Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-01-17
Mr.. Nioholson's Baby.
London Society.
II cOG4GLJ.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER 7.
Mrs. Nicholson was standing in a du-
biOus attitude, with the study door half
open, and her eyes turning from the quiet
figure in the armchair by the table to
another open door in the passage behind
her, through which she could see a food
of sunshine, and in the sunshine a
cradle.
81 don't feel quite easy" she said; 81
am so afraid she should cry and no one
hear her. I wish I had not let nurse 90
OUT but all you have to do" coming into
the room and speaking impressively, call
you have to do Is to ring the bell ViO-
lently-viOlently, remember-for cook.
For heavens sake, John" leaning on the
table and stretching out pretty hand to
attract her husbands attention, look up,
or speak, or answer me, or you Will drive
me madp
"What is it all about, Agatha?" The
calm, placid, intelligent face opposite
was lifted gently, and the thin finger
was slipped on to the page to mark a
pause.
cit is baby, John, said Mrs. Nicholson
In faltering voice, and with idle, angry
tears flowing down her cheeks. Here
have /, for the last ten minutes, been
begging and imploring of you to remem-
Der baby; not TO nurse her. L wouldn't
trust you, but only to ring the bell if she
cries"
'Does that stop her? It seems simple
enough. think even can do that"
But Mrs. Nicholson shook her head,
still weeping.
''You may laugh at me or sheer If you
like. If.it were my own baby I would
say nothing; l would bear it all; but
Emmy's"
With patient sigh the gentleman at
the writing table pushed the book away
and lost his place. He looked at her il
a bewildered way.
What is it, Agatha, baby? 0, En-
my's baby, Of course"
'And not one-half, one-hundredth
part, One-thOusandth part, as valuable in
your eyes," broke in Agatha, with i'm
petuOusity, "as the smallest, the most
unknown, the most undiscovered stan!
y on need not tell me; 1 know it.
''Of course" frOwning gently, "eVery
one knows that a star, however small
stars are not famous according to their
size, my dear-is of infinitely more value
than one hair of a baby's head. I mean"
hastily speaking from the entirely
scientific point of view; but as you were
saylng-you were saying, were you not
Ia little dOubtfully-"s something about
that unfortunate babe of Emmy's?"
Mrs. Nicholson had dried her eyes
and was confronting him IN all the cool
splendOr Of her pretty summer dress, and
with all the calm determination of a
woman who has made up her mind.
Yes, 1 was" she said; only, once for
all, John, if you call it a babe 1t Will leave
your house at once and never, never
come back; and if you call it unfortunate
shall take that hateful manuscript with
me and burn it at the kitchen fire. If it
were yOurs'-With impassiOned irony
f'it might indeed be described as IN
fortunate; but Charles is the best of
fathers, and he has always been the best
of husbands"
'sYes, yes; of course, my dear. said
nothing against Charles; 1 did not know
we were talking about him. We can
finish him up tonight" cheerfully. "It
that is all. you had better 90 out now
while it is fine, turning his eyes to the
dazzling sunshine Tor an instant and
then back to his blOtted page. Y on can
tell me about Charles, you know, when
Won come in. The best of husbands
don't know much about them, fear, but
4 know a little about the best of wives