Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-02-02

A German Prize story.

heturnlng from business trip, L entered
my wife's boudOir and found her kneeling be-
fore low chair, on which sat a boy baby with
large, round, wondering eyes She got up
and came rustling in her silken role de clam-
Jre to me. She reached out her hand and
greeted me, not more heartily nor yet more
formally than we were accustomed to greet
each other in those days.
There it is, said my wife, pointing to the
child
"Whst p asked l.
She stopped down before the little stranger,
held a biscuit to its upturned face, and, half
turning toward me, replied
'Wel, you know-did we not read of it in
the newspaper Don't you remember-the
day before yesterday? And is it not beauti-
ful2"
Now did recollect that few nights be-
fore she held the Gazette under the light of
my student lamp, and, pointing with her fin
ger to an advertisement, said to me:
"Please read that"
1t was the well-known appeal, the cry of
despair from bleeding heart, addressed to
good people" A child was offered for
adoption, to persons well OF.
"What would you think of our taking it p
my wife had said and had returned the pa
per to her with a shrug of my shoulders.
But, Martha, what have you done 2"
NlAIN AAC"s III tOho NlbAaNAuB WIN anger.
Have you really"
Certainly, as you see and thus it really
belongs to me. myself have settled every
thing with the poor mother, who is really to
be pitied. l have sworn to take good care of
it and SO l will indeed"
She took the little head, with its blonde sillr
curls between her white hands, and fondlet
and caressed it.
''Is it not SO, little one-you will be loved =
she cried
But the somewhat sickly and delicate little
face showed no signs of understanding, ex-
cept that out of that heart. shaped little mouth
came one of those signs that sound so strange
ly from children.
at once gave up all serious objection. Had
we not been accustomed for years 20 act in
dependently Of each other2 We had not
married for love, and our marriage wac not a
very happy one. During the noise and bus
tie of the crowded Exchange our fathers had
contracted this union. She had to tear her
heart from beloved one, and in mine had
| glowed passion not yet outspoken. But
parental wishes conquered We chose to be
obedient children, and 80 it came about that
| We were married.
At the commencement we were to each 9TH
er a silent reproach; afterwards came de
clared war; and finally we had settled down
to polite but gloomy peace.
To be sure, she was beautiful-she was good
and bright aud sparkling others called her
an angel. And /? Well, l believe l was no
monster, either. The analysis showed the
! brightest colors still, the sun was missing.
We were six years married, and had no chill
dren. Perhaps, had Heaven sent US them
Well, this child belonged entirely to her. l
heard later that she had given one thousand
thalers, the price of set Of jewels which she
had sold secretly.
"Why did you not tell me of it ?" 1 said,
half angrily.
Because it would have been too late if
had awaited your return from the city and
besides wanted to have it entirely for my
self-I want to call it my own, " she said, pout
ingly.
My horses, my dogs; her canares, her gold
fishes-I could endure that. But that she
wanted to have the child for herself alone
that was too much for me. The thought oi
it tortured me one -two-long days. On the
third day, when my wife had gone out in hel
carriage, there came yelled woman and de-
manded entrance 1t was the mother. Like
a shadow she glded in, and with half sthed
sob begged to see the child once more. She
could not part with him forever without i'm
printing one more kiss upon his cheeks.
opened my safe quickly.
Here, my good woman" said l, "takt
that "they have not given you enough"
Tears ran down her wan cheeks she begged
me not to judge her too harshly She haC
another child, a cripple and helpless; sh'
herself was sick and would not live very long
Then she thought l myself had to inisl
the sentence, which a violent fit of coughing
interrupted. She had thought II will sci
the healthy one in order that the money ma.
help the cripple when 1 am dead and gone"
No, she must not be judged harshlyi W
rich ones know but little of the temptation
and trials of the poor.
When my wife returned, gave her an &C
count of the call had had, adding that hal
given the unfortunate woman exactly the sam
amount that she had.
"And now" said l, ''you must see that tn
child belongs to both of us"
She bit her lips with her little white teeth.
at is all the same to me-, she said, after
moments reflection and with that she press
ed tender kiss ON the little boys mouth.
sounded almost like a challenge.
Our child l scarcely ever saw it, and tn
changes that were made in our household fc
his sake were made entirely without consult
ing me. Sometimes, after the most impol
tant things were decided, my consent wa
asked 1--WE are obliged to have nurse;
have hired one, Anselm." nodded silently
"We must fit up nursery that room is to
warm for the child" nodded again but
heard the sound of the carpenters already
work in the hall. What could l do better
Was it not all done for our child?'
My wife and did not talk much about th
child, and when we did mention it we use
Q only the name "It" But this 1T could
heard through the house at almost any tin
= of day.
"Hush not SO much noise it sleeps
+ must have its dinner! 1t should be taken o'
j. for drive 1t has hurt itself"
- Thus the whole house began to turn arouI
j. our 'It." The nameless neuter yexed me.
!" "It must have name," finally said OF
9 day.
! II entirely forgot TO ask the mother
3 mean the woman-whether it had name
g answered my wife. "She intended to con
again but she does not coIne-perhaps 81
is ill., Now, call it Max Max is prett
y short name, is it not 7"
o Him" returned l, between two pufs fro
n my cigar. Fritz would also be quite pret
name"