Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-17
The MISSION OF
LITTLE QUIET
BY ELIZABETH CHERRY WALTZ.
4. 4. 4. < Z x ~ z 4. x I
CCopyright. 1901, By Authors syndiostsl


Row." as some one wittily dubbed
the long block of SNOWY, 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 meager 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
the child was there. The child was no
annoyance to her, because il 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 deli
cate and pale, she had starry 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 layished on her, |
money from somewhere. She was
little queen, even if isolated with her
nurse in the third-story front of the |
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 eparted-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 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 a dozen useless COM
mands, impractical and accepted by
Nurse Brown with charity.
One gloomy day Lawyer Hodges re-
ceived 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
and imploring.
Madam"
you are surprised to see me, Of !
course. / have recovered. / am here
because ] want my child" !
Your husband must inform YOU,
madam. | am merely his lawyer. 1
Ict by his instructions" r
And he is in Europe. / know the I
hid is not with him and you know j
where she is. / would not let my /
awyer come-nor can wait / must d
ee my child-do you hear? l must d
ee the child" q
But, madam"
you need not say one word.
ely you. | am not afraid now of the I
Whole world, because / have the clew l
o the tangle. Harold was and is a a
ladly jealous man. He married me n
rom the stage with no deceit or guile o
n my part. He was always Jealous. IL
ways suspicious. And when | was
j. he thought he found those sus-
icions verified, seized the child and
ed to Europe. But God is good. / Il
m now well and l will not be trod- W
en- TO the dust, Harold did not take a
ably to Europe. She is hidden some 81
here and you know where. Think b
1t, think of it! My child torn from p
he and / am wholly innocent. Can Il
on deny me her one moment? Think
ow her mother must feel!" Ii
During this impassioned appeal the q
lwyer stood peering out at her as 81,
appalled,. He had not the least u
oubt of her innocence, for he knew
len and women well. But the hus- ~
and was his client and he must o.
and on the other side. Something
JADE him hate himself as he safd u
owly: &c
Madam, you must settle this with
our husband. / cannot act save as -
E instructs me-" y
AS you instruct him, you mean. I
now lawyers ways. Harold is rich
nd is your client. But l tell you that
the name Of humanity you dare not al
fuse to tell me if that child is safe al
ID we'll" %