Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-09-14

WeTc cfO"OcG
out of the Van Antwerp cradle by a
newcomer long before that time.
Julius had been its first occupant, and
he had given place to Fred, who in
turn had resigned in favor of the twins,
Bessie and Belle; and it seemed only a
month or Two after they were too big
to sleep comfortably within it's limits
that our Tommy appeared. Now he
was strutting about in kits. and little
Minna and her doll held undisputed
sway in the roomy' cradle.
But to pretty Mrs Gresham, ''the
lady over the fence" as Tommy called
her, he was the Van Antwerp badly;
nor had she ever given a thought to
any other Van Antwerp whatsoever.
The Greshams and Van Antwerps lived
baci1&o. back-that is % say, the tiny
I bSH SHof the Van Antwerp estab-
Knit bordered on the beautiful
Aens in the rear of the Gresham
mansion; but while the latter fronted
on one of the most elegant and exclu-
sive residence quarters of the large
town, the Van Antwerp front door
opened upon an questionable little
back street
NlTSs 0IcS HAM :" % q NCAy AohCAy
woman In spite of her beautiful house
and grounds There were no little chill
dren to fill them with music and merri-
ment. and the birds and blossoms did
not seem 70 make up for the lack of
child-laughter and curly heads There
was a Mr. Gresham, of course; but,
strange to say. though she was very
sweet and fair to look upon, he saw
vely little Of his wife. He had mar
ried late in life, q merry, loving young
girl, bubbling over with girlish fun and
brightness He brought her home to
the lovely house with its beautiful
trees and gardens, and she was happy
for a time as the birds among the
branches: but Mr.. Gresham, unfortu-
natelv for the continuance of his wife's
happiness, had q mother whom he de-
yotedly loved, and who loved him with
an affection that amounted to idolatry.
She had gone to her final rest some
time before our story opens, but she
lived long enough to make havoc of the
Young wife's happiness and to sow
seeds that bore fruit in bitter
enhancement which bid fair never to
be healed.
So IL came to pass that in the beanti-
full Nav mornings Mrs. Gresham used
to bring her embroidery or her novel
ont into the garden and read, work or
write in the dainty rose bower near the
fountain; and Tommy, being too little
to go to school and too big to be kept
safely in the cradle like Mlnna, was
sent into the back yard to play. Here
he conceived q gread admiration for the
and v,r0ooodad
one morning to climb over the low
iron railing into the Gresham garden.
Mrs. Gresham, looking up from her
work and her thinking. was surprised
to see sturdy, round little fellow
with tumbled yellow curls, big blue
ewes and faded kits regarding her in
tently. >,
Good morning. little boy" she said.
..who do you want?"
.swants to see you; what's your
name?''
.Mr,- Gresham; what is yoursT
8 tsEef4my."
Nystgswhats
.whss IS your papa's name?'
s.Wv naDa's name Is Van Antwerp"
very slowly, for he had been
tanuht this thoroughly, in view OF his
fondness for running away. Haven't
you got any papa?
Now5this word had different mean
in1 in Tomny's vocabulary from the
one sit HAD in Mrs Gresham's In large |
families Il often happens that the heads
of tle sane come to be known 70 each
othe4 a. mana and mamma, and it was
u AwA~Apra houaAhold.