The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-06

Mary would get to love Deborah best.
People. as we'll as cats, always did sooner
or later, and no wonder, Lucy was obliged
to own with a remorseful sigh There
never was a more unselfish, spontaneous,
whole-souled woman than her sister Deb
orah.
Miss Deborah, meanwhile, had tp-
preached the baby with feelings of exas-
peration OF course Lucy had spoiled the
child. Lucy always did spoil everybody.
If no one had gone up to Mary that first
evening no one need ever have gone.
Esther had been right, she knew the
characteristics of her child better than
they did but the mischief had been done,
and now it was for her, Deborah Wyatt,
to discipline this small piece of humanity,
as she had disciplined the baby's grand
mother and her greataunt Lucy.
well, Mary Forsyth" she began, as
she entered the nursery, ''this is a pretty
piece of business! To keep three quiet
maiden ladies' in a stew like this every
evening. Either you howl until your
aunt Letitia is ready for the 'Nervine,
or else your poor aunt Lucy, dear, deli
cate child. has to spend her evening with
you l am positively ashamed of you.
you hear?"
Baby Mary heard. How much she I'M
derstood it were difficult to say, but she
stopped crying and fastened her blue eyes
on the rosy face of her aunt with fas-
cinated gaze. The next moment she cleo
trified her by saying, "Debba.''
ooh, the darling child" cried Miss Deb
orah. ''She is trying to say my name, and
she hasn't once tried to say Lucy or L.
titia. The dear, precious, amusing little
monkey! Dear baby, you must go TO
sleep, but l don't get up to the nursery
very often, so first I'll say Robert Barnes,
fellow fine to you, once, only once, re-
member and she lifted her out of the
crib.
Miss Deborah sat down in the low chair,
and, turning up one tiny, soft, pink foot,
she patted it vigorously as she repeated
the childish classic. When it came TOT
Here nail and there a prod;
Now, good sir, your horse is shod,'
she pinched the little foot with a will
and tossed it vigorously in the air. Mary
was delighted. She laughed uproariously
and put out the other little foot invit-
ingly.
well, just once more" said Miss Deb
orah.
At the end of the second performance
the baby put out her right foot again.
'You little monkey" said her aunt.
mo more positively no more
Mary looked thoughtful, then she put
out her left foot, and, in accents that
would have melted a heart of stone. she
said, "Debba'
nolNn 81 10 ~ 4
stairs her face wore the non-committal
look of person who does not wish 20
be questioned.
Have you seen the vening paper?" she
asked Lucy.
"Letitia had it moment ago. She has
just gone upstairs to get her embroidery.
What kept you so long?" Lucy inquired
after a moments silence.
':Was l long?" Miss Deborah demanded
with candid innocence. Mary was a lit
tie restless. 1t took longer to quiet her
than l expected"
1t was in vain for Miss Deborah to try
to keep her new relations with the baby
a secret, for that young person gave the
situation away the very next morning.
When she was brought downstairs and
her aunt Lucy was going to take her, as
usual, she shook her head, and, looking
past her to the sprightly aunt who was
knitting the red stripe of an afghan, she
said. "Debba"
so you taught her to say your name
last night?" Lucy asked, with that stab
at the heart with which she was only toe
familiar.
II didn't. Honestly 1 didn't. The witch
suddenly said, 'Debba, out of the hole
cloth. l couldn't have been more startled
if the gilt cock on the Browns stable
were to begin to crow. The monkey looks
so small and as if her mind were just n
vacant sheet of paper. Say Lucy, dear.
That is a much prettier name. Lucy,
Lucy.
''Debba'
''No, Lucy"
''Debba'
Mary laughed. The Wyatt sense of
humor had evidently been transmitted to
her.
You are an ungrateful little wretch.
Aunt Lucy is the person who IS a slave
to you
'Debba," and she put out her foot"
'Oh, you want me to say, Robert
Barnes, fellow fine' do you? / know a
great many nicer things than that. II l
am to be manager of a theatre | VIII
at least have a variety in the plays,
and taking the baby in her lap Miss
Deborah began 'This little pig went to
market, this little pig stayed at home, .
and so on down the line of Marys i'm
gers.
II am so glad we came on this sum-
mer,' Esther confided to her husband
fortnight later. 81 was afraid the baby
would be too much for your aunts. They
were used to the other children, and knew
what to expect, but the baby was an I'M
known quantity. I didn't think Aunt De-
borah would be so devoted to her"
"That was only because you don't know
Aunt Deborah
well, / know her now. l used to be
afraid of her before l was married, but
she is the dearest old thing In the world.
l declare she grows younger every day.
Before long she"
''You see 1 was right in yetolng your
proposition to go to boarding house,
John broke in. "It seemed pity that
three ladies with such a wealth of affec
ton should lavish it all on the cat
Mr.. Gray, who was lying on the hearth
rug, looked as if he had his own views