Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-10-06
THE FOUNDING.

anpaviuo error. in r,osriup hy M, rlIldpF
bootioa1cr had detained him at tte of-
fec. He walked rather mere RAPIDLY
than usual. for he knew that the major,
Simpson and Granger were waiting for
him to make the fourth hand in the
game of whist which always preceded
dinner Collins was not home. for be
had come to Milwaukee and would not
raturn until tho next morning. and Bar
loyy kne,y that the major was impatieift-
" tappinc the table with his fingers and
watching the door.
For seven wears the five men had lived
nrefher. and the whist game before
dinner was one of the household habits
which had fastened itself upon the lit
tie community as a vital element of its
placid existence. The raen were all past
middle age. and any depression from
the routine Jared the entire domestic
machinery for the time. Dinner was al
,xavs served at o'clock. and Barlow
felt more than guilty. for it was not
only nearly @ O'Clock. but the afternoon
was the Saturday half holiday, and he
should have been home several hours
earlier.
ga ipcraased his naca whom he turned
;,to mo ctraat which for tbrea blocls
-,,a tLa ,,ot,o,n 20 al orc,;toctrral
oa,,ra, ;+s 500 forroad of solid row.
~ ,.onsos oach e~octlv lilo thu other sc
/, .r,,ro,cLoa tba ca,,ity bonsa ~ the
,-,;a5ia hlock 10 ear 81. bis Iatcbl-av
I'D drow 81 s,o,, lis nocIrot when he
t,~ned 70 .scerd tbo Gems Tho tov
d,.on1,,a f,.o,,, h;e hon5 and he fall baci,
80 for coo;,o ~ him fron, the cor.
,ar - tbo littlo yorc, n babv stretched
its cbnbbv arms toward him and smiled
,r,l,e,, tho l-av iino,ed ON the Stone stem.
Rarlow,s first thought was that he
,,ad +aI,a,, tbo ,rro,,e, stens aud he stead.
ilv stared At the number PAINTED on the
t,s,son, mo nr,nber was r;ght md he
rar;dlv checked II off with the familiar
window c7,r.aips o,a The door,nat Tho
MAJORS brrIv form came into view
thro,gb tho window and then Barlow
co,,ce,,t ratel bis attention ON tho baby.
II cooed GENTLY aud made al, effort IL
crawl down the stems
nHold on. you'Il hurt Yourself. y
cr;ed barlow as tbe babv leaned peril.
onsly over the edge of the doorstep. The
little one looked IN and smiled again,
and then for the first time in his mem,
o,v Barlow held n baby IN his arms.
For several minutes he stood looking
mn and down tho street. but no one
came TO helm him. He pressed the baby
to him as he stooped for his KEY. and
onepi,le the door walked into the sitting
room with the baby under his arm as
tbouoh IL were n laundry bundle.
"HeIlo. you're here at last, - said the
major looseniuc the belt of his dress.
ing gown and reaching for a deck Of
cords "What kent Bless nv soui.
what have YOU cot THEREOF
The baby kicked its heels and struck
ont with its arms as though swimming.
for garlow's hand was under its stomach
rs he held IL against his hin. Simpson
dropped the evening paper aud stared al
the baby with his mouth open. Granger
forgot the blazing match which he was
holding over his pine bowl. and it burn.
cd tn his fingers AZ he pazed bIaukly al
Rarlov and the kicking infant
The oppressive silence was broken by
sndden cry from the baby. and the
major caupbt it by one leg lust in time
TO save it from striking the floor, for
BARLOW dropped il when the cry came.
For n second the major held the baby
by its leg. while series of muffied ex-
blossoms came from under the clothing,
which had fallen over the baby's head.
Then he gently lowered the little one
TO the floor, and all silently watched
the strange creature squirm and strug-
gle its way out of the maze of linen and
flannel and finally sit up, red faced,
fearful, screaming baby
Barlow's explanation was inooherent,
for he. like the major, Granger and
Simpson. was in state of mental
chaos. The baby s screams brought Bob,
the colored cook and all around servant,
from the dining room. and his black
face increased the vigor of the infantile
yells and deepened the scarlet hue of its
face to purplish tinge.
A twisted wire brooch which held
the little sack at the neck gave the
baby's name as Joey" The major was
seized with an inspiration. Swapping
his fingers, he said, Here, Joey, here,
here hero - nc hn f1sn1 IN sneak t0 the