Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-22

AoA VAol hoVCA dOuC tulS p1ol yCdi and what I'll never do again in the years to come. It made up to me for all I've missed and all I'm going to miss It was reward of demerit for not being respectable, and preventive of further sins. Oh, it was such vol cano as never was. It was drink and a blue ribbon in one. It was bang up end and bully beginning. It i vas
 It was Tausig coming In as I was going out. Suddenly I realized that, but l was in such mad whirl of ex- citement that I almost ran over the little fellow before I could stop myself
 ''Phew! What a whirlwind you are!" he cried. Where are you going?"
 'Oh, good morning, MT. Tausig," I said, sweetly. ''I never dreamed you'd be down 50 early in the morning.
 "What're you doing with the paper?" he demanded, suspiciously.
 My eye followed his I could have beaten Nancy Olden in that minute for not having sense enough to hide that precious agreement, instead of carry ing it rolled up in her hand.
 Just taking it home to go over it." said, carelessly, trying to pass him.
 But he barred my way.
 Where's Mason?" he asked. 1 Poor Mason!" said. "He's-he's asleep"
 Drunk again?"
 nodded. How to get away!
 That settles his hash. Out he goes today It seems to me you're in a deuce of hurry" he added, as 1 tried to get out again. Come in; want to talk something over with you"
 Not this morning" I said, .saucily. I wanted to cry. I've got an engage ment to lunch, and I want to go over this stuff for Mason before one"
 "Hm! An engagement Who with, now?"
 My chin shot up in the air. He laughed, that cold, noiseless little laugh of his.
 But suppose I want you to come to lunch with me?" 1 "Oh, thank you, Mir Tausig. But how could I break my engagement with-'
 With Braun?'
 "How did you guess it?" I laughed. '"Theres no keeping anything from you'
 He was immensely satisfied with his little self. "I know him-that old rascal" he said, slowly. q say, Olden, 1 just do break that engagement with Braun"
 q oughtn't-really"
 But do-eh? Finish your work | here and we'll go of together, us two, ! at 12:30, and leave him cooling his heels here when he comes" He rubbed his hands gleefully.
 But I'm not dressed"
 You'll do for me-"
 "But not for me. Listen: let me hurry home now and I'll throw Braun over and be back here to meet you at 12:30."
 He pursed up his thin little lips and shook his head. But slipped past him in that minute and got out into the street.
 At 12:30." called back as I hur- ried off
 got around the corner in a tiffy. Oh, could hardly walk, Mag, I want ed to fly and dance and skip. I wanted to kick up my heels as the children were doing in the square, while the organ ground out: "Ain't It a Shame?" actually did step or two with them, to their delight, and the first thing I knew felt a bit of hand in mine like cool pink snowflake and
 Oh, baby, Mag! A girl-baby more than a year old and less than two years young; too little to talk; too big not to walk; facing the world with a winning smile and jabbering things in her soft little lingo, knowing that every woman she meets will under stand.
 did, all right. She was saying to me as she kicked out her soft, heelless little boot:
 Nancy Olden, choose you. Nancy Olden, I love you. Nancy Olden. dare you not to love me. Nancy Olden, defy you not to laugh back at mel"
 Where in the world she dropped from, heaven knows. The organ grind C. pieksi up the shafts of his wagon and trundied it away. The pickanin- nies melted like magic. But that gay little firt. about year and a half old, just held on to my finger and gab- bled-poetry. {.
 didn't realize just then that she was lost, strayed or stolen. ex- pected every moment some nurse or conceited mamma to appear and drag her away from me And looked down ct her-oh, she was just little bunch of soft stuff; her face was a giggling dimple. framed in a big round hat halo. that had fallen from her chicken blond head; and her white dress, with the ttue ribbons at the shoulders, was just little bit dirty. I like 'em little bit dirty Why? Perhaps because I can imagine having a little coquette of my own a bit dirty like that. and can't just see Nance Olden with a spick-and-span clean baby. all feath- CTS and lace. like bored little grown up.
 You're a mouse" I gurgled down at her. You're a sweetheart You're