Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-26
MISS ROSELEAFS BABY.
BY RACHEL CAREw.


mored abroad that Miss Roseleofs pug
Trotty was in extremis. He was not an
attractive animal, mentally or physically,
and had endeared himself to no one ave
his lovely young mistress. His figure was
ruined through overlooking; he had lost
n eye in o bygone tussel with q butchers
cat, and the other optic glared at the world
with a sinister expression from out the black
patch upon his c~ountenance. Had he not
mouthed Maj. Winkham's slipper into an
unpleasant pulp, and retired under Miss
PilcheIton's bed, there to snore and fright
en that lady into spasmsP he had also
snatched q biscuit out Of the hand Of in
nocence-the mother of said innocence
passing a sleepless night wondering if it
were not we'll to send for Pasteur, to be
quite sure that the bite was no more than
biscuit.
For all these misdsmesnOrs, Miss Rose
leaf a~pologized with a grace so charming
that the malcontents were seen to stop on
the stairs to stroke Trotty and tell him he
was a dear little fellow, so he wss-the
same quadruped which they had erstwhile
apostrophized as = hideyus, SQUAD legged,
over fed, vicious temered brute,
But how could they do else than melt,
with Doris RoSeleafs sweet eyes caressing
them from under the shade of her big toss
ing plumed hat, and the shell pink on her
cheeks deepening to q warm sunset rose at
praise Of her i'll favored pet!
YES, Doris is so foOlishly fond Of the
dog, Pm obliged to put up with him; but
he is q great nuisance, to be sure, particu-
larly in travelling. When we start for the
Tyrol next week there will be the usual
narrowing seene-the railway people re-
fusing to let Trotty go in the carriage with
us, Doris in tears, and at last q fee to pay,
or a bride, that really breaks my heart. 1
wish something would happen to the
wretched animal; he has lived quite long
enough" In the above words Mrs. Rose
leaf has been wont to express her chief
grievance to a mixed audience for years.
Now that destiny in the shape Of cramps
and a stiffneck, seemed close upon the heels
of Trotty, Mrs. Roseleaf inwardly rejoiced
but maintained a hypocritical attitude of
concern in the presence of her daughter.
81 believe il would be well to send for
q veterinary doctory; he could give poor
Trotty some chlorolorm or something to
end his Sufferings, " she said to Doris, and,
in an aside to q friend added: 81 grudge
the expense, but it would be such a relief
to have the little brute surely done for,
once and for all"
A few hours later, as Mrs. Roseleat re-
turned from a walk, Doris met her with a
radiant face, crying: ''Oh, mamma, Trotty
is 80 much better! going tore cover and be
better and stronger than ever before, the
doctor says"
what doctor?"
why, the vet. you said we ought to
send for. / had him come while you were
away, and he must be wonderfully clever
mamie has certainly saved Trotty's life.
He asked fifteen francs, but I had to give
him twenty, as you had nothing smaller in
your purse, and / couldn't ask him for five
francs change. Mamma, I don't believe
you are one bit glad that poor Trotty is
BETTER" and tears welled over in the lovely
eyes which worked such havoc In the moth
er most Of all. .
"Yes-yes, child, Pm very glad" the
looks belied her words. Twenty francs
more paid for making the dogs life surer
than before, and / believed he would be
dead tonight. All, me! and that dread
full journey impending was the burden
of her thoughts.
Mamma" said Doris, one morning,
breaking in upon her parents perusal of
'She," Il have q brilliant idea for making
the journey easy for US all. Miss Willis
told me she gave her cat An opium powder
once, before taking him on 3 thirty-six
hours journey in the train. He dozed all
the time in his basket, quiet as a lamb,
and the guard thought he was luncheon"
Il suppose you mean TO give Trotty an
opium powder, but I fear the guards can
scarcely be induced to mistake him for
luncheon"
"No, they will be otherwise deceived.
Trotty is to be given a big powder to keep
him quiet, and he is then to be dressed as
a baby, laid on q pillow, and with o veil
over his face IS to cross the frontier. Perk
shall carry him"
Doris, do you think / would ever con-
sent TO such q prepOsterous idea? 1t isn't
respectable, What would people say and
think? Put such nonsense out of your
head at once, l beg Of you"
Not q bit Of 1t, mamma, dear; the idea
Is too excellent a one to let slip. You will
be Of my opinion quite, when you have
allowed yourself time to reflect. The
Stanntons' nurse is going to lend me a
pretty pillow with lace and embroidery,
and one Of their baby's dresses and a cap.
Your chuddah will do to wrap around his
body. Tina will dress him and tie him on
the pillow in quite the orthodox way, 1t
will be great fun; Perks face will be q
treat when she hears she has got to carry
Trotty masquerading as q baby"
Poor Mrs. Roseleaf's face was clouded
and sad as racing day at Baden-Baden.
She knew perfectly well that Doris would
carry her pOint-she always yielded to the
child; and what dreadful results might not
follow this last escapsdel But in this in
stance, as in thousands of others, the weak
old lady decided there was nothing to do
but the best of a bad bargain, and she took
a limp interest in the preparations for what
seemed TO be q most novel undertaking.
The night of the ReseleaPs departure
from the "Lombardis," q chosen few were
asked into q private salon, there TO inspect
Trotty in his new role. Admirable! he
would deceive the mother of q dozen ba-
bies. Tina should have a medal for her
skill"
Keep his veil down and he win hum
bug everybody"
The powder will keep him. quiet for
twenty hours at least"
Rather 8 stout baby, but all the more
comedy for that"
Let me kiss the darling; he looks sweet
enough 10 satn'
With his veil down. yes"
This nature Of wit flowed about in sub
dusd whispers, interSpersed with much
suppressed Laughter, till ii was time Tor
the ROseleat party to start for the station.
The expression OF Perk, a very dragon of
virtue Of the British spinster order, when
made to bear forth Trotty on her arms, en-
bebe, was never forgotten by those who re-
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