams, where we used to live when we was young. I wanted John to com

iend? It's nice t

ople I knowed once. Poor man, he was in a lot of trouble. He ha

r looked

d him money,

en dollars. He'll send it back to me to-morrow. He was so grateful. I

" the doctor r

ooked at h

in' in that ton

ughed rather

, that you're what the

What do

that was a littl

a confide

a lot of games. One of them is to go to people whom they have

d lots of nam

ound them in a local

at back in

"But I don't believe he's dishonest. He looked

on't worry; you can stand the touch

d give mother all the milk she'd need and sell the rest and in that way pay for her, because forty dollars was a lot of money for me in them days. Why, when I got that cow she never give enough milk to wet down a salt risin', and she was as old as Methuselah. All she could do

you'd better write up to Adams and see if what

lieve he'll send it back to

ord gets around that you are 'easy' you'll be bothered to death. Now the next time that any one comes claiming to b

hate to

omise me that no matter who it is, or what kind of a con

el

wn working you. Will you do it, no matter what or who it is? If you are asked for money, and you don'

ou think it

ecessary. You

se. I'll do it,

a word they say, if you haven't known the person before. He's sure to b

d says he's from Adams. I guess you are right. Now let's change the subje

he pleasure of seeing you, and then I want to tell y

as interes

you we would. Did you ad

German, Bohemian, Russian, everything; and

ad. Where are they

s investigated and found them all right. One is an American girl about twenty years of age whose husband deserted her when h

s! Did you brin

k with you first, an

e of his business, and you know what he'd say. I don't tell him more'n I have to till it's done, then he can't do nothin

ctor l

his over with him, as he isn't w

icicle brought into a warm room, but I guess he's not so

little Jew

and the big nose? Well, he a

y one to keep the baby, and she had no people, so she gave it to you. B

they can make a livin' when they leave here. They can't live here forever, perhaps. Mis' Fearn was over here the other day and said somethin' about tryin' to get a good sewin' woman-some one who could make dresses in the house for the children and make over her ol

Doane, and a good one.

jest now. We've got a good start-twelve babies and four mot

sted look on his face. He glanced from one to

is it,

plainly em

Dr. Eaton. I think I'd b

o him you can't say to me?

o-

at you so nervous about,

l-we

! What

there's anoth

silla, sitting er

Dr. Eaton. "Wher

laundry door, and no one was in sight, thoug

ught we'd stopped. W

"We'd better send this on

old you I won't send a baby to the polic

m, this is

lla s

ch different. A

'am-Dr.

it up. Now bring it

er. He put back his head and laughed until the tears ran down his face, and soon he was joined by John; but Drusilla was too amazed to laugh. She looked down at the baby in the big clothes-basket, at the round, black, wondering eyes that stared up at her from the coal-black face of a negro baby. There it lay, the little woolly head on a clean whi

n-I swan! A

irming infant was evidently trying to get out. She lo

in't never seen a

p on his sturdy legs and tried to make friends in his baby fashion, showing his white teeth and rolli

the two men. Then, as she did not kno

Ain't you never seen a nigger b

be made in ebony, so clearly were they in contrast to his white clothing. Even Drusilla sat back and joined the men in their merriment. The baby looked at

han't! Come right here to Grandma-No, I can't be Grandma t

he came toddling to her. She lifted him to he

l right. Well," turning to the men, "he fee

to laugh, but Drusilla looked up with a slight flush on her face and a sparkle i

with this one? Now we'd be

ooked at h

want Mr. Thornton to know nothin' about

ter let me take him t

down at the baby who was contentedly playing with the t

a big colored orphan asylum out on the Elpham Road. L

hesitat

'home.' I

o do, Miss Doane. You

rhaps you

d returned after a few mome

er one downtown that they told me of, and they say the same thing. It seems there is

m? If we can't find a pl

they'll keep him until

eep him until we find a place for him. Ring f

l mother, and the baby was pl

, Fanny, see that he has something to eat and a bath. Now you be jest as nice to him as

out as far from his body as he could carry them, and with his head he

s back says, 'This didn't never happen

on rose

m to-morrow, Miss Doane. It's g

nt with him

ot Swedes and Dutch and Irish and Jews, and now a nigger baby. It's a m