The Penn's Grove record., 1885-02-07

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thought it was my duty to let you know
about her and your grandson
"'I suppose Mr.. Bayley told you to
send that message p
mo, sir, he did not nor did any
body else. A woman-and | lad stress
on the word, for / was not so sure about
a man-'when she has lived to my time
of life, does not need anybody to tell
her t do her duty
"'Does Mrs. Bayley know you sentp'
Nobody knows, sir, but you
me. But III tell you how 1t Is. Thougp
l have let my apartments for TWENTY
three years, | never had to do with
kinder and nicer people than Mr.. and
Mrs. Bayley, and / could not bear to
see her fretting about your unklndness.
1t has done her no good, either, TO tret
as she has done. Only the other day
Doctor Stockson said to me, Mrs.
Robinson he said, ''our patient ought
to get up her strength quicker than she
does. l am afraid that she is troubling
herself about something knew that
she was unhappy about you, and so /
sent you the message
81 saw he was listening as / like to
be listened to so l went on and told
him that, though Mr.. Bayley was
mostly busy with his books or his writ
ing, any n with half an eye could see
that his first thought was for his wife
and we'll it may be, l said, for a nicer
or p%rettier young lady | never sawP
II remember thinking that she must
have taken after her mother, for Mr..
Conder's looks were nothing to boast of.
"'Where is MI. Bayley ?" he asked.
"'I persuaded him to go for a walk,
sir for ne has scarcely left the house
since baby came, and, TO tell the truth,
1 wanted him out of the way when you
arrived
"'And where is sheP ?
"'Bless your ignorance, sirP l ex-
GRANDDAUGHTER was of course wrong OF
me, as ignorance never does want bles.
sing, but the remark was forced out of
me by such a silly question. Did he
think that she was out walking? | won
dered. why, she is in her bedroom.
of course, sir, with the infant on her
lap, unless he is in Betsy James armsl'
"'Who has nursed her ?
"'Oh, we have done it amongst us i
/ replied, for it did not become me TO
mention the share | had taken.
"'I will go up and see her. he said,
after a pause.
Zone word first, if you please, sir,
or | shall have Doctor Stockton blam-
ing me. Are you going up to that
room in a good spirit, or are you going
to find fault and be unkind Excuse
me, sir neither you moi any n else
can separate those two loving hearts,
butyou might make them very unhappy,
as you have already done, especially
when you sent my dear young lady's
letter back. You did make her Ill that
night / would 0 have changed
places with you-no, not for the best
''let'' in the season You learn a lot
more about folks III sickness than you
ever do in health and know that my
dining-roOm dodgers have only one trou.
BILE, and that is that you will not for
give them. And / made up my mind
that. If | was spared till morning, I'd
telegram you. So do just say that you
Will forgive them, sir, and make them
happy /; | am sure it will make you glad
too
"'Happyl 1.know | have never been
happy since my Rose left me, he con-
fessed, in a broken voice.
"'Come along sir we will risk It'll
I said.
"As we got close to the door we could
hear Betsey Jane singing.
II made signs to Mr.. Gender to stop
where he was ; and | went into the
room, leaving the door a little way open.
"You have been so long, Mrs. Robin
son, that l expect you have let your
drawing-room, said Mrs. Bayley cheer
fully.
"'No; 1 have been talking to a
friend of yours
"a friend Of mine p she said. Il
do not know who that can be, for my
husband IS out, and Doctor stockton
was not to call to-day, and l do not
know any one in Seaton.'
CHOW, Betsey Jane,' said /, give
me the little treasure. and go and set
Mr.. Bayley's tea, No, ma'am, it was
not Doctor Stockton, but somebody
who is going to love our baby, | can tell
you.
" 1T cannot be my dear, dear father ?
Do tell me who it is, Mrs. Robinson
81 was wond sring how l could break
it to her, when Betsey Jane did it for
me in an unexpected tanner.
"'Oh, mum she cried, running back
into the room, that old ~gentleman's
followed you upstairs, and he's peeping
in herep
1t could not have been better done if
we had planned it.
"'What old gentleman p cried Mrs.
Bayley and then she must have seen
1t in my face, which Is, / believe, won
derfulIy tell-tale, considering all l have
gone through.
"'Oh, it is my dear father p and
there was such JOY in her voice that he
must have felt bow she loved HIM.
"'My dear-ny dear = he cried, with
a sob, as he hurried in and stopped over
her /; and in a moment her arms we're
round his neck.
"Then she looked up at me, and put
baby on her lar.
"'Look, para, at baby isn't he a
darling2'
'Mr. Gender looked at him in a poor
ignorant man-like way, and the darling
stared back at him with his soft velvety
eyes, as fearless as you please; and then
/ left them.
"'Betsey Jane,' said l., going into
the kitchen, Just run to Mr.. Smiths,
and see if you al get any nice fish. Be
as quick as you can, for we shall have
company to tea. That gentleman is
Mrs. Bayley's father, and he's come TO
see them.'
"Then l got cat my best e~lectro-plate.
and set out the table as nicely as aver |
could. Before Betsey Jane returned
from the fshmonger's, Mr.. Bayley
came in.
"''Why, Mrs. Robinson, / did not ex-
pect to find you here Is all right up
stairs p
Eyes, sir, indeed 1t is, just as it
should be-
"'What do you mean p
"'Only that Mr.. Conder's come, as
was natural ; and he's as broken down
and gentle as yol need wish to see him. ;
"'Good heavens, what brought himp'
"'The ''good heavens" / suppose l
replied shortly, for ! never do like those
explanations.
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