The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-06-01

There surely was some horrible mistake.

ouSul w uaSe remembered tnaC araOella had
no children, but ! saw so little of her. and
one woman, find, was as much as could
keep up with. how could he expected to
Keep track of all her relations.
My wife looked from her sister to me with
tear filed eyes Of inquiry
Mean" Arabella almost shouted. sis it
possiblei Louisa, you are that stupid YOU
can't understand thingl Your husband"
ironically, has submitted to you the basest
insult conceivable. She seized my wife by
the arm and began to hiss something in her
ear that did not catch NV wife hid her
crimson face in her hands and began to weep
a horrible suspicion now seized me. Ara
wife's anguish-did they think-good gra.
ciousl No. it could not bel There must be
some explanation about this awful affair A
cold tremor ran through my frame-my
clothes felt mile too big-a prickly heat
attacked mel broke out in profuse Der
spiration as realized the view of the situa
tion which they had taken
"Arabella! l.ouisa!" | cried, desperately,
=" there's some confounded mistake about
this; found the baby in my office, and Your
note" but they swept past NO. ,,nleetline
my voice. Louisa with head bowed on uel
sisters shoulder, Arabella with chin aloft in
naughty diSdain ! thought of following
them and compelling them to listen to me.
but little crowd of pas'ers by had gathered,
some of whom were cEriously making inquiry
OF their neighbors as to the cause of the ex
cltement. who answered III whispered re.
marks with leerS and knowing looks cast at
me.
Wishing to avoid repetition of tho scene,
rushed down fha Sj1a St,nnt frn,,, ,,j,;,l,
had come, bearing the baby, the innocent
cause of the tumut, with me. Wha, could |
do with its AS | rushed headlong down the
street racked my brains i'll vain to think of
the location of a founding asylum There
was no river near il % which could pitch
it. a sudden impulse seized me to knock Its
head against stone, and throw it over a
wall. My innate pity checked my madness
lwould lay it on the low stoop of one of the
houses. aud run off as fast as could. No. a
big policeman just then loomed up in the dis
tance. He would see me, give chase, would
be captured, hauled up before the police
courts for desertion, it would all get into the
papers, my reputation, my business would la
ruined. How the reporters those souilcss
vuturcs, would gloat over my unfortunate
predicamcnt. With what tiendish avidity
they would run over all the town to
gather up every scrap Of my past history
how came by the mysterious baby Strange
ly enough. the idea that somebody would find
out where the baby belonged gavo me a
sense of relief during these distracting
thoughts.
The policeman approached. He seemed to
be kind looking parsonage. determined
to- throw myself on his mercy and implore
his protection When met him, stopped
and told him my story with fear and trem-
bling. Hi listened with interest, and was
moved with compassion, but whether toward
me or toward the baby could not determine
He suggested taking it TO the station house,
which we did and there we left the trouble.
some little intruder, mentally wishing it
might be committed for disorderly conduct
and disturbing the peace
| rushed back home only to find the door
locked iii my face rang the bell violently
Aral'clla opened a window, looked out, and
seeing me- diSlaincd to answer, drew her head
i'll and closed the blind with u bang rang
again and called to them to let me in. voice
lnsi,ie-it was Arabella's-informed me, in
no uncertain Tone that couldn't come in
till they got ready to leave"
Louisa is going homo with me tonight.
and leave the house to you and your friends
forever
Sho said this very tragically, with an idea
of stirring me to abject contrition
There was no help for it. | had to wait till
they were ready to depart, and it took them
an Gnrcasonably long time to get themselves
ready to leave. Suddenly tho door opened
and Arabella came out, accompanied by my
wife deeply veiled. | seized Louisa by tho
arm and said This foolishness has got to
stop. You are not going to leave this house
tonight till this business is cleared up.n
'Oh, no doubt you can explain it all per.
fcctly satisfactorily to YOURSELF said Ara
bella sneeringly.
| would not notice her. but spoke to my
wife, who began to weep AT this moment
some one rushed up the steps to where we
were standing, and a decidedly Hibernian
voice frantlcally began to ask: "Whcre's me
babby! where's me babbyl Faith and 'e's
locked up i'll the sthore o is, o isl An Dim
most kilt entoirely, vi ami being that scaret
that Olive run iv'ry step o. ther way, an Oi
isn't tuck er BIRTH er wind since lift ther
sthore with me poor little Mcky locked up
i'll it, an 'es kilt dead entoirely, may thcr
Vargin protect iml"
1t was Mrs. Bridget Mulhaly, ono of nv
tenants, very worthy woman. 1t appeared
that She had called at the office soon after
Arabella and Louisa had gone, to settle for
her months rent, which she always paid
promptly being out, she had left her young
baby in the Office till She went out to do some
marketing Being detained she did not re
turn till after | had closed the Office told
her where She could find young "Alicky," and
$40 departed with many exclamations of joy
Louisa threw herself in my arms and wept
rnmoderately. while Arabca maintained a
diSnlfied silence experienced an immense
relief and was the first to speak
"Arabella," said, who is Topsyy"
"Topsy' Why, Topsy is my dosl"
"Je-rusaleml thought Topsy was the
haby!'-C r. Hardy III Detroit Free Press