The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-01-02

had given her." l said. $50 now, you
understand, the child belongs to both
of u.s.
She bit her lip. at is all the same to
me-" she observed, after thinking for
a moment, and kissed the little one with
a vehemence that sounded like chal-
lenge.
Our child, forsooth! 1 hardly ever
got a sight of it, and all the changes our
establishment suffered on his account
happened as it were away over my head.
portant matters, my consent was
grudgingly asked. I'VE need a nurse;
l have already secured one, Anselm."
l nodded mutely.
Or it would be: eve must arrange a
nursery-it is too warm for the child up
there"
Again I nodded, without a word-the
worGanen were already busy in the pas
sage. There was nothing to be done, for
was it not all for our child?
We two seldom talked about him.
When we did, we always spoke of him
as st" But l was all the more con-
scious all day long of the presence of
this 1t in the house. FLUSH! not so
much noise; 1t is asleep. 1t must have
it's dinner. 1t must go out. 1t has hurt
itself" The whole household began by
degrees to revolve around it. This
nameless Neuter annoyed me.
ut is absurd; he must have NAME"
l said, at last.
81 quite forgot to ask the mother
mean the woman-his name" answered
my wife. "She said she was coming
again, but she has never been; I sup.
pose she is i'll. Well, shall call 1t Max
Max is pretty and short. Don't you
think SOP"
HIM" said I, between two puffs of
my cigar. Fritz is nice name, too"
at can't have its name changed about
for what everyone thinks" she an
swered, shortly; and, going to the door.
she cried: rs Max up yet?" Our child,
indeed.
On one occasion, however, did assert
my due share in our child. At lunch
time 1t was having dinner at little
table in the adjoining room. In the in.
tervals of our scanty, Pickering CONVEX
sation we heard his merry babbIe, ac-
companied by the rattle of his spoon.
My wife had not moments rest; she
was perpetually to and fro between Our
table and his, to see if the soup were not
too hot, or if 1t were not perhaps taking
too much.
WIFE" I said, quietly, but very de-
cidedly, from tomorrow 1t shall have
its meals at table with us. 1t is two
years old-quite old enough"
From that time 1t dined with US.
Sitting up in its high elbow-chair like
prince, close beside my wife, the two
opposite seemed like hostile party.
The poverty stricken, yellowish palor
of the little face had given place to a
delicate, aristocratic bloom, and the
round cheeks above the stiff folds of
the dinner napkin looked prosperous
and cherubic. Bravely did it work
away at its soup, and when it was fin
isha1 elar Ji4o cable like scepter. NV
wife and had exchanged a few words
and now sat silent. AS the silence was
prolonged, the great eyes seemed to
open wider and wider. They gazed at
my W>fe, gazed at me, in establishment.
almost uncannily comprehending like
tue eyes of grown-up person who felt
that al was not as it should be between
US. L confess frankly that those ewes
confused me, and that it was a relief
when Friedrich entered with the next
course. And 1 know my wife felt tie
same.
1t was the same thing next day. The
big, wonderfully blue eyes always
seemed to be gazing a sort of reproach-
full question at the pauses in our talk,
and, absurd as it may seem, we two,
man and woman, felt ashamed before
the child. Thus it happened that by
degrees our talk became more ami
mated; we explained and elucidated
the opportune lispings to one another,
and even sometimes laughed heartily
together over the little ones stumbling
efforts at talk
Her laugh was as clear and pure as a
bell. How was it l had never noticed it
before? 1t happened often now that as
bent over my writing that ringing
augh seemed to sound clearly in nv
ears, as though borne from affair.
With the first spring days 1t carried
IN its doings in the garden, of which |
commanded a view from my seat in
he office; and she was generally there, |
90. | heard the patter of the little |
eet in the gravel, and then her step. |
Vow, as she made snatch at it. its |
hirping voice We'd with the chorus of
parrows-now she held it, and heard |
he sound of kisses.
How could / work with such music
'oing on? l had opened the window;
warm balmy air streamed in, and a
strayed on to my writing desk.
hen she appeared from behind green
esprinkled thicket, dressed in dazzling
White, upon which the sun poured
God of golden light; only her face was
4 the rose-colored shadow of her para
Of. Slim and graceful, she came to-
Yards me. l must have been blind!
Why, the aunts and cousins were right
she was beautiful! A charming smile
t up her features; certainly at that
IOment she was haDDv-and tba hon |