The news & observer., 1897-09-26

/ cup TO pat the baby affectionately upon
its head, the baby growing and gurgling
all the more, much pleased by her
j brothers attention.. and by the tea that
ran down from her curls 10 the tip of
her little dark nose.
Gu laughed the baby, throwing her
arms around my neck in fashion
| truly abandoned.
What is your name?' Willie, the
elder boy suddenly asked, looking up in
my face with wistful expression.
| You're not the man that delled off
with the pot of luoyer what I've heard
my dad tell about? My dad said lie was
the pleasantest gentleman what ever he
see. Lord, my dad said he had all the
money there was in bank cause he
! broked open the safe with crowbar
and lelled away with the luvyer. Morn
| the price of hundred houses, my dad
said. You amt him, are your
To my great regret truth compelled
me to make answer that / was not the
| pleasant gentleman who had lelled off
with the pot
II can't remember him very well, but
my dad said he used to travel with us
sometimes when the dirty muskros was
after him. He could rakker and he
| gived me sweets and such. Are the
muskros' after you?
Il hope not" / said, glancing over my
shoulder to hide the smile that came to
my lips.
There amt none there whispered
the lisper To reassure me; 9TH been
watching. When Ith seeth the muskros
Ith just ruined away till Ith got other
side 'er big house. Then Ith throwed a
stone around the corner and lth runned
and runned.'
Here the baby crowed with delight,
and her brothers laughed like merry
Romans to think that the lisper had
thrown a stone at a policeman.
"Gimmie 'er baby Jimmie begged,
we'll pleased with himself and his
prowress.
MY daddy's taller'n you," Willie said,
| looking me over as he took up the
| thread of the conversation. But my dad
never minded lie just hitched up the
! horses Eastern blazes, and drove off
| like lightning that's what he said, and
! they never ketched him at all. Did
they Jimmie|
mo-" Jimmie replied, rolling the baby
| over on its back, while he patted its
stomach forgetfuliy. They'th never
ketched dad"
II thought you might be the man what
/ lelled off with the pot cause he always
had sweets in his pockets" Willie re-
marked, staring at my swollen pockets
with longing.
''Ath you got any sweets in 'er pot
ets?" questioned the lisper, new light
coming into his eyes.
Willie, hold 'er baby Ith think 'er
rye ath some sweets in ith potet."
He gave the baby to Willie, and being
thus unencumbered and free crept close
to my side with smiles enough to crozen
Il bushel of sweetmeats from the stern
est Of the grocers
Soon his tiny hands had rammaged
the swollen recesses, bringing forth q
little heap, above which the baby
crowd and gureled over the countenance
Of the lisper, and Willie's eyes opened
wide.
"And you amt the man what lelled
off with the pot either" Willie repeat
ed in wonder.
but you ith a pleasant gentleman
anyway" beamed the lisper, "aint ht
Willie?'
-ss-Dosa,t- s'au- nAnat- aIimmie. keel
all the big pieces" his brother otest
ed, as the lisper made separate pile
of the longest sticks and most desirable
chocolates.
: "These it'll for. NANNY" said the lisp
: err, clearing himself of the charge ant
: overwhelming me with the sense of hi
goodness. We mustn't forget nanny"
"No," assented Willie, ruefully. "Bu
she won't eat 'em and you'll have ZEN
; all yourself tomorrow"
9TH don'th know" sighed the lisper
shadow crossing his brow, 'er bab.
: may get 'em."
, "Why can't nanny come back to
t night?" the elder boy asked, his voic,