Middletown transcript., 1892-10-13

Arrived at the hotel, and three
rooms having been obtained on the
fourth floor, the party, in two or three
instalments, were taken up in the ele
vator, and at last met in one of The
rooms. Mrs. Hoskins' first question
on catching sight Of Lizzie, the nurse
was,-
"Where's the baby 2"
Lizzie regarding her mistress, the
very personifcation of dismay, STAN.
mered out
Good gracious mum, Why, hain'i
you got him p
"No, no p shrieked Mrs. Hoskins,
turning white.
"Now don't be frightened" said
Margaret; perhaps John brought
him up and put him in one of the
other rooms"
The other two rooms were imme-
diately ransacked by three excited
women, but John had not done any
thing of the sort. Where was John :
He was now the last forlorn hope. He
might have the baby with him. If he
hadn't-but the three women refused
to consider the terrible alternative.
"He went down stairs to- see about
something" said Mrs. Hoskins.
A bell boy was hastily summoned
to seud him hither.
When Mr.. Hoskins opened the door
of his apartment, three women
shrieked,-
"The baby !"
Mrs. Hoskins tainted dead away,
the nurse wrung her hands and step
ped on the toes of Augustus, who set
up long and piercing howls, and Clar-
ence joined from no particular reason,
except to help along the general
misery, and Margaret exclaimed
"Oh, dear! how could it have
happened ?"
"Wh-what's the matter2" gasped
Mr.. Hoskins. his hand still on the
door knob.
"Why, we CAM find the baby" said
Margaret, "and we thought that per-
haps you had him."
"Me!" exclaimed Mr.. Hosklns ;
"why, 1 have not seen him since I put
him into that carriage. Lizzie, what
did you do with that baby ?"
"Good hevings! Mr.. Hoskins, I
hain't done nothin' with him. Irush-
ed out O. the kerridge, when I seen
Master Clarence under the horses
heels, and s'posed some one else had
him, the poor, precious dear y
"And was after Gus" said Marga.
ret, looking up from her occupation of
applying restoratives to her sister.
Mr.. Hoskins rushed wildly from the
room, SAYING
"He must have been left in that
hack -. u
He made dive for the elevator
which being down at that moment, he
kicked furiously at the gate, apparent
ly with the intention of plunging down
the yawning abyss. Failing to accom-
plish this, he recollected there was
bell, which he rung furiously, and then
turned and was half way down the
stairs, two steps at time, at the mom-
ent the elevator appeared at the fourth
landing.
He ran into the Office, upsetting two
or three porters, and inquired if any
one had seen baby. Nobody had.
He was advised to 60 and find the
carriage, which be attempted to do. 1t
next occurred to him to consult the
police. He was asked the number of
the carriage. He didn't know, he
never looked at the number. The
officer shook his head, and considered
the case dubious, but advised him to
go to the station, lay the case before
the authorities, and have it worked up
Immediately.
This advice was followed by Mr..
Hoskins, who, coming back to the
hotel, found his wife in a dreadful
state of nervousness and suspense, and
Margaret, pale and haggard, doing
her best to soothe her.
Meanwhile, what became of the
baby
At about ten o'clock that same
evening, the night express came in
from the south, and Mr.. Richard Ken
nelson, being on that particular train.
alighted therefrom, sighalled hack,
threw in his ulster, and, ensconsing
himself within, gave directions to be
driven to the = Hotel. He had not
been inside more than three minutes
when an unmistakable wall arose from
the opposite sent, directly under the
ulster.
"Angels and ministers of grace ]"
exclaimed Mr.. Richard Kennetson,
and not being timorous or superstitous
he Immediately began to examine the
interior.
1t was quite dark night, but as he
lifted the ulster they flashed past gas
light, whereupon Mr.. Kennetson ejac-
ulated,