Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-03-06

Harry, I find am obliged 40 go out
on an errand. Won't you watch baby
for little while? He is asleep, and
will only need little jog of his cradle
now and then"
Harrison readily promised. and drew
his chair near Charley's cradle, resum-
ing his book. Mrs. Sallie went straight
way down to her husbands Office, and
coDfided her plans to him; whereupOn
he wickedly conspired with her to set a
still stronger trap for Harrison's unwa
ry feet. s5 4.l ... .Tf..-
Thereupon, the office boy was dis.
patched to the house with note, tell
Ing Harry that George and Sallie were
detained awhile on business, but Laura
will soon be in, and would he ask her
to have the kindness to give himself
and Charley bit of supper (she would
find all things ready in the pantry and
take care of them until they could get
home.
Mr.. Harrison was disposed to grum
BILE at this news. and wondered what
the business could be which would keep
| Sallie, ,ltoo. Butrthere was no help fnI
it; and Charley's V,ce from the cradle
recalled him directly TO his share of the
duties, so he went Obediently in the sit
ting room.
The little chap had walked in good
humor, and Harrison deemed it policy
to keep him so. He sat down upon the
floor and gave him Sallie's photograph
album to play with. When he got tired
OF that he was supplied with q pin
cushion full of pins, and the scissors -
Luckily he did not kill himself with
these, and Mr. Harrison next presented
him with Sallie's best bottle of cologne.
This Kept MIN quiet few minutes
Then he began to fret. and though Har
rison offered him every available ard
Gle in The room, he would have none of
them. 3Je
well. 1 can't think of anything else
to please you, except the oil laml or the
hatchet." cried Harry as he began to
walk up and down the floor " ith his
troublesome charge. II do wish Miss
Wilson would come. since your mother
won't. I'm sure I don't know what to
do with you I"
But Chsrley was tired and hungry,
ana began to squail most unmelodiOus-
ly, aud the more his distressed uncle
tried to soothe him, the harder he
squalled.
Nv hat on earth is fellow to do with
you" cried poor Harry. in utter de-
spair.
"What do young ones eat, anyhow :?
Bread aud milk? Maybe he's hungry.
Let's go down stairs and see what we
can find | wish to the Lord Laura
would comet"
| Down stairs they went, but milk they
could not find, and Charley would not
eat without it. AT last unable to please
the child with anything, the disgusted
bachelor took the sugar bowl and sat
down to feed the child the sugar, keep
ing up q relentless trot, trot, trot, by
way of helping the sugar go down.
"There eat, if it kills you !" he cried,
dabbing a spoonful into the baby's
mouth Good Lord talk about wo
men going off to vote and speecnify and
look what a hullaballoO it kicks up
when one of them goes out for an hour
There! eat, you little imp. l do wish
to gracious Laura Wilson would come"
Immediate upon the invocation,
Laura appeared in the dining room
with comical smile on her pretty face
at our hero's undignified position. Har-
ry dropped the sugar bowl, and nearly
dropped the baby. as he arose and awk~
wardly tried to explain the situation.
"That's pity But they'll come as
soon as they can, no doubt. And now
Pm here we shall do very WE'LL" said
Miss Laura "Let me take Charley.
Come, baby. come"
She held out her pretty hands, and
| Char ey who was very fond of her,
sprang TO them with a crow of delight,
codded down on her soft shoulder at
once. She knew where the milk was,
and under her directions, Mr. Harrison
brought cup of it, and then watched
her with admiring eyes as she fed the
hunsry child so daintily.
"Now we will go upstairs, and he'll
go right to sleep. You see, l know his
regular habits, which makes differ
eDce," she said, with a smile at Harry,
which made his face flush unaccOuuta
bly,.
In few moments Laura had Charley
fast asleep, and in few more Mr.. Har-
ris0n was seated at cosy supper able.
while she poured his tea. He thought
he should object to just such an arrange
ment in general. and there was a little
flutter of barrassment obout Laura
which made her exceedingly charming
| After supper Harrison returned 10 the
sitting-room, where Laura soon Joined
him. He watched her as she sat beside
the lamp with some pretty, light work,
and, before long, the sweet home pic
ture stirred his heart so deeply that he
took a strong resolution to secure it for
| his own.
"Wby don't George and Sallie come p"
be said, by way of beginning conver-
satiOn.
II hope nothing alarming detains
them," said Laura.
II hope not I'd go down and see,
but don't like leaving you alone"
Y 3 II r oh 90 hr tn11
afraid"
mo. I don't like. They will surely
come soon. anyhow My gracious, Miss
Laura, was having an awful time
when you came"
so precei ed" said Laura, laugh
ing little at the recollection of the
funny figure be cut Pm sorry 1 did
not hasten home sooner. | would have
done so if had known you needed
me-"
II wonder if don't need you always
Will you come as readily if I do? said
Harry, suddenly.
| Laura looked up in surprise, and her
sweet face flushed deeply Harry rose
Instan ly crossed over, and stood close
to her, saying, graveIy:
II am in dead earnest, dear Laura.
want to spend all the rest of my life
with you. May y"
But you have known me such little
while," said Laura, bending closer over
her work.
"Long enough to learn to love you,
though think 1 learned that the first
day." ..t...
mo surer than think ?" asked Laura,
half looking up with a blush and an
arch glance.
Eyes, a thousand times surer !" cried
Harry, ardenlly ID ropping on one knee
beside her. II know 1 did! Will you
have me, Laura?"
dare say Laura answered "Yes," T"
though Harry's shoulder hid her face so
completely that nobody could have
heard but himself, and can only guess
at her answer; for when George and
Sallie came in little later. they sur
prised q most interesting tableau, and
one which delighted them, for it proved
that their little scheme had not failed,
and WINGED thpu that HArrisOn