The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-26
HEIR TO HOUSE OF HASTINGS.

As very few visitors ever entered the
| splendid boulevard mansion OF the Hast
| illgs, nobody but the architect. the doc
| sof' the servants and the man and mis-
uess Of the house know that the nursery
| was the dnst and most perfectly equipped
| room IN the house. The reason for this
/ was that Jacob Hastings had inherltec
MS great wealth that his fathers VIII
provided that It should in turn pass to
! MS eldest son. or IN the lack OF male
issue, it should revert 70 the large Hast
| ungs family OF sisters cousins and aunts
he spacious nursery was built for this
probiematical heir. but for fifteen years
/ ne came not 10 frolie in t.
Disappointed yearning Tor a child was
| however, not the only grief Of the wealthy
I Mrs. Hastings. The few servants en-
/ pioyed from tine TO time We're surprised
1 10 ind that Mr.. Hastings himself occu-
/ pied the nursery and that there he could
| De found at almost any hour OF the day
playing marbles with his valet or gall0p-
/ ing madly about the place astride of q
j bro0msticlz, which he called 'horsey In
fact it was well known below stairs that
/ the master OF the fine mansion was GafIy
/ ana, though Mrs. Hastings had very few
/ friends, those who knew her al all knew
/ that when death released her from tho
/ unhappy companionship Of her husband
/ II would also release her from the enjoy
/ a--N.lt u MS ElLltcS- N1lUld4l1, cl4t AEEA-
1 ted much, her fine golden hair became
! streaked with white and at last DR.. Kun
/ fora, the family physician, q shrewl and
! tender man. commanded her TO go south
/ 70 recuperate willie he remaining IN her
i home. could devote time and skill to the
I care Of the unfortunate man IL the house
/ Mrs. Hastings had been gone about five
months when her husbands hitherto child
hi
same time CONSERVATION was scattered
among his sisters. cousins, and aunts by
a notice printed in the daily papers, as
follows:
Born. At Pensacola, Fla. to Mrs. Jacob
Hastings, nee Genevieve Hartwell CAN'T,
! a son.
Then came letters to DR.. Kumford writ
ten by 4 trained nurse, n which the now
happy mother declared she was doing
IS well as expected; that she had the best
Of medical attention; that the infant was
Z robust and vigorous boy, and that shs
would return to her home as soon as her
ply sicians would permit She meant to
| hring her nurse along. and begged that
DR.. kumf0rd assure Mr.. Hastings rela-
! tiVes that there was no need u worry
about her or the heir. The good practic-
toner smiled as he thought of the irony
Of that last request, but fulfilled it, and
was thereafter deluged with letters. in
which fond and inpecunious spinsters who
had never taken much interest in Mrs.
Hastings, begged TO know when that now
interesting lady and her more interest
ing son might be expected to arrive,
Meanwhile. DR.. Kumford's patient in
the boulevard palace continued TO fail. No
longer could he course the merry broom
stick over a steeple chase Of chairs and
tables 10 NV lox bo FOL
limp and unenterprising tin finally it
seemed necessary that the wife and
mother be summoned. IN reply, Mrs.
Hastings said that the nurse upon whom
she counted had changed her mind about
coming north, but that she would her
self manage the baby during the trip pro
vided a suitably wholesome and agree
able wet nurse could be secured TO take
charge of Jacob Junior upon his arrival
in Chicago. At least that was the intent
of the information which DR. kuraford
circulated among the fond relatives.
So the good doctor busted himself to
find a buxom and amiable young mother
who could divide her maternal plentitude
between her own babe, and the young
p~ide of the house of Hastings. and it
so fell out that he did install in the SPLEEN /
did nursery whence Mr.. Hastings had /
removed, a sure enough baby, whose /
mother, for a generous stipend. was to /.
welcome and make ready for the little (
Jacob.
DR.. Kumford. attended by a not glitter /
in retinue OF elderly females was ut the !
train to meet Mrs. Hastings and her babe /,
They would have seized the sleeping bum /
die Of baby and fine linen and carried !
it off in triumph if the mother had been I
less jealous of IT. But she kissed them all I
across the precious parcel and insisted +
on holding it herself The porter, a zeal /
Gus colored Of mature years and shining
teeth, even deprived them Of the chance I
TO carry Mrs. Hastings luggage 10 the /
carriage, and when Dr. kumfori. hand /
ing him new dollar Till. said, -F0r your
trouble with the baby" the delighted (
porter laughed SO Justify and long that
lac was obliged to stop and lean against I
the iron fence.
Riding homeward with the most cen
siderate family physician. the gentle /
mother learned all there was 70 learn
about the state Of affairs at home There
were no other servants; there was no hope
for her husband; the doctor had taken 1t
upon himself TO retrench expenses by dis
missing them all. himself acting in the
dual capacity of doctor and valet to the
failing man.
But have summoned them back" he
explained land at last we shall find help
enough to avoid discomfort for yourself
and the child. The butler viii report in the
morning and the first maid and the cook
in time to make breakfast.
But though the Hastings home became
then the abiding place of its new owner.
neither peace nor happiness took fun
possession for nearly SIX months. on the
second day after her arrival. suddenly
and without any given explanation. Mrs
Hastings conceived a violent dislike To the
vet nurse and sent her packing away
in the family carriage with her vulgar
but TAT little baby in her arms. Or. ken
ford proposed another, but the lady Of the
house always a bit whimsical, declared
that she felt strong enough to nurse her
own child and did 50 u TIA great edifl-
cation ard delight Of all the ministering
aUnts. cousins ana sisters-in-law. The
boy waXed fat and lustv on his mothers
milk. nor vaned perceptiblv during the
distressing DAYS when his unconscious sire
slipped first into the shadow ana then
into the reality
When al that had happened an1 the
widow. Borrowing with reason. had set
tied down into the calm dstes of rearing
her thriving Eoy. when The business ar
fairs 81 Mrs. Hastings and IF 1he estate
had been duly and legally fixed Or. N8ln-
ford tired of MS long attendance ard
equipped with very dienlfel cheek on
Hastings bank hicd Inn away II f-lcrlda
for a well earned vacationsit so chance7
that. VIXEN be had pulled or bis zneeslrs
cap and had beEan 10 feel the train Iur1-
bic out of the dark station. be seit the
reed ~ 3 sr'Titcus stiHuill.. ana. having
summoned Che porter. saw al once thl-
fha- attendant WAS The Same Jealous. ma