The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-04-06

SUCK OUT Gnelr 06aQS TO see WnaD IL
meant.
1t would have done me good to see my
face just then in convenient mirror.
All the nursery tales of cry babies and
bewitched castaways came to my mind
with a rush. felt like depositing the
lively packet in the place where l 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 loneliness had cast away. and as
fast as l could run with my burden /
ran into the house. Johanna met me in
the door,
"See what 1 have brought you,
said, with laugh.
The good woman gazed with horror
on the squirming, shaking babe and held
out her hands.
Doctor, what does it mean?" she
gasped.
''It means, Johanna, that for the next
few days you are going to battle 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
jolly little youngster, 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 in the genial warmth Of
the room and Johanna's embraces that
alternated with mine.
Johanna brought out fresh linen, ar
ranged bed and bathed and washed
the founding. 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. / kissed
the baby's brow and said to Johanna:
I am going to report that case to
the police in the morning, and I'll ask
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 itl''
may have sighed as | walked away.
you haven't forgotten, doctor, " an
swered the good woman, mo matter
how hard you've triedl"
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 a
lovely and beautiful child. johanna and
[ decided to call him Robert, but his
pet name Baby Mouse was older
than that and it chung to him
And now you know who Mouse is.
Nobody ever came to claim him, and
my heart opened to the tender waif as
1t had never opened before.
Mouse, of course, was treated like
king. Now and then Johanna would
say, "You are spelling the child, doc
tori" But she was as weak as 1 with
regard to Mouse.
He grew and prospered like flower
in the sunshine of our love and was the
lustiest youngster on the block.
But there must be rainy days as we'll
One day Mouse was taken ILL., and be-
fore night we knew that he had been
attacked with diphtheria With flaming
cheeks and trembling hands he lay in
his crib, and l 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 the
danger was passed But another blow
came severer even than Mouse's illness.
My old faithful servant had caught the
Infection and had to take to her bed.
There was, a helpless man, with an
i'll woman and a convalescent babe on
my hands.
Surely it was desperate situation.
engaged trained nurse to wait on
the sick, but could not expect her to
look after me too. The little comforts
to which had been accustomed dropped
away one by one.
If only my wife was hereP'
My wifel
Yes, had been married-in fact. I
was still married And this, too, is a
strange story
My wife was an only child, spoiled
by rich and indulgent parents. When 1
took her to my modest home, l discov-
cred that she had many little faults
all women have-and l thought l could
wean her away from them. The big
faults, of course, l was willing to con-
done, for they were part of the bargain.
My wife was bit gay. bit frivolous,
bit stubborn and bit too fond of
dress But l loved her with all my
heart, and she loved me. And because 1
loved her endeavored to cure her of
these little imperfections.
1t was difficult piece of work. Sharp
words were spoken ON one side, tears
shed on the other, and the upshot of the
matter was that one day my wife left
me and returned to her parents. They
wrote me long letter, expressing re-
greet that my wife could not live with
me and advising that we had better
separate.
might have applied for a divorce,
but could not bring myself to do it, and
the other side took no steps for a legal
separation.
My life became dreary and sad, and l
believe | was on the short road to hypo-
chondria.
Mouse came just in the nick of time
and saved me from that fate. l gave
him all my love, and he was all the
world to me.
But my present dilemma was due to
the coming of the little castaway.
Mouse, Mouse" l said more than
once, what have you done?''
There were days when l dreaded to
go home-two siekbeds, nothing to eat
for myself; forsooth, cherries, lonely
home.
When l sat down by Johanna's bed,
she tried to console me as best she could,
but her cheerful words fell upon deaf
ears