New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-19

uacuus 1DlHk VI Guo tcmpCotioue Va
metropolis. Look at the question well. an
| let me know speedily, for I've got him u
| far as thie place, and he's kicking up q
| awful row in the hotel yard, and rafting hi
| chain like maniac. Let me know by rele
| graph at once. SYLVESTER.
r S-Of course he's grown q little. an
| doesn't take things always as quietly as
did. He dropped rather heavily on two
Watson's ''purps' last week, and snatche
| old Watson himself bald-headed for intel
| fering. You remember Watson; for an IN
teiigent man, he knows very little OF Cal
| fornia fauna. How are you fixed tor bear
on Montgomery street, mean in regard i
corfals and things! ;:
p. D. Shes got some new tricks. Th
boys have been teaching him to put up hi
hands with them. He sings an ugly left.
S.
l am afraid that my desire to possess my
self of Baby overcalne all other consldera
tons, and l telegraphed an affirmative a
once to Sylvester. When l reached thu
lodgings late that afternoon my landlad.
was awaiting ne with telegram. 1t wa
two lines from Sylvester
"All right. Baby goes down on nigh
boat. BE father to bin. 81
It was due, then, at one o'clock tina
night. For a moment was staggered a
my own precipitation. / had as yet made
no preparations-had said nothing TO my
landlady about her new guest. l expected
to arrange everything in time, and now
through Sylvester's indecent haste, thai
time had been shortened twelve hours.
Something, however, must be done a,
once. l turned to Mrs. Brown. l had great
reliance in her maternal instincts; l hAd
that still greater reliance, common to oul
sex, in the general Observation-Disclosures Of
pretty women. But confess was alarmed
Yet, with feeble smile, tried to introduce
the subject with classical ease and light
ness. even SAID, eff Shakespeare Atheni
an clown, Mrs. Brown, believed that lion
among ladies was dreadful thing, what
must" But here broke down, for Mrs
Brown, with the awful intuition Of her sex,
l saw at once was more occupied with nv
manner than my speech. So / tried bust.
ness brusquerie, and, placing the telegram
in her hand, said hurriedly, 1--WE must do
something about this at once. It's perfectly
absurd; tut he will be here tonight. Beg
thousand pardons, but business prevented
my speaking before" and paused, out of
breath and courage.
Mrs Brown read the telegram gra vely,
lifted her pretty eyebrows, turned the pa
per over and looked on the other side, and
then, in a remote and chilling voice, asked
me if she understood me to Say that the
WOIner wac coming also.
80, dear, no." exclaimed with consider
able relief; 1.-THE mother is dead, you know.
Sylvester-that is my friend, who sent this
shot her when the baby Was only three
days old -" Bet the expression of Mrs.
Browns face at this moment was so alarm
ing that saw that nothing but the fullest
explanation would save me. Hastily, and
l fear not very coherently, told her all.
She relaxed sweerly. She said l had
frightened her with my talk about lions. In
deed. l think my picture of poor baby
albeit tri1e highly colored-touched her
motherly heart. She was even a little
vexed at what she called Sylvester's "hard-
heartedness." Still, ! was not without some
had seen him, and Sylvester's vague allu-
sion to his 'slinging an ugly left" panied
me. l looked at sympathetic little. Mrs.
Brown. and the thought of Watson's pups
covered NE with guilty confusion.
Mrs. Brown had agreed TO sit up with me
until he arrived. One O'clock came, but 10
Baby. Two o'clock-three o'clock-passed.
Ii was almost four when there was a wild
clatter of horses hOOfs outside. and with q
jerk wagon stopped ut the door. In an
instant had opened it and confronted
stranger. Almost at the same moment, the
horses attempted to run away with the
wagon.
Tie strangers appearance was 70 say the
least. disconcerting. His clothes were bad.
y torn and frayed; his linen sack hung
from his shoulders like herald's apron:
one Of his hands was bandaged, his face
scratched, and there was no hat on his
lisheveled head. To add to the general
Effect, he had evidently sought relief from
MS woes in drink, and he swayed from side
10 side as he chung to the door handle, and,
n very thick voice, stated that he had
'suthin" for me outside. When he had
inished. the horses made another plunge.
Mrs. Brown thought they must be fright
,ned at something.
"Frightened.' laughed the stranger, with
bitter irony. 'Oh NO! Hossish amt fright
med! On'y ran away four timesh comm
,ere. Oh no. Nobody's frightened. Every
hin's all ri. Amt it. Bill!" ne said, ad-
lressing the driver. "On'y been overheard
wish; knocked down a hatchway once.
rhash nOthln! On'y two men unner the
loctor's hans at Stockton. Thash nothin'!
Xix hummer doilarsh cover all dammish."
l was TOO much dishearteDed to reply,
tut moved toward the wagon. The stranger
yed me with an astOnishment that almost
obered him.
do you reckon to tackle that animile
ourself!" he asked, as he surveyed me
rom head to foot.
l did not speak, but with an appearance
f boldness was far from feeling, walked
o the wagon and called, "Baby!'
"All ri. Cash loose them straps, Bill,
nd stan clear"
The straps were cut loose, and Baby
he remorseless, the terrible-Guietly tum.
led to the ground, and, rolling to my side,
ubbed his foolish head against me.
| think the astonishment Of the two men
hlv al
word the drunken stranger got into the
-agon and drove away.
And Baby! He had grown, it is true. a |
rife larger, but ne was THU, and bore the |
larks Of evident ill,usage. His beautiful |
Dat was matted and unkempt, and his |
Iaws-those bright steel hooks-had been |
lthlessly pared to the quick. His eyes |
ere turtive and restless, and the old ex-
ression of stupid good humOr had changed |
, one OF intelligent distrust. His inter
purse with mankind had evidently quick
ned his intellect without broadening his
Oral nature.
had great difficulty in keeping Mrs.
rown from smothering him in blankets
I'D running his digestion with the delica-
es of her larder; but | at last got him
,mpletely rolled up in the corner Of my
'om and asleep. l lay awake some time |
ter with plans for his future. / finally |
etermined to take him to Oakland, where
had built a little cottage and always
,ent my Sundays, the very next day. And,
the midst of a rosy picture of domestic
licity. fell asleep.
When l swoke it was broad day. NV
7es at once sought the corner where Baby
i'd been lying. But he was gone. 1
rang from the bed, looked under it,
arched the closet, but in vain. The door
as still locked; but there were the marks
his blunted claws upon the sill of the
indow, that had forgotten to close. He
I'd evidently escaped that way-but wherel
he window opened upon the balcony, to
hich the only other entrance vas through
e hall. He must be still in the house.
My hand was already upon the bell-rope,
1t stayed it in time. 1t he had not made