The San Francisco call., 1904-07-24

little boot:
Nancy OIden. I choose you Nancy
olden, 1 love you. Nancy Olden.
dare you to love me. Nancy Oldeh. I
defy you to laugh back at mel"
Where in the world she dropped from
heavens knows. The organ-grinder
picked up the shafts of his wagon and
trundled it away. The pickaninnies
melted like magic. But that gay little
fiirt. about year and half old. just
held on to my finger and gabbled-
poetry.
I didn't realize just then that she
was a lost. strayed OF stolen. I ex-
pected every moment some nurse or
conceited mamma to appear and drag
her away from me. And looked down
at her-oh, she was just a little bunch
of soft stuff; her face was a giggling
dimpIe. framed in a big round hat-halo,
that had fallen from her chicken
blonde head; and her white dress. with
the blue ribbons at the shoulders. was
just little bit dirty. 1 like EN- a little
bit dirty. Why? Perhaps because
Ne1AA AAAAcA5AAAC AAdLNAAlS a AAbAlc NO4uENNC
of my own a bit dirty like that. and
can't just see Nance Olden with
spick-and-span clean baby, all feathers
and lace, like bored little grown-up.
You're a mouse gurgled down at
her. You're a sweetheart. You're a
And suddenly 1 heard a cry and a
rush behind me.
1t was a false alarm; Just long
legged girl of u rushing round the cor
ner, followed by lot OF others. It
hadn't been meant for me. of course.
but in the second when had remem-
bered that precious paper and Tausig's
rage when he should miss 1t. 1 had
pulled my hand away from that BIT
baby's and started to run.
The poor little tot! There isn't any
reason in the world for the fancies
they take any more than for our own;
eh. Mag? Why should she have been
attracted to me just because I was so
undignihed as to dance with the pick
aninnies?
But do you know what that little
thing did? She thought I was playing
with her. She gave crow Of delight
and came bowling after me.
That finished me. I stopped and
picked her up in my arms. throwing
her up in the air to hear her crow and
feel her come down again.
Mouse" I said. well just have a
little trip together. The nurse thatd
lose you deserves to worry till you're
found. The mother that's lucky
enough to own you will be benefited
hereafter by sharp scare on your
account just now. Come on, sweet
heart"
Oh, the feel of baby in your arms.
Mag. 1t makes the Cruelty seem a per-
fectly unreal thing. thing one should
be utterly ashamed Of imagining. OF
accusing human nature Of; thing on
ly an irredeemably vile thing could i'm
agine. Just the weight of that little
body riding like a bonny boat at anchor
on your arm. just the cocky little way
it sits up, chirping and confident; just
the light touch of a bit of a hand on
push down brick walls: to destroy pic
lures of bruised and manned children
that endure after the injuries are
healed; to scatter records that even +
I, Nancy Olden-can't believe and be-
lieve, too, that other women have car
ried their babies, as I did some other
woman's baby, across the square.
On the other side Il set her down. I
didn't want to. 1 was greedy Of every
moment that 1 had her. But wanted
to get some change ready before climb
ing up the steps to the L-station.
She clutched my dress as we stood
there a minute in a perfectly irresisti-
BILE way. 1 know now why men marry
baby-women; it's to feel that delicious
: helpless clutch of weak fingers; the
; clutch Of dependence, Of trust, Of ap-
peal
1 looked down at her with that same
silly alteration I've seen on Molly's
face for her poor. lacking. twisted boy.
At least, 1 did in the beginning. But
gradually the expression Of my face
must have changed: for all at once I
: My purse was gone.
. Yes, Maggie MOnahan, clean gonel
My pocket had been as neatly picked
as 1 myself-well. never mind, as what
1 threw back my head and laughed
aloud. Nance Olden, the great doer-up.
had been done up so cleverly, so surely.
so prettiIy, that she hadn't had an ink
ling of it.
I wished I could get glimpse Of the
clever girl that did 1t. A girl-of
course. it wasi Do you think any
boys fingers could do a job like that
and me not even know7
) But 1 didn't stop to wish very long
= Here was 1 with the thing valued
most in the world still cIutched in my
, hand. and not a nickel 10 my name TO
get me. the paper, and the baby on
Orn way.
1t was the baby, of course. that de-
cided me. W 5u can't be very enter
t prising whena you're carrying pink
lumn of sweetness that's all a-smile