The Bourbon news., 1901-12-17
The MISSION OF
hiTTAE QUIET
By ELIZABETH CHERRY WALTZ.
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Copyright 1901. by Authors syndlcate)

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Copyright 1901, by Authors syndlcate)
In the neighborhood of Diamond
Row" as some one wittily dubbed
the long block of showy, pressed
brick houses, Little Quiet's advent
caused no end of comment and burn
ing curiosity. Lawyer Hodges, the
keenest lawyer of the city, had once
been a waif and made his own way
upward. His wife was an invalid and
they were childless. When one day
child of year old and nurse maid
were installed at their house the
women of the block were not satisfied
until each had made a friendly call
and ELECTED such crumbs of informa-
ton as Mrs. Hodges would impart.
Pieced together it was meagcT in
formation. The child belonged to
one of Mr.. Hodges clients and he
had promised to give it his personal
supervision. Mrs. Hodges did not
know who the parents were nor why
annoyance to her, because it was
quiet. In fact, they called her Little
Quiet, although her name was Mary.
The good matrons of Diamond
Row. eager to do and be real society
people, felt and resented the subtle
differences between that baby and
their own less dainty and beautiful
offspring. For Little Quiet was DEG,
cate and pale, she had stSTrY eyes
and a small, red mouth. Her curls,
now light brown. would one day be
as dark as her lashes. Her skin was
fine and her hands and feet daintily
formed. Money was lavished on her,
money from somewhere. She was a
little queen, even if isolated with her
pressed brick. She was not neglect
ed. Before Lawyer Hodges took his
hat each morning he mounted the
two flights of stairs, cast a suspicious
eye over the nursery and bedroom,
inspected the child gravely and kind
ly and departed satisfied.
Little Quiet could not talk well, but
she chose to show appreciation or
affection by little smiles or move
ments and gestures. Her nurse, who
had something like a conscience after
a long siege of troublesome charges,
soon adored her.
There never was a baby like her."
she would say ten times a day.
Wherever her people are, they are
missing the sweetest one God ever
sent below"
Even Lawyer Hodges thawed as the
child began to look for his morning
visits. He showed it by a sharper
scrutiny and dozen useless COM
mands, impractical and accepted by
Nurse Brown with charity.
One gloomy day Lawyer Hodges re-
ceived a cablegram of some length
over which he looked sore. While he
was knitting his forehead, the head
clerk ushered in a woman. The law
yer glanced up, suddenly pushed back
the cablegram and rose. His keen
eyes met eyes quite as keen, but
beautiful and imploring.
''Madam!"
you are surprised to see me, of
course. I have recovered. 1 am here
because 1 want my child"
Your husband must inform you,
madam. am merely his lawyer. 1
act by his instructions"
"And he is in Europe. I know the
child is not with him and you know
where she is. would not let my
lawyer come-nor can L wait. 1 must
see my child-do you hear? I must
see the child"
"But, madam"
'You need not say one word. I
defy you. 1 am not afraid now of the
whole world, because 1 have the clew
to the tangle. Harold was and is a
madly jealous man. He married me
from the stage with no deceit or guile
on my part. He was always jealous,
always suspicious. And when 1 was
Ill, he thought he found those sus-
picions verified, seized the child and
fed to Europe. But God is good. 1
am now well and I will not be trod-
den to the dust. Harold did not take
baby to Europe. She is hidden some
where and you know where. Think
of it, think of itI Ny child torn from
me and I am wholly innocent. Can
you deny me her one moment? Think
how her mother must feel!"
During this impassioned appeal the
lawyer stood peering out at her as
if appalled,. He had not the least
doubt of her innocence, for he knew
men and women well. But the hus-
band was his client and he must
stand On~the other side. Something
made him hate himself as he said,
slowly:
Madam, you must settle this with
your husband. 1 cannot act save as
he instructs me-"
"As you instruct him, you mean. I