Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-09-14

that maternity babies are not sent
into the world ready furnished in that
particular. Somany of this ones griev-
ances seemed to be connected with the
getting them.
Mr.. Jay rested his arm on the window
ledge and looked down at Wills
cushion.
"Theodora, he said briefly.
"Theodora, echoed Will; sit sounds
quite impressive. Is it after any one you
know?"
"No-o," he answered slowly, and a
little unwillingly, it was because-it
means something, you know
A little silence fell upon us, and he
went back to the neighborhood of the
pine boards.
81 rather think, I" observed Will, med
itatively, after a long pause, that
Jay was originally intended for
a great man-it comes out in stray
things occasionally, but unfortunately
he has not the slightest capacity for
either looking or expressing the
character"
Early the next morning Git was Satur-
day. Mr. Jay came in. There was some
thing wrong with the baby. he thought
would come and look at her? She
was lying in her basket flushed and
heated, and when Mr.. Jay had reluctant
ly gone away to business l put blanket
over it and carried the whole concern
back with me. The morning wore on
and brought no change, and at noon we
sent for Mr.. Ford. His face grew
serious as he listened to her breathing.
''Keep her in one room and have
plenty of steam and hot water about;
there are symptoms of Group"
Our heart failed within us at the word.
Group was fell destroyer we had heard
of and read about in books, but we had
not counted upon finding it at our own
gates. Mr.. Ford gave us some further
directions, and went, pr )mising to look
In again in the course Of an hour or two.
Will, what are we to say to Mr..
Jay?" / cried, as the door closed upon
him.
SIT will be a case of doing, not say
ing, L fancy" he returned; 'though she
may be all right again by then--children
often are"
But she was not. Mr.. Jay came in
with the doctor about five, and there was
no need to tell him; he saw it for him.
self. DIR. Ford stayed little while,
then he told us he could do nothing fur
ther-it depended on the child's strength
and he left us to our vigil. 1t was the
first time we had ever seen q baby suffer.
Hour after hour the old church clock
down the street tolled out the long
night, while we watched the huttering
little life that had been SO bright and
vigorous only yesterday-only yester-
day, and it seemed almost a lifetime.
The fair spring morning was breaking
across the houses, when at last the
hoarse breathing grew soft, and the
tired baby's limbs relaxed into a quiet
sleep. Willis eyes were suspiciously
bright, and my tears fell like rain in the
blessed relief. Only Mr.. Jay stood over
her without word, and yet L think we
both felt that his silence was deeper
than our tears.
Theodore seemed the right name for
her atterward; we never gave her any
other.
That summer was very happy one to
him. The blossoming- time, we used to
say, of little Mr.. jays life; his treasure
HOurlshed like rose in June. She was
beginning to recognize him now, and
creep across the floor after him, baby
fashion. Midsummer day she had her
first pair of little blue shoes; Mr.. Jay
brought them back with him that even
ing, and proudly fitted them on. Will
laughed at their unserviceable appear
ance.
"She will cost you small fortune in
shoes alone, Jay, if you are going to
keep her in that sort of thing"
Mr.. Jay lift his radiant face from the
contemplation of them.
'tAh, if you had had only your own to
buy for as long as have, you would I'M
derstand the difference of these
Cali right; only there is such an in
stitution as the workhouse. She ought
to be running to meet you In them in a
few more monhts."
Mr.. Jay looked down at the tiny feet
in his hand.
81 don't know; if I could, I would
keep her always just as she is now-my
little Theodore. %
Yet there were not many days that he
NISe hOo OAAuS5 boCh SOulo dI
tlcle that would be of little use till she
had reached a far more advanced stage;
the extraordinary toys and books and
little garments that were laid up ready
for her at some distant day; the contrast
between the worn, middle aged face and
the bonnie golden head, Railways in such
close juxtaposltion-it is good many
summers ago now, but it comes back as
freshly as yesterday.
The first little cloud came with the
shortening days. It was an ADVERTISE
ment in one of the morning papers, that
Will suddenly read out one day at break
fast:
INFORMATION IS EARNESTLY REQUESTED
4 of the whereabouts of Jane Dawson, late of 81
Chamber Street. last the evening of the 10th
of October, having in charge a young baby five
months DID,.
A description of her dress and appear
ance followed.
He dropped the paper, and we locke d
at each other In sore dismay.
Oh, Will, [ hope MI. Jay has not
seen that, [ broke out.
''Jane Dawson'a friends should have
looked for her sooner if they wanted her
so earnestly' was his comment ssTt's