The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-05-12

this time, and, in few moments MT. Barton entered, and the family gathered about the supper table.
 Ralph gave his father humorous account of Mary's fright, while the poor child shrank back, almost wish ing the floor would open and land her out of sight in the much-dreaded cellar.
 Mrs. Barton interrupted the mer- riment by giving Mary the baby-a fine six -months-old boy-with or ders to take him up stairs and put him to sleep.
 Mary took the baby tenderly, only too glad to get away from Ralph's teasing. Besides, the greatest comfort of her hard and lonely life was the care of the bright, winsome little pet, whom she loved as if he were her own flesh and blood.
 Mary was an orphan, whom Mrs. Barton had taken to save her from a home in the almshouse and, although the really kind woman in- tended to be as just and considerate to her as to her own children, yet her busy life and the care of large fam fly made her frequently more exact ing and less thoughtful of Mary's hap piness than she otherwise would have been. Hardest of all to bear was the unmerciful teasing of the boys over the slightest mistake. To do Mrs. Barton justice, she was 80 destitute of imagination that she never realized the sensitive nature of her quiet little hand maiden, or she would have exer- cised more authority over her thoughtless and mischievous boys. Shrinking as she did from their rude- ness, Mary found her greatest happi- ness in the quiet hour spent alone with baby, who seemed to return her love and care with most ardent affec- tion, and would stretch out his little arms to go to her as eagerly as to his mother.
 When on this evening she reached the chamber, she undressed the plump little body, kissing and caressing the dimpled shoulders, the chubby little fists, and the beautifully moulded feet, saying over to each rosy little toe the old story of "This little pig went to market, and this little pig staid at home," etc., while baby laughed and crowed in her lap, and caressing her cheeks with his tiny hands.
 "Oh, you darling, darling little pre- ciousw she cried, hugging him close, after putting on his long night dress. "Oh, 1 love you so, baby, do love you SO! What should I do without you?" And baby returned her caresses by his pretty gurgling attempts at speech and his repeated batting of the loving face bent over him.
 Having wrapped him closely in his little blanket, Mary nestled his head down on her shoulder, his soft cheek resting lovingly against her own, as she rocked and sung to him. In these moments of delight, when alone with baby, she had gradually become accus- toned to "thinking out loud," and all her simple joys and sorrows were con- fided to the unconscious child.
 Tonight she was smarting under the humiliation of Ralph's taunt, and out of the abundance of her heart her lips could not refrain from speaking.
 "I was so scared, baby" she repeated in soft, half singing tone, her cheek pressing more tenderly the dear little head resting against her shoulder. "Oh, was so scared, and then to think it was only Tom, and I was 50 ashamed; and Ralph called me cow ard. Oh, dear, oh, dearl A coward, baby; and I was coward, know it, and Pm so ashamed of it. But 1 couldn't help it, indeed I couldn't, the eyes did look so dreadful, and it was only old Tom after all; and they'll never forget it. They'll call me cow ard as long as I live. Oh, dear, oh, dear! If only could have helped it P And her tears fell softly on the fair golden hair. of you'd been there, baby" holding him closer and press ing kiss on the pretty, flushed cheek, ''if you'd been there, over in that dark corner, and I'd known the eyes were a lions, think I'd gone straight there to save you from him, even if I'd known he'd eaten me up. I would, indeed, know I would. don't be- lieve ever could be coward if you were in danger, baby"
 It helped so much to comfort her, in her sore humiliation, to think how brave her love would have made her, had the necessity arisen.
 But baby was past sympathizing with her wounded self-respect, or of sppreciating the would-be sacrifice, for his soft, regular breathing assured Mary that her charge was safe in slumber- land. Very gently she laid the dear little fellow in his low, old fashioned cradle, and waited moment to see if the movement would awaken him; but he only turned little on his pillow and fell off into deeper