Little Falls transcript., 1885-01-30
HOW hlR. NICHOLSON MISLAID BABY,
CHAPTER /.

! Mrs. Nicholson was standing in du
bious attitude, with the study doc
half open, and her eyes turning from
the quiet figure in the armchair by th'
table to another open door in the pas
sage behind her, through which sin
could see food of sunshine and in tht
sunshine cradle.
II don't feel quite easy" she said; I"
am SO afraid she should cry and no on
hear her. I wish I had not let nurse e.
out; but all you have to do," coming
into the room and speaking impressive
ly, "all you have to do is to ring tn
bell violently violently, remember--fo
cook. For Heavens sake, John," lean
ing on the tablo and stretching out
pretty hand to attract her husbands at
tention, "look mp, or speak, or answer
me, or you will drive me mad!"
"What is it all about, Agatha?'
The calm, placid, Intelligent face oppo
site was lifted gently, and the thin fin
ger was slipped on to the page to marl
pause.
ut is baby, Joh1," said Mrs. Nichol.
son, in a falterng voice, and with idle
angry tears rolling down her cheeks,
"Here have l, for the last ten minutes,
been begging and i,nplori1g Of you tc
remember baby; not to nurse her,
wouldn't trust you, but only to ring the
bell if she cries"
"Does that stop her? It seems SIM
pie enough. I think even l can dc
that"
But Mrs. Nicholson shook her head,
still weeping. =
"You may laugh ut me or sneer if You
like. If it were my own baby would
say nothing, I would bear it all; but
Emmy'sT
With a patient sigh the gentleman at
the writing table pushed the book away
and lost his place He looked at her in a
bewildered way.
"What is it, Agatha! q baby! O, En-
mys baby, of course"
~AH't uOU Out-H't11, Oue-nuuui6ttGil
part ,one t|lousandtl part, as valuable in
your eyes," broke in Agatha. with i'm
petuosity," as the smallest, the most
unknown, the most undiscovered star
Yau need not tell me; l know it,"
"Of course" fr)wning gently, "every
one knows that a star however small
stars are not famous according to their
size, my dear, is of infinitely more valre
than one hair of a baby's head. I meal"
-hastily--''speaking from the entirely
scientific point OF view but as you were
saying-you were saying, were you 20" "
"A little doubtfully-" something about
that unfortunate babe of Emmys?"
Mrs. Nicholson had dried her eyes,
and was confronting ilim in all the cool
splendor Of her pretty Summer dress,
and with all the calm determination Of
woman who has made up her mind.
Eyes, I was, she said; "only, orce for
leave your house 1T once and never,
never come back; and if you call it un~
fortunate shall take that hateful man-
uscript with me and burn it at the
kitchen fire. If it were yours with
impassioned irony---''it it might indeed be
described as unfortunate; but Charles
is the best of fathers, and he has always
been the best Of husbands"
eyes, yes, of course, my dear. I
said nothing against Charles, I did not
know we were talking about him. We
can finish him up Tonight" cheerfully.
If that is all You had better go out
now, while it is fina," turning lis eyes
to the dazzling sunlight for an instant
and then back to his blotted page.
OH can tell mo about Charles, you
know. when you come in. The best of
husbands! I don't know much about
them, I fear, but know little about
the best of wives"
He rose and laid his hand on the long
slender, soft gray glove that was lean
ing with determination on his neat
manuscript. The gray glove closed
round his hand gently and clung to
him, almost as il it were 10th to leave
the thin worn fingers; but he patted it
gently and laid it aside. Mrs. Nichol.
son gave faint sigh, but when she
spoke again she spoke with less decis-
ion and more pleading.
ut is not Charles, indeed it is not it
is the baby. Nurse has gone out, and +
have put her cradle in the morning
room by the window. "John," sud
denly, "are you listening? What did I
say last?"
"The morning room, Agatha"
"Well," with sigh of relief, II see
you are taking it IN and forgetting
those horrible stars; and how you can
compare star to a baby" parentheti
cally sis past me-
"I am sure I never did," be said gen.
tly.
"Well, don't interrupt me, John, or I
shall never get out. What was I say
ing? Oh, baby is in the morning
room, and if she cries-makes one
sound-you are to ring your bell-this
bell, John--for cook; do you under
stand?"
eyes, I believe so. I am to ring the
bell-this bell--for cook"
"Oh, I hope you will, after pause.
Fancy" her eyes filling with tears
again, IF she cried, and no one heard
her! 0 John, you will not deceive me?
You will try--ard-ring?"
"My DEAR" speaking with some dig
nifty, "surely I am not utterly destitute
Of common humanity or common sense.
I have interesting work here" pointing
to the manuscript and the books of ref
erencs heaped around him; 'but I sup.
pose, after all, I am human"
20, I hope so, / think so, cried Aga
tha, clasplng her hands; s'only you
might not hear her, that was all I
meant" go X. 1
''Then I Think he said, with gen