Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-12-31

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The story of His Lordship's triumph
had become an oft-told tale. Things
that happened a month ago are ancient
history to the jewellers in Gotham.
Wrs. Desbrow could have entertained
her callers with a much choicer and
newer bit of gossip If she had seen fit.
She did not see fit.
For two months now in the upper floor
of her handsome house on the ayenue
the baby SO strangely thrust upon her
had led an ideally happy life. With a
pretty w~hite-capped Swedish maid for
attendant and His Lordship for COM
panion it basked in the sunshine of a
most unexpected good fortune.
In the hour of its first appearance
Mr. Desbrow had been in favor of driv-
ing straight from the garden to a police
station and handing the child over to
the proper authorities. Mrs. Desbrow
had opposed him with unusual firm
mess. AS a rule they agreed upon their
plans with singular unanimity; that is
to say, Mrs. Desbrow would formulate
the plan and Mr.. Desbrow would agree
to it. On this occasion he had gone
so far as to reach out his hand for the
rheckstring. Mrs. Desbrow had reach
ed out hers and checked him.
"We will do nothing of the sort,
dear; we will drive straight home and
talk matters over there. l am not 60
ing to be questioned by any horrid po-
liceman. Then, too, they would take
the poor little baby right away off to
a founding hospital"
"Of course. There's where it be-
longs. Doesn't it?"
poor girls eyes, Willie, as l saw them
when,she said: Some dogs have better
times than some humans"
"Yes-of course-I don't doubt the
lady was quite correct theoretically,
but we can't put matters right for all
the unfortunate humans"
A cheerful interruption had come at
that juncture from under the laprobe.
A ripple of baby jollity. Mrs. Desbrow
lifted one corne of the robe to peep
under it.
"Oh, Willie, it is laughing" she said
ecstatically.
Mr.. Desbrow's artistocratic lip curled.
Il suppose tenement house children
do laugh on occasion.
And it has such a lovely dimple
<yhen it laughs. Do look"
FINN satisfied to take your word for
it."
His Lordship growled jealousy and
made as If he would take violent pos
session of his usurped basket. Mr..
Desbrow pulled zone of his long silken
ears and laughed lazily.
your Lordship has a rival. You
may as well learn to submit with a
good grace"
NOW, Willie"-the laprobe fell back
over the basket and Mrs. Desbrow
turned sweet, pleading eyes en- her sub
jugated mate-'be amiable about it,
please. Of course / have no desire in
the world to keep the child forever and
nobody could take His Lordship's place
in my affections; but I know that poor
girl never meant to give her pretty
baby UP entirely. l think she got
frightened when she had it put in the
basket and then when the horses
plunged so she had to jump back, and
altogether she was carried on with the
crowd"
"Of course she will find out where we
live and come for her baby. If we
should hand it over to the police she
would get into all sorts of trouble and,
poor child, she looked almost wild with
misery as 1t was"
"Then you are going to keep the lit
tie ~nuisance?" Mr.. Desbrow scowled
at the laprobe very much as he might
have done If it concealed a young alli-
gator.
"No, I'm not going to keep it forever.
Only just until we can find the mother
and then I'm going to be her friend.