Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-10-05
THE FOUNDING.

bookkeeper had detained him at the Of
flee. He walked rather more rapidly
than usual. for he knew that the major,
Simpson and Granger were waiting fol
him to make the fourth hand in the
game of whist which always preceded
dinner. Collins was not home, for he
had gone to Milwaukee and would not
return until the next morning, and Bar.
low knew that the major was inpatient
ly tapping the table with his fingers and
watching the door.
For seven years the five men had lived
together, and the whist game before
dinner was one of the household habits
which had fastened itself upon the lit
tie community as vital element of it's
placid existence. The men were all past
middle age, and any DEPRESSION from
the routine Jared the entire domestic
machinery for the time. Dinner was al
ways served at O'Clock, and Barlow
felt more than guilty, for it was not
only nearly 6 O'Clock, but the afternoon
was the Saturday half holiday, and he
should have been home several hours
earlier.
He increased his pace when he turned
into the street which for three blocks
was the bottom of an architectural
canyon, it's sides formed of solid rows
Of houses each exactly like the other. AS
he approached the center house Of the
middle block he felt for his latchkey
and drew it from his pocket when he
turned to ascend the steps. The key
dropped from his hand, and he fell back
pace, for cooling at him from the cor
ner Of the little porch baby stretched
its chubby arms toward him and smiled
when the key jingled on the stone step.
Barlow's first thought was that he
had taken the wrong steps, and he stead
lily stared at the number painted OH the
transom. The number was right, and he
rapidly checked it off with the familiar
window curtains and the doormat The
majors burly form came into view
through the window, and then Barlow
concentrated his attention on the baby.
It cooed gently and made an effort to
crawl down the steps.
Hold On; you'll hurt yourself, "
cried Barlow as the baby leaned peril
ously over the edge Of the doorstep. The
little one looked up and smiled again,
and then for the first time in his MEM
DRY Barlow held baby in his arms
For several minutes he stood looking
up and down the street, but no one
came to help him. He pressed the baby
to him as he stopped for his key, and
opening the door walked into the sitting
4ho IoI, Il
though it were laundry bundle.
''Hello, you're here at last" said the
major loosening the belt Of his dress
ing gown and reaching for deck of
cards. "What kept Bless my soul,
what have you got there?'
The baby kicked it's heels and struck
out with its arms as though swimming,
for Barlow S hand was under its stomach
as he held it against his hip. Simpson
dropped the evening paper and stared at
the baby with his mouth open. Granger
forgot the blazing match which he was
holding over his pipe bowl, and it burn
ed to his fingers as he gazed blankly at
Barlow and the kicking infant.
The oppressive silence was broken by
a sudden cry from the baby, and the
major caught it by one leg just in time
to save it from striking the floor, for
Barlow dropped it when the cry came.
For a second the major held the baby
by its leg, while a series Of muff1ed ex-
plcsions 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 sauirm and strug-
gle it's way out of the maze of linen and
flannel ana finally sit up, red faced,
fearful. screaming baby
Barlow's explanation was incoherent,
for he, like the major, Granger and
Simpson, was i'll 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 dt opened the scarlet hue of its
face to a purplish tinge.
A twisted wire brooch which held
the little sack at the neck gave the
baby name as Joey" The major was
seized with an inspiration. Swapping
his fingers, he said, Here, Joey, here,
mere. here" as he used to speak to the
only dog he ever owned.
The other men felt an immense adj
miration for the major, for Joey sud
denly stopped crying. The minute of 81
lence seemed an hour to the anxious old
bachelors looking down at the tiny
stranger.
joey was strangely quiet. His mouth
was wide open, his eyes bulged, and a
rattliug sound IN his throat alarmed
Barlow.
''For heavens sake, get some water.
Thump it ON the back. Open all the
windows The baby is choking to
death. - And he dropped Oh his knees
and began beating the baby's back and
chest with his palm A pitcher and
glass of W.. .er We're brought. The Win
dows and doors were thrown open, and
the major, wildly excited, swished
newspaper in the baby's face, tanning
it frantically. Simpson dashed glass
of water into Joey's eyes and mouth,
and the baby, after several gasps, burst
ont crying and Wailing again.
Jingle some keys at him!' beloved
tie major, bobbing his watch up and
9ay7n six inches from the baby's face.
s'Talk to him; talk to him. Don't you
know some baby talk? Here, Joey. here,
here" And the major stopped his roar
ing and whistled, swapping his fingers.
His efforts were futile. joey cried the
louder, and the men left him in the
middle of the floor and sat down TO q
solemn consultation
''We'ye got to stop that crying first, I"
said Simpson, 'sNow, 1 remember
picked up q woman's paper once i'll a
doctors Office. 1t had a dozen columns
on the care OF babies. III go to the cor
ner and get some papers and niaga-
zines" And Simpson hurried to the
corner news store. He returned with his
arms full of weekly and monthly liter
ature and found joey crying at the top
of his voice. With nervous haste the
men pored oyer the papers until Bar
lows triumphap ''Here it isl brought
she others to him
t'Hiuts to Young Mothers, read Bar-