The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-08-30

by the might of that strange, potent
necromancer who holds such "A marvel
Gus lien upon all human hearts
By-and-by, | had letter from Dot,
begging me TO come TO her, and lying
perdu in the little rose-scented note was
the most exquisite secret in the world.
[ went at once, and before had been
many weeks in Dots home, all the
world-our world-knew our secret.
There was a day and night of awful
suspense and the stars In their course
seemed 70 stand sti and all the great
round earth to tremble and culver in
mute, breathless expectation. Then, in
the hush of the morning, new little
life began, and we laughed and cried
over each other, and praised Gods
goodness, which we had dared to doubt
only halfhour earlier.
1t was funny to see Harry. He had
been lifted in moment from the val
ley of despair to the sunlit heights OF
hope, and the poor fellow was dazed.
He stood leaning over her where she
lay, like a wilted lily, but with heaven
shining in her eyes.
ooh, Harry, look at him y
That was just what Harry was doing
with all his might. Presently, he
touched the baby's cheek with his fin
ger. | think he had had suspicion
that it was by no means real flesh and
blood, but only waxen hoax.
"He's little fellow!" he said, con.
templatively.
All the mother awoke in Dot.
"Little Why, Harry how can you
He weighs eight poundsl'
Harry did not recoil under this mon
strous fact. He took it quite calmly.
"Does he? Well!" still doubtfully.
~ suppose he will grow"
"GrowI cried Dot, sobbing and
laughing. 81 should think he Will. It's
only question of time. Give him time
enough, and he will be as big as you
are. Oh, you precious, conceited fell
low. | didn't know you thought you
were born grown upl"
Dots baby did grow. 1t was in re.
fined, suitable fashion, after my own
heart | never could understand the
ecstacies people 90 into over your huge
baby, who only represents so much adj
pose tissue.
Look at his arms ~ they cry. "Look
at his legs y
Dear friends, | do look at them, and
| don't like them. They remind me of
pork ! It's dreadful thought, know,
but can't help it. | suppose it betrays
some horrible cannibal pedigree, but |
never see one of these over-co ~pulent
babies without thinking how nice he
would be cooked AS for soul. |
should despair Of finding one in such
mass of avoirdupois.
You may think it is only nepotism
which makes me declare that Dots
baby, as baby, was absolutely perfect.
His exquisite limbs would have delight
ed a sculptor. Indeed, they were
modelled more than once, and we might
have had quite a museum OF casts, only
that Dot declared she wouldn't have
pieces of her baby lying round all over
the house.
The little fellow had name of his
own-a very pretty name, too-but he
was always spoken of as Dots Baby.
When he was three years old, went to
spend the winter with Dot.
ut is really time you were married,
Ruthy," said Dot. III have a forebod.
ing that you will be an old maid. | read
the other day that there were seventy
thousand more women than meE in
The papers didn't say
that the most of 'em live in the country
towns, but l know they do. You shall
stay mere this winter, Ruthy, and if
you don't get lover by spring, Harry
and will pay your fare to Colorado.
Only, you mustn't make love to Harry,
or seduce the baby's young affections"
This was the week before Christmas,
and our principal work just then was to
90 shopping for p esents. One day we
had been unusually busy, had lunched
down town, and didn't start for home
till the short winter afternoon was Just
closing in.
81 am wild to see the baby" said Dot,
as we crowded into the car, already
as cars are at the HOLIDAYS.
50 | always think when I'm going home,
What if anything has happened to
him?'"
What should happen to him ~
Dot knit her two aristocratic eyebrows
INTO frown.
Don't be a goose, dear, and pretend.
on know thousand things might
have happened to him. But | can't tell
the man to drive faster because I'm wor.
red about my baby, can ~
l smiled in my maiden superiority. l
believe said something about conceit-
ed Young women who fancy that their
oabys cradle is the axis of the planet.
Poor darling Dot! Why couldn't have
'oreseen the awful trouble that was to
,ome upon her?
We got home at last, and Dot ran up
he steps before me and rang the bell.
Mary, the second girl, opened the door,
smiled at first, glanced past us inquir.