The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-21
MEG LOST THE BABY.


Julia cariully into her carriage. She
tucked her up with rugs, afghans,
and shawls. Meg often wondered
how the baby could breathe; but
Julia was fat and hearty, and Meg
knew that she grew heavier. So IL
must have agreed with her.
'Keep where it is pleasant and
sunny, and take good care or her"
said Mrs. Sackett
She said this every day Meg took
as much care OF Julia as any well
meaning but careless girl OF Ia does
OF baby. At the crossing she
thumped the carriage down into one
gutter and banged IL up out OF the
other. The baby was used TO this,
and only opened her eyes wide and
gasped on arriving at the opposite
side.
Meg was just turning the corner
when she heard her mothers voice.
"Megw
"Yes'mw
"Stop at Hurd's and send home
three pounds OF brown sugar and IA
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 pastimc.
She always had a 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 1t coulun't roll off.
Julia sat still, gazed with attention
at the Respondent advertisements OF
Jenk's 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 IL is not surprising
that they become philosophers.
Hurd's was crowded rs il always
was In the morning, bat Meg did not
object to waiting. She chatted with
Katie Allen and Lou French, and
even drew out her tidy ana did two
rows before the salesman had time
to attend to her
Then she ordered sugar and tea with
as grand an air rs that worn by Mrs
PonsonbY, who resided" i'm four
story brown stone house on stylish
avenue, while Meg lived in a third
fiat"
IVA { Tor mcm said Katie Allen.
"Ivc 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 Il block before
she suddenly cried, ''Oh! / forgot the
babyw
What baby?" asked Katie.
"Why 1 had our baby with me,
and I've sone and left the carriage
outside the stOrcw
"There 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
Katie's round eyes, and then cried:
'Oh, i know, came in at the
other door-that's it, She's round on
Harrison street"
The ri 'ls ran laughingly back, and
turned the corner. There was no baby
or carriage there.
They stared at each other, and
Katie would have laughed, but that
Meg looked 80 solemn.
"Perhaps you didn't bring her"
Eyes, i did 1 left her just here,
i know ! did"
Gould the carriage have rolled
down the street,"
Meg looked up and down the street
in vain. No carriage was in sight
perhaps policeman thought she
was lost and took her To the station
house." suggested Kate.
Meg began 10 Cry. kate's words
seemed cruel
"Run home quick and tell your
mother about it,"
Meg took Kate's advice She ran
fast for she was frightened Mrs.
Sackett heard her story, and gave her
a severe scolding for he carelessness,
"Some boy took il 20 scare you. 1t
must be about the neighborhood Go
and look!" she ordered. She was
hard working woman, and treated
things in a matter. of-fact way.
But when Meg came back To report
that no one had seen baby or carr iage
anywhere, Mrs Sackett became
alarmed. She forgot TO scold this
time. She put or her bonnet and
searched the streets thoroughly. She
inquired at all the stores, and even
went TO the police station.
Coming back from her fruitless cx-
pedition she dropped wearily into "A
chair by the door. Meg could not
bear 20 see her mothers white face.