Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-04-03
MY LUCKY FIND.
/ was almost in despair.

What lot of trouble have brought
on myself for my good nature! Police
Investigations and reports, ar -ance,
chagrin, perhaps, at the quito, Yes,
it was enough to make man swear!
And the cause of it all was Baby
Mouse, hapless Baby Mouse! 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 a
strange story, and yet sweet and tender
withal. And it ends well-that's it's
best part.
Three months ago was coming home
with the evening shades. 1t was bitter
cold, and l rejoiced in anticipation of
my coZy, warm home and the simple,
dainty meal which my old housekeeper,
Johanna, knew how to prepare so we'll.
l was lest i'll just such comfortable
bachelor reverie, when descended from
the l. road to wend my way toward my
little Washington Heights home !
walked rapidly and soon reached there.
Opening the iron gate that led into the
tiny garden patch in front of the house,
I saw small package lying on the fro
zen SHOW.
ga present from somebody" said
half aloud, stopped and picked up my
find. Ny hands, bit numb with cold,
despite my fleece lined gloves, had
scarcely grasped the bundle when it be-
gan to kick and squirm. Nor was that
all. 1t raised such lusty howls that my
neighbors' windows flew up, and they
stuck out their heads to see what it
meant.
1t would have done me good to see my
face just then in a convenient mirror.
All the nursery tales Of cry babies and
with rush l felt like depositing the
lively packet in the place where 1 had
found it, but that would have been
cruel.
Aye, it would have been worse than
murder to leave such little mite out
in the open with the thermometer at 10
above zero. / had no desire to make the
acquaintance of the state attorney.
But, better than all, great pity swelled
my heart for the unfortunate creature
whom love]iness had cast away, and as
fast as I could run with my burden ]
ran into the house. Johanna met me in
the door.
See what I have brought you,"
said, with a laugh.
The good woman gazed with horror
on the squilming, shaking babe and held
out her hands.
Doctor, what does it mean?' she
gasped.
'I 1t means, Johanna, that for the next
few days you are going to bathe and
feed and fondle this little waif, just as
you did me 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 a
jolly little youngster, 8 months old per-
haps, with chubby face, eyes as blue as
summer sky and lips that soon took
on cherry hue, as their blue, pinched
look died away i'll the genial warmth of
the room and Johanna's embraces that
alternated with mine.
Johanna brought out fresh linen, ar
ranged a bed and bathed and washed
the foundling. Tucking him comforta-
bly, away in an improvised crib, she
gave him bottle filled with milk, and,
when he had appeased his hunger, he
fell into a peaceful slumber. l kissed
the baby's brow and said to Johanna:
Il am going to report that case to
the police i'll the morning, and I'll asl,
them to let me keep the little one until
his relations are heard FROM"
Johanna gave me an amazed look.
My life is so lonely" continued,
''he may bring some color into itp'
may have sighed as walked away
''You haven't forgotten, DOCTOR" an
swered the good woman, "no matter
how hard you've tried!"
Next day'I went to the chief of po-
lice. He recorded the case and had nc
objection to my keeping the baby. This
is the way came into possession of a
lovely and beautiful child. Johanna and
decided to call him Robert, but his
pet name - Baby Mouse was older
than that, and it clung to him.
And now you know who Mouse is.
Nobody ever came to claim him, and
my heart opened to the tender waif as
it had never opened before.
Mouse, of course, was treated like a
king. Now and then Johanna would
say, "You are spelling the child, doc
tor!' But she was us weak us ! with
regard to Mouse.
He grew and prospered like flower
i'll the sunshine of our love and was the
lustiest youngster on the block.
But there must be rainy days as well.
One day Mouse was taken ill, and be-
fore night we knew that he had been
49, 4 4.