Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-01-28

- NAssSs9sAsftseff,AW great-coat
re,s 60. }ss, 5fffF3fs4iE<5A 1 put my arm
- Sd z.sz..z.4[l about her waist
-T7tTrTfTflFrJTfkF5Iirfr and hurried up
''''''"'''HA'''" the stairs with
her, ready. as | then thought, to say L
was pleased with any alterations she
had made. Behold! The spare room
and my dear little private study-that
study wherein | had fought the good
fight, and lot the battle, when Mrs
that study in which ] had nursed my
, aching gorns after having mentally,
not physically kicked my motherin
law twice around the kitchen; that
study wherein ] have been forced to
practice Christian st. ence ever since
the honeymoon was over-were changed
beyond recognition. l gazed into this
babyland of munifccnce, breathcd as
lightly as my bank account would per-
NIT, and asked:
How much is the b ll?"
"Well," said Mrs. Howser, meditat-
lively, sit isn't so very large, consider
ing. I've always heard that babies
like bright colors, 80 had the trim
mings of the room changed, Then
mother said I'd better get new carpet,
and she'd take the old one for her
room, so it wouldn't be wasted and
then when it came to buying the cradle,
and the baby carriage, and the lap
robe, and all those things, I thought
Id get Something not very expensiyej
SO l had about decided to take TWEEN
ty-fve dollar cradle and thirty dollar
carriage, when the salesman said:
Those are very nice for the price, Mrs.
Bowser; but these others are much
nicer. Now, Mrs. Smith, who lives
Just across the street from you, was
down here yesterday, and she took o
seventy-tive dollar cradle and Il hun
dred dollar carriage. She said she'd
heard you were going to buy the cheap
er quality, but she wouldn't have her
child seen on the street in carriage
that only cost thirty dollars, However,
az Mrs, Bowser's baby was to be only
m adopted one, she supposed most any.
thing was good enough for it l hate
that Mrs. Smith; cranky old thing.
Why, she's 50 cranky she got hold of
Mr.. Smiths heId the other day and al
most turned his neck off. But told
the salesman I'd take a hundred dollar
cradle and hundred and twenty-five
dollar carriage, and the bill, the whole
bill, everything counted, is Just eight
hundred and forty three dollars and
fifty nine cents.
My arm fell away from about her
whist. 1t no longer seemed inclined to
Irvine ITSELF and [ had no moro Irvine
to put into it. | walked toward the
door, and when Mrs. Eowser asked
where | was going, | said: Into Il
brown study, since [ can't so into my
private one.
Just then the door-bell rang, and
after waiting to fire female anarchis-
tic bomb or two at me, Mrs. Bowser
went down to answer it. Nobody was
to be seen; but on the step was bas-
ket, in which she discovered a blonde,
blue-eyed particle of expanded proto-
plasm, whose expansion had been going
on for about three months, az nearly
as she could Judge.
"Now, isn't this nice," said Mrs.
Bowser, 'to have the very thing [
wanted brought right to the very door?
wonder where it came frOm?"
L expressed an opinion that that
salesman's consc ence trouble hir
when he thought of my coming to set
tie that bill, and, having surplus
baby on hand, he concluded to throw
It in as lagniap, and thereby relieve
his conscience.
Then Mrs. Bowser grew red in the
face-thc effect, perhaps, of inhaling
more air than she could throw out inn
med!ately -and then came the famil-
lar you're nasty, mean, hateful,
stingy old crank, SO you are.
Any other man wouldn't mention a lit
tie bill like that when his wife had gone
to all the trouble | have TO make home
attractive and pleasant for you, and t.
get nice little baby to make Your
home life interesting; something to
amuse you; something to expand your
affections and make better man of YOU;
but that's just like you, Mr.. Bowser.
You can't appreciate a kindness
Just then the baby drew its knee, up
to its chin and went through sort of
automatic, double-actiOn, backward
spring movement, like mule kicking
against fate, and let ont Il scream that
almost tore the new trimmings from the
ceiling.
"There, Mr.. nowser; you see what
you've done, don't you? You've blowcd
such a gale about that bill that you've
given the child the collie. Go right
over to the doctor; get a prescription;
have it filled, and get back here about
as quick rs you know how"
Mrs. Bowser," said !, "on a rainy
night like this, when ! can't go ont
without getting wet to the skin, pre-
fer being n Christian scientist. On a
night like This my faith in God is
stronger than my faith in the apothe-
cary's shop; aad if He wants that child
to stop yelling He'll make it known to
you sooner or later--most probably
later"
You're the moanest, hatefulest,
crnnkiest old stoten-bottle that was
ever made of mud and set up to dry.
l won't hear any more of your talk,
Mr.. Bowser. You go for that doctor
or I'll decorate you with this" she
said, reaching out for Il brass andiron
| had boughs for decorative purposes.
20, you will, will you?" said L, look
ing at her with my calm left blue eye
Then she began to cry, caught the
screaming child in her arms, and de-
c1orel she'd 90 herself This DrOl ne