The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20

Dsskam.)
tt7 Nd that's how 7 came to be
-" born in a manger." Bobbert
o2Ps.odss. 4ss baby nodded. her
mouth a comprehending bud,
her eyes big with interest.
.Nuv' tory. Tell Babe nuv' tory"
she demanded
so then the wise men came. They
were shepherds, They came with their
hocks by night
.Huh?"
"Flocks by night. I say It was
something they had. They brought me
some Franks incense-
"Unka F'ank. Goo-ood Unka F'anl1."
"wm you keep still? It wasn't that
Frank
"warum nicht?" inquired the baby.
with a startling intenigibility. Her
German. for some reason best known
20 herself, was as distinct as her Eng
lish was gsrbled.
Because II isn't. silly. Uncle Frank
isn't q wise man-he's q p'fessor in col
lege. And they brought me
Look here. Bobbert. what on earth
are you talking about?'
I'm telling her eli about Christmas,
Uncle Frank" Bobbert removed the
corner Of the rug from the baby's
mouth and handed her her silk rag doll.
s.Nfinna said 10 amuse her, and I was.
About the manger was telling
so heard. But why do you cast il
in that form precisely? You see, you
weren't born in one, snd-and-er-you
really oughtn't to talk that way, don't
you know"
Why wasn't I7''
Because you weren't"
We'll, where was !, them"
You were born IN this house"
Where in this house,"
where? why. up stairs. suppose.
Are people always born up stairs ?"
Usually"
Never born down stairs al all? Did
nj you ever know anybody that was
born down"
'Oh. stop. Bobbert. Go on amusing
your sister. Ycu have a genius for
pure idiocy. Where's your mOther?"
Bobbert's sace fell The baby tore
on q bit Of her doll ard swallowed it
unrebuked-it was one Of her swallow
ing days-and began wetting her fn-
ger and following in suUdgy outline
the figures on the KATE Greenaway
wallpaper without one reprimand from
her brother.
% T I'm goin' 20 have a tree ] want to
make il myself They're al down in
the lib'r'y. and 7 have 20 keep out.
They've got ladder in there too. And
they laugh al the time. nave to stay
here with her, What's the good O call
ing it my tree il 1 can't help. Aunt
Helena says won't my eyes pop out
when ] see: but they won't
CHadn't she better keep the doll to
play with and eat something else?')
Il think ] might go in! Here, stop
eating that Baby. Let go, Somebody
fell of the ladder, too, and there ! was
out in the hall, I don't believe they
had the little back thing up that keeps
It from doubling up. What's the good
OF tree, anyway"
C"DO you think she improves the wall
paper with that border? Perhaps the
color comes oh.O
Here. stop that. Don't suck your
hand. Baby. Oh, goodness 1 wish
Minna was here. I'm. not 2 nurse.
never made such fuss when 1 was
little. know. il had a tree for any
body I'd let them have the fun OF it.
wouldn't you?"
His audience looked uncertain. In his
heart he felt that his nephew was
right. but prudence restrained him, and
he rose 10 go with tenporfzing air
swell, you know, it's usually done this
way" he suggested. It's supposed to
be in the nature Of a surprise. If you
arranged the whole thing there would
mt be anybody to surprise. would
there?" gls
Bobbert shifted. "oh. il. you stay out.
We could s'prise you, 1 s'pose," sae said
somewhat cynicslly. *-r az.
But I've seen so many trees
!The defense was very feeble; and Che
knew il.
'Oh, all right" said Bobbert, testify,
jerking the baby away from the high
fender. And they're popping corn over
the Ere in there; I heard it pop. = And
Aunt Helena said that it was so good
sugared, and that fat oneLthefone with
the yellow mustache1ss sam = that q he
should think all that she ate would
taste" " '~s-t~k
How CO you know what they said p.
Il heard" 4sAF
"How2" a .-ts
7 heard" -,
"How did you hear?" = Ia a ~
Through the keyl1oie.' sBebbertSset
his jaw ana twisted a piece of y the
bsby's dress nervously. d. ~
And since when have you adopted
that method OF obtaining information,
Robertson"
Il don't care. only did a momenti
] don't care II it is snealzy-I might
just as well be snealxy II I'm not going
20 Annapolis. II I do anything at all,
everybody says: oh, dear! I'm afraid
you'll never be a lieutenant after all.
They never do so,' And IL 1 say I'm
gotng 20 be one, they say, I wouldn't
l-a----l a EaoL-L.-a . Alll -. a...4 -l.l.