The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-04-18
BY Charles Welsted
COpWtght, 1909,
By the S. S. Mcclure COmpdnp.

made a move toward the hall.
want = some = wattee," murmured
the child. The curly head rolled rest
lessly. Mamma, baby want d'ink."
At the sound of voice from the adj
| Joining room the figure disappeared
quickly beneath the bed.
"Nursie's coming, dear" And the
woman hurried to her charge. The
hidden figure could have reached out
and touched the hem of her dress.
Poor little girl" the nurse said
soothingly.
''Gladys want mammaw
"Oh, mamma is asleep, dearie. Baby
wouldn't wake mammal
mamma, mamma" pleaded the
child. AS if in answer, from down the
hall low, sweet voice called softly:
Mamma coming, pet"
! In a moment woman entered the
room and crossed quickly to the bed
side. Reaching over, she kissed the fe-
verish lips and forehead.
Mammals here. darling" The little
arms reached up and were clasped
about her neck. GLADYS loves mann
ma" whispered the child. Mamma
stay with babyY
Yes darling, mamma will stay"
She folded the babe in her arms and
! hushed her to sleep. Then she crossed
the room to where the nurse was sit
ting in silence.
They whispered together in low
| tones. The figure beneath the bed was
eagerly straining to catch every word.
"She is little better, nurse, is she
not?" the mother asked anXiously.
! 81 think so. madam. This is the first
time she has awakened since o'clock.
i You had better rest while she is
! asleep"
! 81 cannot bear to leave her If that
! child were my own flesh and blood.
could not love her more. She was
brought by the police to the Orphan
| Asylum of the Gray Nuns in Montreal
one day when Mr.. Rogers and were
| visiting the institution. She has
brought such happiness into our lives!
The evenings we have spent at home
during the two years we have had
Gladys have been more than all the
rest of my life to me-"
Both sat in silence. Ten minutes
passed. and the burglar beneath the
| bed was getting restless. The mother
was speaking slowly again, as if in
thought:
Poor little darling! The police say
| her mother was a wretched creature
and the father confirmed criminal. a
| brute of man. Both were serving a
term in prison when we took baby.
Think of it, nurse-a sweet, innocent
little tot like that from such parents.
La Roche. | think their name was.
They know nothing of the child's
whereabouts"
Tears glstened in the woman's eyes
as she looked tenderly and yearningly
at the sleeping baby and left the room.
The nurse fingered a few moments
by the childs cot Then she turned the
J light very low and stole back to the
adjoining room. Later heavy breath
ing told the burglar beneath the sick
child's bed that the household was
asleep once more, but for how long?
He crawled out stealthily, but did
not hasten from the room. While yet
| in kneelng posture, very gently he
raised the child's tiny hands and kiss
ed them passionately, then reached
over and kissed the fevered forehead.
A smile passed over the little ones
face. The child was evidently dream
ing.
"Me loves mamma" she murmured
in her sleep.
| A tear fell on the baby's curly head.
20 God. what punishment"
| With look of unutterable anguish
the thief hastily slipped from the room
| and down to the stairway.
Some one was ascending the stairs.
| The burglar ran to the nearest window
and fire escape There were piercing
scream and crash. The man on the
stairs, startled, reached to his hip
| pocket, but all was silent again except
for a low groan which rose from the
court below He hurried to the head of
the stairs and peered out into the
darkness. The railing of the fire es-
cape was broken, but that was all he
could see.
Listen" said the doctor. who had
lust entered "Some one is hurt"
Burglars" whispered the other. BE
.dreful doctor. Wait moment and
I'll go down with you"
The two men reached the court be-
, low. Feeble groans came from the an
gle near the gateway.
"Whos there?" asked the doctor.
care you hurt? Strike a match, Mr..
Rogers"
On the couch in the library they
stretched the unconscious form Of the
burglar.
Hell not get over this in hurry.
poor devil! Call up the hospital for an
ambulance, Mr.. Rogers"
The man went to the phone and the
doctor turned on more light. Lifting