Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-17

with acme OF her quaint ardor and Droksn
lisp "IittIe children don't mind the WAN,
do they. mother? Me and Tommy Ob, NJ
used TO wun out In the vain 70 grow pis.
But Atisn't the same VIII pis pe'p'e'
sbe had not spoken so much for a long
while, and her mother hardly knew
whether TO hope or DC afra an,s =, oos ret
we'll" she ventured TO suggest. 80. :
"Oh mother, Norry isn't tired a DIT. 1
fink she is better. Mother. do play the
piano for Norry."
what shall mother playT
"Play Polly Perkins; you know,
mother. the fng the Sergeant sings; DO
YOU know Polly Perkins Dandbyr =,
"If you like to crafty her. Mrs. ONeill,
I'll take her." said the Marquis, reooeh-
With q desperate glance Mrs. ONeili
deposited the whimsical baby In his arms
and after she had complied with her ues,
pot's command for a fish, half staggered
over to the piano, blinded by her tears, 70
play the wretched vulgar tune 5 3an,s I'M
ported from the London music haiis
Never was "Ta-ra-ra-b oom-de-ay play
cd In an atmosphere more tragic. Inc ue-
graded jingle rose In the astonlsne ~ 81
ience. nothing less discordant ana inap.
nronrfate than IL Ii had been played IN
church. For Norry alone Ii was not Out
of place. She remembered her friend, tne
Sergeant and made gallant enort 70
sing his parody. In a thin, hurried voice
she quavered, with painful earnesthess'
Polly Perkins had no sense,
She bought fiddle for elghteenpence;
And all the tunes that she could play
Was "Ta-ra-ra-bo boom decay"
She closed her eyes with the violence OF
her effort to finish the verse, and nestied
her little brown head against the Mar
quis's arm. ,ox
faE ht1f a
Grandby held up an arresting hand. There
was a drowsy look upon the childs race
that promised slumber. She muttered
something vaguely, and the MARQUIS pent
down to catch the words, feeling that ne
could never forgive tfe Sergeant II II
proved to be "Ta-ra-ra -boom-de-ay.' he
isn't markiss at ALL" she said. In spite
of the heavy feelings OF the moment
Lord Grandby Involuntary smiled.
He sat on there in the darkened hl'le
drawing-room, holding Norry asleep in MS
arms, while her parents and MarcelIa
hung over him, sometimes kneeilng vi
either side of him to inspect her anu
measure their chances Of hope NOT LOT
worlds dared he stir so burdened. Inc
scene recalled a nursery episode at the
beginning of his own married life. some
how he had taken IL less to heart III
those days. A child then, even his own
had not seemed to him so precious
charge; II was the heir of his estates ne
thought of, not of the matchless sunni
ness OF childhood. Now IL seemed TO MIN
that the opening and closing OF baby ilds
held all the mystery. the gravity, the I'M
mort of the universe. And when at last
the blue eyes opened. and unfevered sleep
had given a faint tinge to the wan cheeks,
he instinctiyely held out his hand 10 the
father and cried cheerily: There, Mr.;
ONeill she's better already! You'll ma
she has passed the crisis In that light
sleep"
The Marquis proved a prophet. Sir Mar
tin Bunbury stopped on his way TO the
station and this time announced the
grand news that nature had accomplish
ed one Of her mysteries. BY some unac-
countabe freak the child had turned the
critical point and there was nothing now
to do but to feed her up and keep her
amused.
Imagine how she was fed, and how re-
morselessly amused She might have
emptied the single confectioner's shop
daily. and daily have consumed the en-
tire contents of the glass jars at Mrs.
Reilly's gratis. Toys poured in upon her
I'm the oldest confusion, and the town
throve and sparkled and glowed upon the
news that the "drawingest" child on
earth was getting we'll
AS for the Marquis of Grandby, he was
regarded in the light of public benefac-
tor. Had he not been the means of re-
storing their sovereign to them, and was
he not one OF her devoted servants? Who
could dare challenge his projections now?
Bother the rents. He might raise them
any day IL he liked. and be sure he
wouldn't be shot Bless you. there he
goes along the street, the best-hearted
gentleman in Ireland Three cheers, boys,
for the Marquis of Grandby!