Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-08-30

Carolyn was making mud pies.
From that day for ten years they
had been faithful chums. At times
the two porches were hostile citadels,
but peace treaties never failed in their
mission until the time when he depart
ed for college,
The first vacation he had seen little
Of her. She was sixteen, and did not
care to remember the mud pies. The
next year it was roses and June time
again. and when he went away he left
his heart behind.
But last year The sharp ring Of
the signal bell for trains startled him
from his reverie. It had been all her
fault He picked up his grip. She
was self-willed. She had guyed him
numerically. She had hundred and
one brainless idiots kissing the hem
Of her trim white duck skirt. She was
not true. And yet
He started down the long waiting
room In hot haste. There was a fig
ure just passing through the heavy
swing doors ahead. It was the young,
irresponsible mother, and she was un-
mistakably hurrying to catch the sub
urban train.
He glanced back at the seat. The
baby was still there, alone, and sleep
ing. It all flashed over him instantly.
The irresponsible, absent-minded moth
er had buried her head in a novel and
forgotten the baby. With Craddock to
think was to act.
He prided himself on his ability to
grasp a situation and twist it into
proper shape. Disregarding the looks
Of the people around, he caught up
baby, shawls and all, and strobe after
the young woman. Just as he passed
through the tall iron gates she board
| ed the train, and as he swung on to
the platform the train shook itself up
and started on slow trot
He was wrathful, but determined.
Rudely jostled from pleasant slum-
bers, the baby cried Justify all the
way, and as he entered the car it took
| q fresh start.
She was sitting midway down the
aisle, and had just settled herself COM
fortably when he dropped the bundle
down into her lap.
There's your child, madam" he
said, bent upon whitening her with po-
lite sarcasm. "In your haste you for
got it."
The girl gasped In utter amazement
at the sudden apparition and raised
her face to look at the donor. As she
did so Craddock felt strange chilli
ness start at his toes and steal up
wards. 1t was Carolyn. The next
thought was worse. 1t was Carolyn's
baby.
Before he could speak she had
turned her whole attention to the cry
ing baby with the natural woman's
instinct, and as he saw the two heads
close together he wondered vaguely
why he had not known it must be
hers from the blue eyes. No one on
earth but Carolyn had big, serious blue
eyes like the baby, with that lock Of
innocent wisdom in them.
The train lurched as It swung
around curve and he sank into the
seat opposite her. A benevolent old
lady across the aisle beamed on them
with kindly interest, and he set his
teeth hard as he read her thoughts.
He would keep his temper, at all
events. There should be no family
quarrels enacted under the eyes Of
that old penguin opposite.
Under the influences Of Carolyn's
caresses and tenderness the baby had
subsidized, and was cuddling contented-
ly back to sleep in her arms. He
dared not look at her until, accident
ally glancing up, he saw that she was
regarding him with cold, serene dis
approval.
1t was maddening under the circum-
stances. He had read somewhere in
book, or had heard it said by one
who knew, that girl, after she had
donned the cap Of matronhood, and
knew what was good for collie, al
ways regarded former sweethearts
with cold, serene disapproval
He wondered whom she had mar
ried and ran over the list Of brain
less idiots swiftly, discarding them
all, however, as unworthy, and all the
time there was that heavy heartache
within, and feeling that nothing mat
tered, and he was sorry he had come
! home.
All at once Carolyn spoke, steadily
and distinctly:
May 1 ask where you got this
baby Mr. Craddock?"
This was too much. He laughed,
and hoped it was a sardonic laugh.
The old sweethearts always met the
look of cold, serene disapproval with
a sardonic laugh, he knew.
II got 1t where you happened to