The Press., 1884-11-27
THEsSWRONGslBABY.

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 Ever sincesittle Charlie Ross had been taken from home and friends and never heard of more, Mamma Weston had wor- ried lest sher three-y year-old Margaret should be stolen by some designing Fer son. But Mr. Weston had always laugh ingly secuted the idea He was prosper ous merchant in small manufacturing town, comfortably well-to-do, stlf he told his wife their means were too small to at tract any such schemers.
 "Now, he would say, there would be much more likelihood of such thing be- ing tried with our neighbor in the grand house across the way, who is so well known as the wealthy manufacturer, MT. Western"
 But Mrs. Weston would sigh and look uhconvinced, and Tom would say that he "didn't care what happened to MT. Wes- tern," who was extremely unpopular. Tom often thought of the time when. after puzzling over the similarity in the sound of their names, he had ventured to ques- tion MT. Westerni in regard to 1t. The gruff answers which he had received had caused him to thank his stars that the diff ference in spelling precluded all possibili- ty of their relationship. M na
 "Baby Weston"-as she was always called, the name of Margaret seeming too l stately for such mite-with her golden curls and dainty dresses was the pet of the neighborhood. And perhaps she was held nearer to the mothers heart from the fact that she seemed sent to take the place of another little girl, summoned early to Heaven. Now there were only she and Tom left; and he, a lad of twelve, was of- ten charged to watch over her closely. 1 But Tom was very unreliable ctionate, but careless and impulsive. He rarely heard anything which was said to him, un- less 1t was permission to go fishing or swimming or, if he did hear, it made lit 1 tie difference, as 1t was soon forgotten-his mind being so fuHy'occupied with plans of one kind or another.
 One afternoon Tom went to harness the family horse, having to go down town on some errands, and took little Margaret to the stable with him, as he often did. She climbed into the carriage to ride around to the front gate, but, talking busily, he ''never thought to put her out at the usual place and drdve on and turned the corner, few rods away, before he sudden ly recollected one of his mothers many in | functions. Ahead of him he saw school. mate whom he wished to interview on the subject of "nutting," so he stopped, and, with one eye on his friend, tried to induce 1 the little one to run back alone. In the midst of the argument young gentleman driving up the street stopped beside him and in 8 kindly tone asked:
 "Whose little girl is this ?''
 "Mr. Weston's, sir. She got into the carriage at the stable, but I don't dare take her down town"
 ''Does she live just around the corner to the right?"
 ssYes, sir second house. < Are'lyou go ing that way p
 s'I was, and can take her if you'd like
 "Thank you, she knows the house, " anc the child was transferred and Tom rode on, rejoicing in having saved few min utes' time-so precious to. boys with i'm portant business on hand.
 Insthe meantime Mrs. Weston saw tha \ Tom had forgotten to leave little Margaret and sighed as she thought of his needless ness, for she had always been so afraid O accidents. But Tom could never be con vinced of anything unforeseen happening with staid old Nell in the shafts, until ht had had a practical illustration not long before in front of their own door, lad, and two little children havingIbeen throw1 from their carriage by collisionswith run away team. Since then he had seemed more thoughtful, until to-day.
 The. .iafternoon wore away without an, sign of theJchildren's return, and it wa lnearly dusk when she saw the well-know1 I horse coming into the yard. But Ton was alone, and his face grew pale as sh asked for .her baby. He told his story and #
 "Oh, Tom," exclaimed his mother I"Did you trust her to stranger ?''
 .But he had such pleasant face, .sI pleaded Tom.
 .And has stolen my baby, said tn mother.
 The father was summoned, the aid { the small police force of the town invoked and telegrams went flashing over tn horse driven by the stranger had been ser fair haired little girl with gentleman sh called ssuncle'' had taken the train fro1 , thence to a large junction few miles dis tant, where all traces had been lost. An now nothing could be done but await d. velopments.
 "Oh, John, said. the distracted mother throwing herself into her husbands arms tsAgrees to whatever terms they dictate Let every thing go to get her back again. She could not keep still ; only tn knowledge. that here lat home would sh ss get the first news of her child kept he from roamingssthe streets during that neve , to be forgotten night and day in val search for some clue.
 eff but knewswhere she was, in who's hands," she would exclaim, ssbut this
 worse than death. When Jennie went
 knew that loving arms surely enfolde her."
 Poor, miserable Tom could not leay E. her, but followed wherever she went
 her wild wanderings from room to room
 At times she would turn upon him wit fierce upbraidingsyy which he bore in mee
 silence or answered by burst of tear
 But she did not cry, and, as the day dre
 near its close, the lines on her face dee] . ened and it grew grayer in its agony, whi
 the wild look in her eyes was intensified
 and all saw thata break must come soon.
 The town and country for miles aroun
 was stirred up by the tale of the. abdu Etion. Farmer Jones shook his head ovt
 the reports of the strangers gentleman
 appearance.
 ssLooks is deceitful," said he, 'san - beauty only skin deep. That scoundr E. who swindled me out of forty dollars Id Chicago last fall, was as spry looki1 feller as I ever see in my life. 7 i'd At ten o'clock at night stir and bust d outside of the house betokened some new
 then a childish voice from the porch calle le mamma" :" and the next minute Bal