The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-11-23
Slightly Mixed.
(story from the Princess. In Two Parts)
PART L

(Story from the Princess. In Two Parts-p
PART I.
| 20. Jack, Jacki You are my one ray Of
| hope amid Egyptian darkness," And little
| Mrs Robins precipitated herself headlong
| upon her brothers manly breast, regard
| less of consequences TO very stir ana
| immaculate sh.rt-bosom- 1T was so good
of you to come early. for never was
woman nearer the verge of nervous pros
| trat.on. You know the Whist club meets
| here tonight, and tina. Harry has been sud
denly called out of town on important bus
| iness. Then this morning the cook had
| iareup with Fanny, the nursema-d. and
| took French leave; Masterman & Co. have
| failed to send the fan-such a beauty.
painted in orchids-which l ordered for
| first prize; the baby has just cut tooth,
| and is-well-not quite SO angelic as usual;
| while now, TO cap the climax, here comes
| a note from Mrs. Dawson saying she IS
down with an attack of la grippe, and
| can not be present this evening; so one
| ia BILE will be short, as it is nearly o'clock,
altogether TOO late to invite any one else"
| And when she paused from sheer want
of breath, all Jack could calculate was,
| by Joye!"
He succeeded in looking so sympathetic,
however, that it was like a tonic TO his
DEPRESSED sister, who soon rallied. For
| you VIII help me out; won't you, Jack?"
Sure, il l can But though there is con-
siderable of me, hardly think 1 could d.
vide myself in two, and the fellows in
camp decided that golf and tennis were
more my forte than cooking. Too apt TO
sugar the soup and salt the strawberries"
Then you shan't make the coffee or turn
out the ices" laughed Mrs. Robins. '.Iu
let you off that IL you'll go at once down
TO Masterman & Co.'S, see the manager
or somebody, and demand that orchid fan
or his life. And, o, Jack, would it be
an awful bore to take Repurt with you
In his little carriage?" The poor child IS
really suffering for breath of fresh air,
and it would be a positive charity to Fan
ny and me, who have hundred things to
do''
Now if Jack Hardy had not been just the
big, unselfsh, kindly chap he was, he
would certainly have refused this last re-
quest. But as it was he said: "All right;
trot the kid out" and said it with smile,
too Nor would anyone have supposed him
a victim on the altar of fraternal affection
as ne strode down the crowded street at
the fashionable hour, pushing before him
q pretty pink and white canopied peram-
bulator, in which, under soft white fur
rug nestled that scrap of humanity he
called his nephew.
wonder If I have the true paterfamil!as
air?" he thought, as he observed sundry
quizzical, girl;sh glances cast in his direc-
ton. And, bless my soul, what If I should
meet her, his mind reverting, as it had
done very often of late, to a fair COM
pagnon de voyage with whom he had
crossed the ocean three months before,
but whom ne had not seen since they part
ed on the wharf their homes being In
different parts of the country. Dear little
pocket Venusi She, too, had married
sister lying in b, and said she fire.
quently visited here. wish"
But at this juncture his meditations were
rudely broken by his coming into violent
collision with another wicker equipage adj
vancing from the opposite direction, one
which might have been a twin to the one
he was wheeling.
".Begorra, and can't ye be afther lookin'
where you're a-go.n?' exclaimed the Celtic
maid who was the propelling power of the
second tiny turnout, and as he appeased
her wrath with a humble apology and
one of his winning smiles, he discovered
that they We're right abreast of Master
man & Co.'S vast emporium, where every
thing is sold, from a paper of tacks to
a diamond necklace. Most imposing 1t
was, too. with its gayly dressed windows
and deep, tiled vestHDule.
This, likewise, appeared to be the OBJ
jective point of the nurseg;rl, who, as Jack
cried out in disgust: "Cracky, have 1 got
to tote the kid through all that crowd?''
volunteered: "No, sir. He's sound aslape,
so ye kin jist rave him right here in the
restabull, as I'm a-go;n' to do mine,'' and
she pointed to row of occupied and un-
occupied baby carriages lining the spa
cious entrances.
Hope the 'restabulf IS a safe place"
chuckled Jack, as he located his charge
with the rest of the waiting infants. any
way, l won't be five minutes"
But he counted without his host. being
sadly ignorant OF the ways and delays OF
retail merchants. The shopgiri referred
him to the fioorwaker, the ioorwalker to
the packer, and the packer to the manager;
all of which consumed so much time that
five minutes heightened 10 fifty, and the
electric lights were twinkling in the streets
when he at last emerged, the orchid fan
buttoned up in his breast pocket, picked
out the perambulator with the dainty
p.nk-lined lace-covered top, and started
homeward.
"Why Kathleen, what an age you have
been.' cried a fresh young voice, as a
slight, sunnyha,red girl ran down the
steps of a handsome brown stone house,
bent over small carriage, and lifted the
tiny occupant in her arms. Come TO
auntte, darlingl She will give baby her
supper and put her TO bed while mamma
is away Fetch the milk up al once, Kath-
leen," and off she tripped, with the rosy
little creature cu6dled close to her neck
But II was a veritable young tigress
who, ten minutes later, confronted the as
tonished Celt and shook her until her teeth
chartered. and the milk splashed over up
on her apron.
"Blissed motherI w-w-whativer es the
mather Miss Florence?" stammered poor
Kathleen.
Matter enough, you miserable girl"
And with the air Of a tragedy queen. the
young lady waved her hand toward the
infant now wailing Justify on the bed.
Look there! Is that our I,ily's curly
head? No. Are those our Lily's big blue
eyes? No. Is this our Lily at all? No;
it isn't. Its-its-a-a strange baby.
Nothing Ike our precious. beautiful pet
but a great, fat. ugly boy"
Chne Tall nil