The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-01-13


become family man in short order.
should like to know where my wife is,
however-for 1 suppose I've got one
mewhere-only I wasn't previously
aware of the fact.
I stood facing the door in sort OF
placid desperation. prepared for any
thing that might dawn upon my vision,
from Bengal tiger to an old maid in
spectacles and bombazine.
But neither one nor the other ap-
peared. There was faint rustic of
some delicate material, that light echo
of an elastic footstep, and to my inef-
fable astonishment Daisy Moore came
up to me, flushed and pretty
She came close up to me and put her
little hand coaxingly on my shoulder.
.Confess now, John, that you are as
souished to see me and baby here I
knew you would be. And you haven't
oven kissed Jacky, you unnatural fell
low Isn't he pretty p
She caught up the baby and held him
triumphantly under my nose.
please kiss him, John-just once =
| And l kissed the centre of the merino
cap in sort of mechanical obedience
to orders.
That's darling, John And now
I'll tell you how we happened to come.
Mary's here, too; you've never asked
after Mary, you hard hearted fellow r
| l made a husky, inarticulate sound,
originally intended to signify, WHO on
earth is Mary p but susceptible of al
most any Interpretation.
"She had to stop at the depot to see
about the baggage; SO I brought the
baby right here. And ! just ran down
to the door to see if the hack was COM
ing. How do you suppose I discovered
your whereabouts =? I looked in the di-
rectory, and when I found the John
Smith who resided in Buplessis Build
ing, knew had hit upon the right
one."
She was twisting my overcoat buttons
as she talked, with the freight shifting
and glimmering on her forehead.
I'VE were so very poor, dear John,
she resumed in a voice that thrilled and
quivered with repressed emotion, land
Mary was so ow-spirited that l told her
one night we had better come to you.
"And we both thought We could get
some sewing, or teaching, or something
to do to earn my own living-you don't
know how very little I can subsist on,
dear John-and Mary and the baby will
be no trouble at all. You are not
yexed that we came, John ??
A heart of iron could not have re-
sisted that pleading wall, and mine
wasn't made of any such unbending ma
terial.
Il am so glad" she breathed, as if a
load had been lifted from her mind.
" But, John, you wrote us you were SO
poor, and found it so hard to get along
in this great city This room is beau
tiful. However, I suppose it's neces-
sary to make great show, to delude
clients into believing you're very i'm
portant lawyer!
She laughed, while the tears yet
sparkled like dewy crystals on her eye-
lashes.
"Well, I w.l't tease you tonight.
Just light the gas, John, and Ill take of
Jacky's cap and cloak before Mary
comes"
I did not stir. Daisy Moore leaned
across to get a match from the little
china box on the mantel; the next min
ute the room was all in brightness.
She uttered a scream and started
back, as the light revealed my fea'
lures.
Frederick Marchmontr'
"Yes, Daisy Moore, it is! Why do
you shrink away from me thus?"
had imprisoned her cold, trem bling
hand-nor was I inclined to let 1t go
again. Her cheek flushed vividly-her
eyes sparkled,
WAS this manly, Frederick? Was it
right to allow me to fall into this mis-
take? Why did not you tell me who
you were?'
Il was as much hewildered as your-
self at first, Daisy. And when, after a
little. 1 began to comprehend that you
mistook me for that other John Smith,
whose rooms are in the fourth story
oh, Daisy, do You blame me that ]
would not muster courage to send you
away?"
1T was wrong-it was so wrong" she
sobbed. Give me poor Mary's baby
let me go to my brother-in-law!
1 took the baby out of her arms and
deposited it-carefully enough-on the
rallied top of my satin wood secretaire,
we'll out of her reach.
Nov, Daisy" quoth |, "just sit
down and hear reason, My name il
John Smith, and I am quite certain
shall do as we'll as the other one-who,
by the way, 1 never suspected to be
your brother-in-law."
But the baby began poor Daisy,
restlessly.
The baby il doing very well. Prob
ably he likes the prospect OF frescoed
ceiling. If he wishes to come down
he'll probably mention it,
Your name is nat John Smith T.
flashed Daisy, suddenly turning upon
me, and beginning to draw her shawl
upon her shoulders as if to depart.
Isn't it !? Ask my lawyer-look al
the tin sign on my outer door"
Frederick"
Listen, Daisy, and let me tell you
oil about it." 4 -
And Daisy, half indignant, half melt,
ing, listened.
Daisy" resumed, "do you remem-
Der the summer twilight when we
parted? Let US take up the thread ol
our lives when it separated there, darl-
ing Shall We, darling Shall we,
Daisy ?"