The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-08

| am constant 10 my old friends. Poor
dear creature. 10 have his precious ear
torn, You can never tell me about the
fright and horror OF this dreadfu night
And I know you have been jealous (
baby, dear. What DO l care about
babies?"
Lucy had heard the news. She went
quickly downstairs and arrived in time
to hear the greater part OF her sisters
speech. If she will only keep on feeling
so,' she thought. Mr.. Gray Is d perfect
dear-for a cat-he is a great'deal better
han nothing, but the baby is worth a
dozen Mr.. Grays."
To steal upstairs to the nursery, to SIT
on the floor by the hour together WITH
| baby Mary, to hand her a spool o. threat
or a rattle, merely to have her drop it
with laughing glee, in order that her
devoted relative might pick it up-to
repeat this performance over and over
| again, was the greatest happiness Lucy
had known for years.
Lucy. you must make a stand, or you
vii be imposed on Miss Deborah in
| formed her a few days later. Esther IS
a dear child. but 1t isn't IN human nature
not take advantage of a bridge over q
| stream when you want to go across, ever
fl the bridge is made by the PROSTATE
! DCGH VI q dEOItd iPSi41l 49,
| much better stay at home and look after
her own baby. There is no occasion tor
her seeing so much Of her girl friends. and
| She and John nave surely been married
long enough not to need so many tete-a-
tete drives
! ''But | love to take care of tho baby,
| and Esther knows she is giving me the
| greatest possible happiness IN letting me
| do it. Nora takes all the responsibility.
am delighted to give Esther a little
| rest. And as for the drives, just think
how many times John and Esther have
taken two Of US with them. l an sure
they are most considerate.'
ooh, / suppose they are c~onsidorate as
you can expect two such needless young
| things to be. The modern parent is a p~G-
found mystery to me. In my day people
took all the care Of their babies, or else
| the bigger children looked after the little
ones. Many a time l have trundled you
longing to play 'Hi-spy' with Letitia and
the other girls"
1T was a shame. l wish mother could
have afforded a nursery maid"
That evening as the Wyatts We're sit
ting around their cheerful tea table, they
heard shrieks issuing from the baby's
room as Esther came out and shut the
door. John was taking tea with his class
mate, Ned SImonds, and it was Nora's
evening out. Her evenings out, by the way
were of frequent occurrence, for she was a
young thing and needed diversion.
The sisters looked at each other for a
moment in silence too shocked for words.
At last Miss Letitia said, do you sup
pose she is going to leave that child cry
ing like that?'
1T does not seem posible,'' said Miss
Deborah.
Presently Esther came gayly into the
room. She had been playing tennis, and
had come home just in time to give the
baby her supper and put her to bed. Es1
Their had on her bicycle skirt, and her
pretty hair was curling in little rings
around her face, while tie exercise had
given her a color even brighter than
usual.
I'm awfully sorry to be late, Aunt
Deborah she said. We were having a
most exciting tennis match; John and l
played against Frances and Ned Simonds,
and we beat them, although We did 1t
by the skin of our teeth. | thought that
was doing pretty we'll for a humdrum
pair from New York city. l didn't have
time to do my hair or change my dress.
| will after tea. oh, do you mind?' she
added, noticing the gathering cloud on
the faces of her aunts.
I am wondering how You can leave
that poor child screaming upstairs" Miss
Deborah said.
Esther laughed. 1T is nothing but TEN
per. She didn't want me to come down
stairs; the doctor told me not to humer
her. she added, as she helped herself to
tomato salad. IF 1 had stayed with her
80 H. x-~,,ll l~-1 HI +L~4 1890
evening when we leave her. Poor little
soul, it seemed very hardhearted to come
off, but she'll get over it in a minute"
Lucy wondered how any mother could
take those heart-breaking screams so
&c lmly, Miss Deborah felt indignant, and
Miss Letitia was driven nearly frantic
by the noise.
Don't you think somebody had better
go upstairs and stop herr" she asked. Il
have had a bad headache all day. and
although dare say the discipline of leav-
ing her alone may be good for her, it is
Just a little hard on me-"
"Oh, you poor dear said Esther, look
ing regretfully at her salad, Z never
thought of that. I'll go right up my
self and she rose hastily.
Let me CO." Lucy entreated. Il have
finished my supper
Lucy, you haven't eaten enough to
keep a bird alive said Miss Deborah
r~eproachfuliy. Let Esther manage her
own baby
Lucy gently pushed Esther back into
her seat. Il would like to go to her."
she said.
She ran swiftly upstairs. Mary was al
ready crying less violently. If she had
the Forsyth temper, she had also inner
tied the Norris disposition to make the
best of things. She was sitting UP IN her
crib and her two dimpled hands were
put helplessly up to her rosy face, while
the tears stood in her reproachful blue
eyes.
you darling Lucy cried, catching her
up and kissing her With passionate ten
derness. You little dear. come to Aunt
Lucy, come, dear, dear baby, and We'll
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross.
The baby was much pleased with this
invitation. and subsequent events proved
that she was not too young to learn tie
lesson of cause and effect. When she was