The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-05-17

fortably seated in his big leather chair be-
fore a rather dim fire in the library, he was
again startled by an unusual sound. This
time 1T was not q pealing bell nor any
ghostly cali, but the unmistakable cry OF o
baby. And it did not come from any of the
houses across the way, where babies grew
and multiplied, but from some place very
near the amazed n mystified gentleman.
For an instant he listened incredulous,
then he sprung to his feet, frresolute; then,
as the cries grew louder, and evidently
came from the hall, he went quickly
thither. There could be no doubt of tia
baby was crying Justify in the old house
where no baby had been for thirty-f1ve
long years, ana Rand by instinct under
stood that language of imperative demand.
Hastily returning for a lamp, and looking
vaguely about the shadowy spaces, his eye
fell upon the forgotten basket.
A long, low whistle escaped him as he
gingerly lifted the noisy burden and de-
fire, Awkwardly throwing back the vari-
GUS wrappings which covered 1t, he came at
length face to face with his unlimited guest,
and it would be difficult to tell which of the
two regarded the other with the greatest
curiosity and wonder. Quite treasured by
the evidence that measures were being
taken for her relief, Miss Baby had ceased
her cries and lay calmly looking up at her
new-found friend with the brightest of blue
eyes. Presently there was a dimpling of
the round cheeks, upon which the tears
were not yet dry, and the rosy lips curved
into a confident smile as she stretched out
her arms with the mute invitation: "Take
me-"
But Rand was not yet prepared to extend
Inequalities SO far as that. He had never,
to his recollection, held a baby in his arms,
and knew about as much of their ways and
wants as he did of the habits of young
penguins.
Slowly the. bright expression faded; this
time the lips curved sorrowfully, and the
blue eyes were overf1owed again. And
very soon, finding that her neglectful at
tendant was not to. be moved by pathos,
the wee damsel brought temper to bear up
on the vexed question, and long and loud
were the screams, which at last aroused
beauty, and brought him to his feet.
Acting upon the principles of homeo-
pathy, in which he was a firm believer, he
seized the poker and tongs and beat a live
ly tattoo upon the coal-scuttle. This pro-
duced a temporary 1ull, but baby soon dis
covered that she was still upon her back,
and began again more Yehemently than
ever.
Then a bright idea occurred to him.
"The basket is too small" he reasoned,
with an air of conviction. N wonder the
child cries."
So he took hold of the BASKET and pro-
ceeded to roll Miss Baby out. 1t was not
until he succeeded and she lay, silent for
the moment with establishment at this new
experience, in a queerly tumbled heap upon
the floor, that he remembered how hard
and uncomfortable such a bed might be.
And the young lady herself seemed to
think of it at the same moment, Judging
from the decided way in which she gave
vent to her feelings. His next move was
to pick her up very hesitatingly and at
arms length and set her up in his arm
chair. But that being covered with very
smooth leather, and baby having no
strength to speak of in her back, she i'm
mediately slipped down and would prob
ably have prevented the finishing of this
narrative by the breaking of her neck if
Rand had not caught her just in time.
For a minute or two he held her by her
clothes and gazed ather helplessly over the
top of his gold-bowed s~pectacles. Could it
be possible that this kicking, squirming,
screaming, scarlet bit OF humanity was the
same innocent, lovely little creature who
had looked up at him so smilingly but a
short time before?
And, still more startling question, could
it be that he, a man in his prime, fairly
well endowed with good sense and ability,
was puzzled out of his wits to know what
to do with a specimen of flesh and blood
that he could crush with his hand? Rand
was fond of philosophizing in his own way
and the present problem seemed an inter-
Importance, too. But he soon decided that
it were wiser to discuss it at some future
time. The query of the m was
"How b I stop this Internal racket"
He dropped the baby, face downward, in
the basket, put his hands over his ears and
tried to think. Strange to say, it never &C.
CURED to him to rouse old Aunt Cleo. In
deed, nothing seemed to occur to him. He
sat in despair, half deafened by the still
continuing cries. Then he grew excited.
The Precipitation stood upon his forehead.
He pulled out his handkerchief to wipe
wipe away the drops.
"Eureka!" he cried, as a crumpled paper
fell to the floor, and he recognized it as an
advertisement a boy had handed him, which
he had read and mechanically placed in his
pocket. 1t was a notice of a lecture to be
given in a day or two for the benefit of a
new foundling's hospital about to be
erected, and upon it-happy c~hance-were
the names and addresses of some of the
prospective lady directors and physicians.
He looked them over in eager haste. Here
at last was a loophole of escape, and he
drew a long breath of relief as his eyes fell
upon the following:
miss BERTHA ADAMS, LAS Upper Duke
"Who would ever have believed such
good fortune could come from one of those
miserable houses" he said aloud, throwing
down the paper and picking up 'baby and
cradle and ALL" To decide was to act in
this case, and he was soon splashing his
way across the street in the darkness and
rain.
By the aid of a Pickering gaslight he
madeo out the right number, and gave q
vigorous pull at the door-beH. The sum.
mons was answered almost Immediately by
a gentleman in hat and ulster, followed by
a lady enveloped in rubber waterproof
with a veil tied closely over her hat. They
were evidently upon the point of leaving
the house as Rand assembled the steps.
81 WISH" he began, ''to see Miss Bertha
Adams, the lady who has-who is-who-
knows about babies"
The sentence was ended hurriedly, and il
annot be denied that the dignified repre-.
sentative of the ancient and honorable line
of Kennedy felt as guilty and confused as
he looked while making his errand known.
sternly, bending a keen gaze upon his
visitor and half shutting the door,.
This significant action aroused Rand
from his embarrassment, but before he
could explain farther, a series of mufied
| sobs and cries were heard from the depths
of the basket upon his arm. They increased
in volume with such rapidity that the lady
who had up to this time remained a quiet
looker-on, rushed forward, saying quickly;
"Where is it? Give it to me-"
Without a word, Rand deposited the
basket at her feet. He never forgot the
single upward glance of mingled indigna
ton and dismay which she gave him as she
pulled away the shawl and discovered the
poor, struggling, half-smothered child, fiat
upon its face. In another instant it was
lying in her arms and being soothed and
comforted in a way entirely acceptable tc
her small ladyship, and which seemed
nothing short of magic to its nurse of al
hour before. From very exhaustion the
child fell asleep, and then the gentleman
turned toward Rand as if for some farther
remarks on his part, and in a few words
the whole story was made known.
"HOw yerV u~nfOrIunate.O said Miss
Adams, for it was really she, when Rand
had finished, "that everything has JUS
been moved out of the house. Thelast load
has been gone but a few minutes and we
were leaving as you came"
And we shall miss the train if we wal
any longer" remarked her brother signifi
cantly, cycling the baby and Rand, too
with no favor. "Come, Bertha"
1--WE were going out of town, you see,'
she explained in a frank, straightforward
way. 81 am almost a stranger here, and
do not even know where my landlady ha.
moved to; and one couldn't take a baby
out in this storm. 1t is hard to decide JUS
what can be one with her.