Arizona republican., 1895-03-17

on them covering the platform filled me with fresh energy. All that morn ing we worked, and as we carried the last three up the steps l heard the clock strike one. I paid the men and went into the house. Baby carriages were everywhere. The parlor had row of them ou all four sides, they took up part of the dining-room, and a fringe of them surrounded the hat rack in the hall. deposited my hat in one of them and went upstairs. l opened my door and saw more car riages. They were everywhere, packed closely, leaving only a narrow path through which to pass.
 Lunch was over and Helen informed me that we had accepted invitations to an afternoon tea for that date. Cant I get out of it?' I groaned, but pre- pared to go, knowing that the chief topic of conversation would be my eX- traordinary purchase of hundred perambulators- As we started Helen said that perhaps her friend Louisa Hass might drop in to tea. She lived in Boston, but had a standing invita- tion to take tea with us whenever she pleased. '.She said seed come some day soon, when I saw her last Tuesday in town my wife said. Off we went, and as I had predicted my wondrous purchase was the chief topic of interest.
 On our return we found our friend had come, had been told that we were not at home and had concluded to wait for us "I saw some baby carriages in the hall" she said, "but thought noth- ing of them until 1 went upstairs to take off my bonnet. There l found them galore. I was amazed and couldn't account for so many in any way. What is the matter?" she asked. We showed her the telegram, told her all that we knew about it, and asked her what she could make out of it. We had given up wondering some time ago. At last 1 went to bed tired out with the days excitement, but my dreams were filled with endless rows of baby carriages.
 1 found out afterward that, chancing to meet friend in Boston soon after he sent the telegram, Lamb casually mentioned that he intended having a baby show at Anaxat in a week or so. This friend one Charles Caroline, as it chanced, had a brother in Anaxat and he happened to be at his house on the very afternoon of the tea party. As he said good-by to his brother at the sta tion, on his way into town, he re- marked that he believed there was to be baby show there soon. As his brother was about to question him the train came by, and, getting on, he left for Boston. On his way home his brother thought over his last remark, and after much pondering the idea came to him that that was the cause of my receiving one hundred perambula- tors that very morning. He was inn mensely pleased at having found the answer to the problem which no one had been able to explain, and informed his assembled family at supper that he knew why Mir. Woodis had bought those baby carriages-that he was go- ing to have baby show within a few days. It never struck him as peculiar that young lawyer recently married, as l was at that time, should have a baby show in his private residence, or, if it did strike him, the thought was vastly outweighed by the evidence against it.
 The news spread like wildfire, and by the next night it was known all over town that 1 was to have baby show in day or two. It naturally followed then that every mother who had baby was anxious that it should be entered in the show for others to admire and wonder at, and I came down to breakfast on the following morning ln lear and trepidatlon lest some eager mother should come to see me before the day was out.
 My fears were justified, for just as I was finishing my breakfast the servant told me there was lady on the porch who wished to see me. With a pre- monition as to the cause of her visit l hastened to meet her. She was sitting on the porch with her ba by in her arms She immediately arose and informed me that she had heard that was to nave baby show and desired to enter her little darling, when, to my dismay, who should l see approaching my gate but two more mothers with their pre- cocious infants. At this sight 1 hastily informed her that it was all mistake, there was to be no show, and-but to my mortified gaze was presented an- other pair approaching.
 'I am very sorry to have caused you this annoyance" l said, but there has been false report" And leaving her l advanced to meet the approaching forces, intending to address them from the porch hODinc5 that the first mother.