Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-23
MEG LOST THE BABY.

One morning Mrs Sackett pu,
Julia earthly into her carriage. She
tucked her up with rugs, afghans,
and shawls. Meg often wondered
how the baby could breathe: bu,
Julia was fat and hearty, and Meg
knew that she grew heavier. So i,
must have agreed with her.
keep where it is pleasant and
sunny. and take good care OF her.
said Mrs. Sackett.
She said this every day. Meg took
as much care OF Julia as any we'll
meaning but careless girl of IA does
OF baby At the crossing she
thumped the carriage down into one
gutter and banged it up out of the
other The baby was used to this
and only opened her eyes wide and
gaspcd on arriving at the opposite
side.
Meg was just turning the corner
when she heard her mothers voice.
"Megw
"Ycs'mw
stop at Hurd's and send home
three pounds of brown sugar and a
half pound OF tea"
"Yes'm."
Meg thrust her elbows through the
handle OF the baby carriage, and cro-
cheted as she walked. Crocheting
Tides was Meg's favorite pastime.
She always had tidy under way.
Hurd's was corner grocery store,
with door opening on each end Of
the two streets. Meg wheeled the
carriage close to the show window
and fastened the wheel with stone
so that it cOulun't roll off.
Julia sat still, gazed with attention
at the respondent advertisements of
jerks soap and Tompkin's ginger, al
though she must have known these
placards by heart Babies have to
endure so much which they do not
understand, that it is not surprising
that they become philosophers
Hurd's was crowded as it always
was in the morning, but Meg did not
object to waiting. She chatted with
Katie Allen and Lou French, and
even drew out her tidy and did two
rows before the salesman had time
to attend to her.
Then she ordered sugar and tea with
as grand an air as that worn by Mrs
POnsOnbY who resided" in a four
story brown stone house on a stylish
avenue, while Meg lived in a third
fat"
:'Wat tor mew said Katie Allen.
'1've got to 20 to the butchers.
"All right" answered Meg.
She waited, and when Katie started
she walked with her. talking briskly,
down the street almost a block before
she suddenly cried, "Oh! l forgot the
baby"
'What baby?" asked Katie.
"Why, | had our baby with me,
and I've gone and left the carriage
outside the sture"'
"Ihere wasn't any baby at the /!
door when we came out" replied |
Katie.
"Sure enough" said Meg. ''there
wasn't"
She gazed in bewilderment at
Katle's round eyes, and then cried:
"Oh, l know, came in at the
other dOor-that's it She's round on
Harrison street"
The 81 Is ran Iaughingly back, and
or carriage there.
They stared at each other. aud
Katie would have laughed, but that
Meg looked SO solemn.
"Perhaps you didn't bring her."
Eyes l did! 1 left her just here!
| know did,"
''Could the carriage have rolled
down the street,"
Meg looked up and down the street
In vain. No carriage was in sight
Perhaps a policeman thought she
was lost and took her to the station
house," suggested Kate.
Meg began to cry. Kate's words
|eemed cruel.
"Run home quick and tell your
mother about it,"
Meg took Kate's advice. She ran
last for she was frightened. Mrs.
heard her story, and gave her
severe scOlding for he carelessness,
''SOme bOv took it to scare you 1t
must be about the neighborhood. Go
Ind look" she ordered. She was a
lard working woman, and treated
,hings in a matter. of-fact way.
But when Meg came back to report {
hat no one had seen baby or carriage
anywhere. Mrs Sackett became
Harmed. She forgot to scOld this
lime. She put on her bonnet and
earched the streets thoroughly. She
inquired at all the stores, and even
vent to the police station.
Coming back from her fruitless ex- {
she dropped YEARLY into a
hair by the door. Meg could not
,ear to see her mothers white face.