The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-02-17
MY LUCKY FIND.

Investigations and reports annoyance,
chagrin, perhaps, Mt the outcome. Yes,
ii was enough to make II man swearl
And the cause of 1t all was Baby
Mouse, haplcss Baby Mousei But, be
fore you, dear reader. will understand
why Baby Mouse should be to blame you
will want to know who he is. It's n
strange story. and yet sweet and tender
withal. And il ends well-that's its
best part.
Three months ago Yves coming home
with the evening shades II was bitter
cold, and ! rcjoiced in anticipation Of
my coy. warm home and the simple,
dainty meal which my old housekeeper,
johanna, knew how to prepare So we'll.
| was lost i'll Just such comfortable
bachelor rrvCric, when descended from
the l. road to wend my way toward my
little Washington Heights home |
walked rapidly and soon reached thcle
Opening the iron gate that led into the
tiny garden patch in front df the house.
| saw small rae kaEc lying on the fro
zen SHOW
"A present from somebody, y said
half aloud. stepped and picked up my
find. My hands, u bit numb with cold,
despite my ilccec lined gloves, had
scarcely Rraspod thu bundle WHOM II he
gan 10 kick and squirm Nor Was that
all II raised such lusty hoWls that my
neiEhhurs' windows flew up. ard they
stuck ont them heads IL Sc, NlH il
meant
II would have done me geud ia SIC my
face just then in II convenient mirror.
All tho nursery tales OF cry babies and
bewitchcd castaways came To my mind
with rush | felt like depositing the
lively packet in the place where ! had
found il. hut ihat would have been
cruel.
Aye, II would have been worse than
murder to leave such little mite ont
in the open with the Thermometer at 10
| above zero. ] had no desire Ia make the
acquaintance of the state attorney
But, better than all, great pity swcllcd
my heart for the unfortunate creature
whom loycliness had cast away, and IA
fast as | could ram with my burden |
ran into the house. Johanna met me in
the door
See what ! hnvo brought you.
said, with laugh.
The good woman ga2cd with horror
ON the squirming shaking babe and held
ont her hands.
doctor, what does il mean" she
ga pod
II - ans, Johanna, that for the next
few days you are going TO bathe and
feed and fondlc this little waif, just M
you did mo once upon time. "
And then | told her the story of how
| had found Baby Mouse
In the lamplight examined the little
founding, and Johanna, too, looked
him over with critical eyes. He was II
jolly little younRstcr, smonths old per
haps, with chubby face, eyes as blue as
II summer sky and lips that soon took
on cherry hue, NJ their blue, pinchcd
look died away in the genial warmth of
the room and .lohanna's embraces that
alternated with mine.
Johanna brought out fresh linen, ar
ranged II bed and bnthed and washed
the founding Tucking him comforta-
bly, away in nm improyised crib, she
gave him bottle filed with milk. and,
when he had appcascd his hunger, he
fell into a peaceful slumber. kissed
the baby's brow and said TO Johanna:
II am going to report that case to
the police in tho morning, and I'll ask
them to let me keep the little one until
his relations arc heard from.
Johanna gave me an amazed look.
MY life is so lonely" continued,
che may bring some color into it, ]
may have sighed as | walked away,
lyon haven't forgotten, doctor, an
swcred the good woman, no matter
how hard you We triedr'
Next day | went to the chief of po-
lice. He recorded the case and had no
objection to my keeping the baby. This
is the way came into possession Of
lovely and beautiful child. Johanna and
decided 20 call him Robert, but his
pet name 49, Baby Mouse was older
than that. and it elung To him.
And now you know who Mouse is.
Nobody ever came TO claim him, and
my heart opened 10 the tender waif az
it had never opened before.
Mouse, of course, was treated like
king. Now and then Johanna would
say, You are spelling the child, doc
tort" But she was as weak as | with
regard to Mouse.
lie grew and prospcrcd like a flower
in the sunshine of our love and was the
lusticst younRster on the block.
But there must be rainy days as well.
One day Mouse was taken i'll, and be-
fore night we knew that lac had been
attacked with diphtheria. With tiaming
checks and trembling hands he lay in
his crib, and | bent over him with
breaking heart. Long nights of anxious
watching followed. At last care and
tender nursing drove death from the
door, and the doctor told me that tho
danger was passed. But another blow
sanye severer even than Mouse's illness.
Ny old faithful servant had caught the
Infection and had to take to her bed
There 1 was, "a helpless man, with an
Ill woman and a convalcsccut babe on
my hands
Surely il was desperate situation
/ engaged a trained nurse TO wall on
the sick, hut could not expect her to
look after n4e tGo. The little comforts
to which had been accustomed dropped
away one by one.
IF only my wife was hereV
My wifel
Yes, had been marTied-in fact, l
was still married. Aud this, too, is q
strange story.