The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-30

I IN HlraIu JOAA anu II WILLY ooOdp Ohno-
But old Abel says they'll take good care
of him on the cars I asked him once.
He says they'll deliver the baby to Mar
thy all right-the express folks will. I'm
trying not to worry. One thing hurts ne
terribly, but I've got to bear it, l can't
pay the express-I ean't-I can 't-and I'm
afraid to ask anybody to, for fear they IL
try to Keep the baby here. It wouldn't DO
any good to ask old Abel. !"
That ended the letter, save for little
crossing at the top, written i'll cramped,
uneven hand and blotted badly. Jim read
that last:
"I've said goodby to the baby now. He
laughed and crowed. For the sake OF
Gods pity, don't anybody that reads this
think don It love my baby!'
No. Al forged ahead through the moist
darkness. 1t had begun to rain in spas
modic, aimless way, and little fiirts OF
drops struck the window panes with dull
clatter now and then. The baby in the ex-
press bundle slept on happily. When he
woke up, some one thrust the bottle of
milk into his tiny, grasping hands. TWAS
jim
"We're due at the junction on time to-
night, the mall agent remarked by way
of making conversation. You going right
up town or stop along with the boys and
jolly up little?"
The junction was the end of their
Cheat" Two others took their places
there, and one of them was big Bill Muir
ray. Jim was thinking of Bill now. 'I'm
not going to stop off-going on down the
line, % he said briefly.
"'The dickens you are!'
"Yep-got business down there Jake
swung around and eyed him curiously.
"Ticklish business, hey? Anywheres
near Henly?"
Jim deigned no reply The bottle had
slipped from the express baby's clutch, and
an indignant wall was rising above the
trains roar The mail agent crossed the
car and replaced the bottle clurnsily. The
touch of the warm little fingers sent the
blood into his cheeks.
'There we are-hi-yi-yi," he muir
INJURED over the baby's fluff of soft hair,
then aloud, 81 say, Jim, Tn bowed if it
amt precious lively little kidd"
eyes, Jim returned grayely. eyes, I
thought SO myself. I never saw liyelier
one Watch him kick-whew, but don t
his little drumsticks flyr'
At the junction the new mail and ex-
press agents came on. They had bois-
ferrous merrymaking over the express baby,
and Jim was inwardly glad that he had
ssbusiness'' down the line. He lowered
near the baby mistakenly. Having now
nothing else to do, he seated himself by
the box and kept run of the truant milk
bottle Jake at the last moment had con-
cluded to go along, too, so between the
two men the baby was well cared for.
In the little town of Henly, almost at
the terminus of the line, johns sister
Marthy had lived out her uneventful life
in a measure of comfort and content. But
she had met John at the heavenly portals
and ''entered in" with him year ago.
Her little home in Henly was full OF
strangers now. Poor Marthy was barely
remembered at all. All this Jim found
out soon enough when he undertook to
"deliver" the express baby according to
directions on the little tag. Jake had
''stopped off" at Henly, too, and was with
him when the end came.
When No. Al came back on it's up trip
next morning three passengers got aboard
at Henly and settled themselves in the pas
senger coach. They required but two seats.
1t might be better to call them two pas
sengers and half. Jim held the baby.
The pillows and quilt and little extra
clothes were bundled clumsily together,
and Jake. held those. Both men were
grave1y, impressively silent. Only the
baby laughed and was ioquaoious.
There were very few passengers on No.
Al that morning to notice the queer trio
and how awkwardly the bit of growing,
kicking baby was maneuvered. There
were no women at all to notice. In his
heart Jim was devoutly glad of that.
81 say, JIM" began Jake after awhile,
holding his hand firm and tau5 for the
baby's feet to kick against-''I say, old
man. what you going to do about it? Go
ing to take the kid baok?"
ssBacKP''
Jim sat up degree stEaighter and eyed
the other man Indignantly.
tThe kids mother is dead. Am going
to take him back to the poorhouseP Is that
what you mean?"
Then it was Jake's turn.
Because, if you are, you know, =" he said
calmly, "there's going to be row. I'm
bowed if there ain 'ti"
"Who's going to make it?"
"Well, don't know but I would il
there WANT anybody else available. 1t
would seem kind of a pity for the little
kids ma to be worrying her life out up
above for fear he's being, raised on the
town"
eyes" Jim said quietly, chats So
it would. But guess she won't have to
mot if can help it.
"If you can help it--that's the rub, .
Jake said gloonljly.
"And can help it, " Jim went on. TIN
going to adopt the little kid myself. I fig
ured it all ont down to thsse places of deci
mails last night white was hearing the
little chap breathing and feeling his fin
ger tight round my finger. adopted him
then haven't figured out the bylaws
and ct ceteras yet just to my mind. But
I'm going to take him home to Becky and
let her do that. Becky's game. -
Becky was Jim 8 sister.
Jake whistled through HThe Star Span
gled Banner twice ia his ama2ement,
Then he slapped Jim on the shoulder
heartily.
'sI'n be biowedp' he cried. 81 tell you,
ola man if thaf's the racket Pm going tn