The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-01-07
CUPID'S RATTLE.

10 say, society had never been officially
6ng0rmed Of the fact. If an engagement
signifies pledge given and taken, or if it
means that he has given ring to secure
an option on her, they were not engaged
But she knew that Brent loved her and
aEsak some day she would marry him, and
he knew that she was the only woman he
sver had loved or ever could love; that she
RaEed his life and made it perfect And he
was sure that she knew this. In fact,
&here was between them what our grand
mothers called an understanding.
Then there came a terrible misunder-
standing. He could not understand, and
she would not What it was all about,
how it began, neither could have told He
thought that he was ten minutes late for
an appointment with her. and she thought
she didn t think, she lost or mislaid her
aemper And it grew, and it grew, = and
I'D began their tale of woe She was out
ssyeral times when he called. So he stop
ned calling.
She refused an invitation to dinner to
which she knew he was asked. He waited
an hour for her at a tea, and when she
same into the room he left it by another
him go, and her face fell.
Up to that time she had been prepared
10 forgive him graciously when the proper
moment CAME but when she saw him dis
appear through those portieres she knew
8hat she would never, never speak to him
again. He walked several streets, cursing
everything in general and one woman's
intellect in particular. Then he retraced
his steps and hung round the house like
yeritable thief, waiting to see her come
Bat and get into her carriage.
When Mrs Irenor's invitation to the
5aby's christening came, he wrote regret
Because she was going to be godmOther,
5ut he did not send it. "No, by Jovep
hs said savagely to himself "She needn't
abink she can keep me away from every
shing" He accepted the invitation, and
ssnt the baby silver rattle
The Trenor parlors were full when he
arrived, and she was not visible so he
wan6 out into the conservatory. Soon
there was a hush in the babble of voices,
and he looked through the window into
ahe drawing room. His eyes in the win
dow saw none of the gorgeous details, be-
cause she, the beautiful godmother, was
sOming into the room carrying the baby.
The sweet voice of the godmother thrilled
3ne hearer and then John Sherwood Ire
nor received the congratulations and good
wishes of his mothers friends, enduring
Ek all with calm, grave aspect, turning
Ais round blue eyes occasionally on his
gOdmother to make sure that all was
right. She held him in her arms, talking
30 him and for him. Once she buried her
face in his fluffy lace gown, and it was
probably only an accident that it was at
she very moment when Brent entered the
noOm~ Mrs. Trenor FASTENED to meet him.
A'Oh, Mr.. Brent, you re just in time to
speak to Jacky before he goes back to the
nursery. So good of you to come, and the
blessed lamb wants to thank you for the
beautiful rattle you sent him. He has
hardly let go of it once. Doesn't Miss
Sherwood look lovely? But then, she al
ways does
His hostess ratified on, leading him
nearer and nearer to the little hero of the
occasion The little hero was beginning
to be tired, and Miss Sherwood was COM
plstely absorbed in entertaining him
"Muvver's blessed lamb! Muvvers blue
gyesP' Mrs Trenor kissed the baby hands
Eapturously ''Will little white bear thank
Uncle Jerry for the boo'ful rattle? Isn't
he Blessed?' she added to Brent, and flut-
tered away. leaving the three alone under
the canopy
How do you do, old boy?' Brent put
one finger into the little pink hand, and
S-months-old Jacky held on to it with all
his, baby strength. A gurgling, throaty
laugh bubbled out as he tried to put bis !
visitors finger in his mouth.
Miss Sherwood concealed the smile that |
was tWitching her lips by pressing light |
Kiss on the baby's soft bald head She |
had responded coolly to Brent's frigid |
gregtIng.
4 very pretty party, - he said in an
awkward society tone.
Meaning the babyf'' she asked inno-
GENTLY.
Jacky had succeeded in implanting his |
9Dur little teeth in Brent's finger, and in |
his delight over his victory he flung the |
zattle on the floor Miss Sherwood and |
Brent both stopped for it, and through |
each mind ran fervent wish that they |
would not bump heads. But nothing so
commonplace happened. When they at
sempted to rise, they found that were i'm
prisoned. Jacky had seized the golden hair
in one hand and the crisp black locks in
8he other. Neither dared to use force to
secure freedom. Babies were unknown
quantities to both of them. Perhaps Miss
Sherwood might have donesomething, but
she didn't.
Hold on, old boy Stop that!' came in
srnothered accents from Brent, and even
more smothered was the remark of con-
giemnation that followed.
,Jaelzy did hold on, but not in the sense
shat Brent meant. He clutched both hands
more and more firmly, hammering them
sDgetheT at intervals. The gleeful chuckles
and loud orowings of her boy attracted
Mrs Trenor's attention. She fastened
across the room.
''Oh, little bear; monte. noniel Muvver's
Blessing Muvver's little white bear
mustn't pull hair.
She loosened the tiny fingers, but not be-
fore every one had observed the spectacle
Of two very red faces being hammered to-
gether by "muvvers little bear OF
eOurse every one laughed, and of course
Brent and Miss Sherwood had to make the
best of it and laugh too. Their eyes met,
and the laugh penetrated the haze of mis-
understanding in which they had drifted
Tor SO many days as the morning sun pene-
tho 1ox1 Huinrx Forr ~, %I,o oocI,ovo