The Newtown bee., 1879-05-20

| I.Y haveS Constitutions horror of babies lhnurses, and after had whistled to the Iconscious infant, and remarked that it l $ remarkably handsome sbild, was l " glad to avail myself of some very press business, and betake myself with my Hmanteau to region beyond the perfume l eatnip. I remained absent about week, 1 alen my return I was greeted at the door bRichard, who had, evidently, some very | iportant news to communicate. | ha terrible time as we have had" h,aid Nurse Jorkins has beentaken ill
 wh the rheumatism and obliged to go | hhe, and it was only by the most fortunate k chce that we procured person to supply | h place-a widow lady-who, although | icnpetent, is not accustomed to such pition, and who really is the most oblig- fl and attentive creature-but, do come al see Nellie."
 Thus rattling on, out of breath, and inn ptant in his new position, Richard hurried mlup to NelIie's room, where, after kissing mniece, iounced the baby up and down liE a potion to be we'll shaken before takn. and returned 1t safe and sound, to mI great satisfaction and astonishment, afr agreeing to its strong resemblance to Rshard, whom I inwardly held to be mch better looking.
 E The pretty figure of the nurse was bend ite over some aannels by the fire, and in reDly to Richards introduction she merely tuned and bowed, and almost instantly re- xtmed her occupation. My eyes rested on 5her neat figure and fingered there, and, strange vs,sssya., s---.-l r,rraclf thinking of h1,,.E aft1r We had left the room and were al sa,,i,er together. I am ashamed at my age to tell of such folly, but it is true that the Iext day Icaught myself making an elabo- late toilette, brushing my whiskers carefully before the glass ere entered Nellie's room. Who was | dressing for? Not for Richard, pr fer Nellie; they were used to seeing me In my morning gown and slippers. "1t must be for the baby" I said ives, Pm afraid of alarming the precious infant md then I remembered the pretty figure ind blushed crimson to the roots of my gray hair, as we'll I might.
 Mrs. Blair bore acquaintance we'll. She was no longer young, 1t is true, but she was still pretty, and certainly had mind. At first she would not talk to me, but ere long we grew quite sociable, and as the baby grew older we were often left tete-d-tete over Hits cradle, while Nellie was out in the little Gcarriage with Richard. These quiet hours grew very agreeable to me, and In a little lwhile strange fancies stole into my brain and began to imagine that if Edith and had been married we might have sat to- sether over the cradle of some favorite grandchild, as Mrs. Blair and l sat by Nel laie's baby. I reasoned with myself in the silence of my study; called myself al ii's old fool," but without avail; I began tc lrealize that as in love with Mrs. Blair II who had vowed eternaly constanc tt Edith Lee; II who had made Richard my heir, and never intended to marry; l wht was fifty years old, and considered myself ]; man of sense; was absolutely ashamed o myself, and almost hoped that I should awake, and discover that had been dream ing. In love or not in love, determined not to make an idiot of myself by propos ing and being refused, as I was sure should be, and yet the idea of a stout olt bachelor " letting concealment, like worn in the bud, prey on his damask cheek wa
 utterly absurd. Not so absurd, however, a the fact that he should start and turn pal when it was announced one morning tha nurse was gong away that afternoon. No so nonsensical as that he should wonde how he could live without those tete-a-tete oyer baby's cradle.
 Yes, Mrs. Blair was going. Her trunk
 were in the hall, her bandbox on tn 1 trunks, and she, already attired in her tray cling dress, was singing to her infant charg l for the last time. I wondered whether sh
 was happy, but dared not trust mysel to go and see. The time wore on, and tn l at the door, yet still sat in my old study
 with my face hidden in my hands, repeat l ing, over and over again, :" At your az,
 Edward Weldon, at your age, nonsense l A rap at the door aroused me. I called
 "Come in;'' and it softly opened, admittin l
 veil. She did not raise her veil, but hel
 out her hand and said:
 {" Goodbye, MT. Weldon"
 I took it, and those little gray glove
 fingers sent thrill through my whol
 frame, but had determined not to make
 fool of myself, and only said, Good-bf
 Mrs. Blair, I wish you very pleasar
 journey
 Yet, somehow, when had said it, it ";
 hard to let her hand loose, and harder sti
 to see her turn slowly and sadly towaI
 the door.
 Did she reciprocate my feeling? If
 thought that would be foolish, and hapI
 could it be.
 ] Mrs. Blair,n I said, swill you stop ! moment ?"