Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1900-02-24
THE GOOD 1T WROUGHT.



Rodney's bewildered brain.
"It's my nephew, Ernest" cried she.
"As true as live and breathe, It's my
nephew Ernest. A cradle! Then he's
been and gone and married that artists
daughter, after all. But III be at the
bottom of the mystery, or I'll know the
reason why"
what be / a-goln' to do with the
cradleY vacantly demanded the unsuc-
cessful embassy of Messrs. Newell &
Moulding. after waiting in vain for
some further advice.
Take it to Jericho, for what care"
said Miss Esther sharply. only don't
bring it here. We want no cradles In
this house"
Jericho being manifeStly out of the
question, Martin took the cradle back
to the warehouse, where Mr.. Newell
swore at him until he was out of
breath.
And Miss Rodney. whisking on her
bonnet and shawl, hurried round to the
quarter of the city, where she knew
her nephew had secured lodgings.
Married! and never to tell me-" said
she to herself. "a cradle, and never to
let me know. / wouldn't have believed
it of Ernest. Some fine lady with fold.
ed hands and rings on her fingers, and
nurse to take care of her baby, I'll go
bail. Poor Ernest; he never did have
common sense about those things"'
1t was pretty, one-story cottage,
just on the edge of the suburbs, on
whose door Miss Rodney knocked--a
cottage where, as her quick eye at once
perceived, the window glass was fault.
lessly clear, and the muslin curtains
daintily white. No one answered the
sound and, pushing the door open, Miss
Rodney entered.
In little room, at the end of the hail.
Mrs. Ernest Rodney stood, her sleeves
rolled up, her pretty arms immersed
in soapsuds while with one foot she
gently agitated the bread tray on the
floor Tin which lay a blue-eyed baby,
wide awake and smillng). Miss Esther
stood still and gazed at the fair, cherry.
checked little woman in her bingham
dress and checked apron, her curls pin.
ned back and her energies devoted so
earnestly to the task of washing Err
nests collars and wristbands.
''Not such helpless fine lady as I
thought" said Miss Esther "a pretty
baby, too, and the very image of poor,
dear Ernest when he was child"
Suddenly Mrs. Ernest, thrilled bv the
unconscious electricity with which
ones presence, however unsupported.
will inspire another. turned around.
"WhO are yOu?' she asked, with a
slight start. How came you here?"
Il am your husbands aunt, my dear"
said Miss Esther quite gently. "Wll
| you come here and kiss me? Yes. YES.
you are pretty-and you have a sweet.
truthful look. l do not believe that it
was through your fault that Ernest has
kept me in ignorance of all this"
"!pdeed-indeed, it was not" sobbed
fuzzy. "Oh, Aunt Esther, l have
| dreamed about seeing you so many
times-but you never folded me in your
arms like this. And you'll kiss the
baby. won't you?"
Il shouldn't wonder" said Aunt Es.
Their
And when Ernest came home, he
found Lucy all smiles and radiance. and
Aunt Esther tending baby as if she had
served a life apprenticeship at the bust
hess.
"Aunt Estherw he cried, starting
back.
Nephew Ernest" she retorted.
you have discovered my secret.
cried he.
II have"
'And who told your"
1.-THE cradle" answered Aunt Esther,
with a laugh, as she pointed down to
that useful article of household furni-
ture which, having at last Numbered
into the right place, stood at her feet.
And oh, Ernest, she has forgiven us
BOTH and she has promised to love me.'
cried Lucy land we are all happyw
God bless the cradle, then-that Is
all have to say" said Ernest, reVer-
ently.-New York Daily News.