Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-11-30
Precious Old Home.

which already wore the garb and ap-
pearance Of inconsistencies and persist
emily sat in their inmost souls.
Shown to their room, which was a
model Of comfort and convenience,
they rested and refreshed themselves
and waited, as they had been request
ed, till summoned to dinner, where
they met their son for the first time i'll
ten years.
They had no real reason to complain
Of any lack of warmth in their sons
greeting, and he was genuinely glad to
see them. The mercury OF their spir-
it's ran rapidly up; but still they had
not seen baby.
Grandma felt that she was being de-
frauded, and ventured to speak Of the
desire Of her heart.
Baby? oh, yes! Nurse shall bring
her down for half an hour after din
her." was the smiling reply, and down
to zero again dropped the mercury of
grandma's hope, and grandpa sympa-
thized with her.
But, oh, when that half hour came.
Frail, but fair and sweet as one of her
own day lilies at home, grandma
thought, and her heart went out to tile
little girl with longing to love and
care for 1t in the old-time ways in
which she had nurtured her baby, her
only one, as the father Of this one,
but as different to it as the ox-eye
daisy to the forget-me-no
Hester Cross chung to the child with
loving tenderness, 10th, when the linn
it Of time was reached, to give it to
the nurse, who waited for her charge.
well see," she said, when she and
Jacob were alone again, well see lie
l am not to have any comfort with
Henry's baby. That nurse girl shall
not have everything her own way, but
there's one thing she may have, and
that's a rest"
Jacob looked thoughtfully and said
little. He saw further into matters
than his wife. She, without being con-
ceited, had more confidence in her own
ability to do things for others in her
own way satisfactory to them, as well
as herself, and in this case, as once
or twice before, he felt that she was
going to be disappointed.
Before he had time to speak word
in reply, door opened and closed
somewhere near, and they heard the
softly modulated tones Of their daugh-
ter-in-law in conversation with her
husband.
'They are dear old people," she said,
in reply to a question of Henry's, "but
1 am afraid a difficulty will arise in
regard to Lelna. l cannot have nurse
interfered with in the care Of our
child"
Undoubtedly mother will find her
greatest pleasure in devoting' herself
to the interests Of baby; what is the
objection, my dear?
"Oh, Henry! in these days Of en-
lightenment, l wonder you have not
learned better than to ask such a
question. Without being actually dis
eased, your mother is old and probably
in a weak state Of health. If we al
lowed her to nurse baby and caress
her as she did to-day, to any great
extent. we would without doubt be
subjecting our delicate baby to almost
certain infection that would be seri-
ously, perhaps fatally, injurious to her
health: don't you think SOP"
II am afraid, my dear, that this is
one Of the few subjects upon which
we differ slightly. When babies and
their grandmothers are separated from
each other by the new-fangled notions
you are learning at your meetings and
clubs, there is line drawn beyond
which my sympathy will not reach
The door closed sharply and they
heard the step of their son pass out
along the hall and down the stairs.
The old couple looked at each other
and each read in the eyes Of the other
the same thought. 1t was left for
Hester to give expression to it, how
ever.
OdCOUs Jul luSSoSC 10 SILL at tuC
depot; it shall never be brought into
this house by my consent. l want to
go home"
His lip quivered, but he smiled ac-
quiescence, and fastened out to inter
cept his son, who might be going to at
tend to the matter Of having their
boxes brought to the house.
To say that Henry Cross was as
tonished and hurt does not express his
state Of mind when his father caught
his arm as he was turning a corner,
and hurriedly Informed him of his
mothers decision. Hurriedly, because
If he had allowed his tongue to hest
tate, the old man must have weakly
broken down.
But father. I don't understand.