Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-09-28
BABf'S GRANDMAMMA.

"No, sir" said DR.. Stone, emphatic
ally; mo widows. I've an unconquer
able aversion to them, and have followed
old Wellcr's advice to Samivel since my
earliest boyhood, and most carefully be-
wared of EN-. If ever l marry, the bride
must be a young girl; so young, In fact,
that can be almost sure-no one CAL
be qui,e sure OF anything where 6
woman is concerned-that am her first
aud only Don't screw up your face IN
that outrageous manner, Payne; you
look as though you were going to have
fit. Laugh and have done with it, and
then let's stop talking nonsense, for
haven't the slightest idea of marrying,
or falling in love, or anything of ths
sort"
.'No old bachelor ever has," said
Payne. ''But l say, Doc, If vert
You, I'd have neat little card dangling
from a button hole bouquet, with the i'll
saiption, No Widows, for, pom honor,
you're exactly the sort of chap well-to'
DO, pretty, susceptible widow would be
spoons on. Handsome, clever, and just
turned forty -
"Stutf!" growled the doctor. "What
a fool you are, Payne l. And then,
glancing from the Office window, he con,
tinued, as his friend, with mischievous
twinkle in his eyes, was about making
some further remarks: "And do bt
silent for a few moments, If such thing
he possible, for here comes young Phil
lips nursemaid, and in a hurry, too,
which is something remarkable for that
usually easy going and eminently gen
teel young persop. Well, my girl, as
she entered the Office, "what's the mat
ter ?"
"Ob, DOCTOR" she gasped, "baby s
took very sick, and we're awful scared,
and his mothers away, and won't be
home till night"
"Wouldn't be much good if she was, y
muttered the doctor; ga young bit of a
thing, looking like baby herself"
One of the kind man might be al,
most sure had never loved another
hey, Stone2" asked Payne.
But Stone vouchsafed him no reply.
"Who's with the child nowa" he in
Quired of the frightened girl.
"The seamstress, sir. We've sent
for his grandmamma, but we're afraid
she's away from home too, cause Mrs.
Philips scarcely every goes shoppln'
without her."
"Wen, run ahead; I'll be there in a
moment t"-struggling into his overcoat.
"And, Payne, take care of the office.
I won't be long. There's a new book on
surgery to amuse yourself with until |
come back. Capital article where the
leaf is turned down-s man blown al
most into pieces-hut find it for your
SELF"
"Thank you," said Payne; "but if
it's all the same to you, old fellow, /
prefer something not quite so anus,
ing"
When DR.. Stone arrived at the dwell
ing of the Philipses, the nursemaid in
formed him, as she opened the door,
that 1.-The baby had taken a turn for
the better, dear lamb, and had been
sleepin' peacefully for the last ten min
utes."
"1'll take look at the little fellow"
said the doctor, springing lightly up the
stairs and gently opening the door of
the nursery.
The baby lay in its crib fast asleep,
aud by its side, holding one tiny hand,
sat very pretty woman, who, at the
first glance, the doctor decided to be about
twenty-at the next, about twenty-five.
Her golden hair was knotted with artistic
carelessness at the back of her small,
shapely head, few pretty tendrll-like
curls escaping to lie like little sunbeams
ON her low broad brow. Her eyes were
large, soft. bright, dark brown, and
shaded b7 long silky lashes. Her nose,
slightly "tip-tilted," as Tennyson has
it, lent an archness to her face, which
otherwise, with such eyes and so rerfect
a mouth and chip, would Nave been
"faultily faultleSs" Her dress of some
lusterleSs gray stnff, with bright hlue
ribbon at the throat and soft lace ruffies
at the wrists, clupg close to beautiful
form and the hand that held the baby's
was small, snowy white, and daiHtily
shaped. All of which did the doctor
take in in three quick glances, after the
manner of his kind.
GA seamstress pa princess - was
the Judgment he pronounced mentally
as lie drew off his gloves, and, with un'
usual urbanity, proceeded to make some
professional inquiries about the child.
The seamstress answered in wonder
fully pleasant voice and in remarkably
we'll bred and self-possessed manner.
"Baby seems to be all right now," said
she, "hnt think you had better wait
a little while, doctor, for fear the spasms
might return.
iuc a.,ctDr seated hinsrli, not a. ~
uusIiIlugiy, it must be confessed, and