Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-09-27
THE
| SPE.NDERS |
A Tale of the Third Generation
By HARRY LEON WILSON
2 g.
by LothrOp Publishing Company

CHAPTER XIV.-CoNTlNUED.
You know it's so, ma" the daughter
rent on, accusingly. "One night last
Tinter when you were away we dined
t the Balldridge's, in Eighty-sixth
treet, and the paYements were so
leety the horses couldn't stand, so
!ol. Balldridge brought us home in the
Elevated, about II o'clock. Well, at
ne of the stations a big policeman
Ot on with a little baby all wrapped
ID in red flannel. He'd found it in an
reaWay, nearly covered with snow
there some one had left it, and he was
qking it down to police headquarters,
said Well, ma went crazy right
way. She made him undo it, and then
ne insisted on holding it all the way
own to Thirty-third street. One man
aid it might be president OF the
United States, some day; and Col.
Dalldridge said: Yes, it has unknown
ossibilities-it may even be a presi-
lent's wife'-just like that But
bought ma would be demented. 1t
Jas all fat and SO warm and sleepy it
ould hardly hold its eyes open, and
believe she'd have kept it then and
here If the policeman would have let
ler. She made him promise to get it
bottle Of warm milk the first thing,
md borrowed $40 of the colonel to give
the policeman to get it things with,
md then all the way down she talked
gainst the authorities for allowing
nch things-as if they could help it
md when we got home she cried-you
mow you did, ma-and you pretended
was toothache-and ever since then
he's been perfectly daft about babies.
Why, whenever she sees a woman go
ng along with one she thinks the poor
hing is going to leave it some place;
md now she's in with those charity
workers. and says she won't leave New
fork at all this summer"
Il don't care" protested the guilty
mother, at would have frozen to death
just little while, and it's done so
tften. Why, up at the Catholic Pro-
ectory they put out basket at the
tide door, so a body can leave their
Iaby In it and ring the bell and run
tway; and they get one twice a week
sometimes; and this was such a sweet,
bat little baby with big blue eyes, and
It's forehead wrinkled, and it was all
,uckered up around it's little nose"
And that isn't the worst of It," the
relentless daughter broke in. "She
tets begging letters by the score and
tives money to all sorts Of people, and
man from the Charities Organiza-
ion, who had heard about it, came
ind warned her that they were i'm
Iostors-only she doesn't care. Do you
snow, there was poor old blind wom-
In with a dismal, wheezy organ down
It Broadway and Twenty-third street
the organ would hardly play at all,
and Just one wretched tune-only the
woman wasn't bind at all, we found
,ut-and ma bought her a nice new
Irgan that cost SIS and had 1t taken
ap to her. Well, she found out through
This man from the Organization that
the woman had pawned the new organ
Tor $40 and was still playing on the
bid one. She didn't want a new one
because 1t was too cheerful; 1t didn't
make people sad when they heard 1t,
ike her old one did. And yesterday
ma bought an Indian"
"A what?" asked her brother, in
Imazement.
AN Indiana tobacco sign"
You don't mean it? One Of those
ads that stand out in front and peer
under their hands to see what pale
Iaces are moving into the house across
the street? Say, ma, what you going
70 do with him? There isn't much
room here, you know"
Il didn't buy him for myself" re-
Piled Mrs. Bines, with dignity; II
wouldn't want such an object"
She bought it," explained his sister,
for an Italian woman who keeps a
little tobacco shop down in Rivington
street A man goes around to repaint
hem, you know, but hers was so bat
tered that this man told her it wasn't
worth painting again, and she'd better
get another, and the woman said she
didn't know what to do because they
cost $25 and one doesn't last very long.
The bad boys white him and throw
him down, and the people going along
the street put their shoes up to tie
them and step on his feet, and they
scratch matches on his face, and when
she goes out and says that isn't right
they tell her she's too fresh. And SO
ma gave her $25 for a new one"
But she has to support five children
and her husband hasn't been able tC
work for three years, since he fell
through fire escape where he was
sleeping one hot night" pleaded Mrs
Bines, "and | think I'd rather stay
mere this summer. Just think Of al
those poor babies when the weather
gets hot I never thought there were
so many babies in the world"
We'll. have your own way" said hel
son. "If you've started out to lool
after all the babies in New York you
won't have any time left to play thu
races, I'll promise you that"
why, my son, never"
But sis here would probably rathe
do other things"
II think" said Psyche, I'D likC
Newport-Mrs. Drelmer says | SHOULD
not think of going any place else
Only, OF course, | can't go there alone
she says she would be glad to chape
rome me. but her husband hasn't hat
very good year in Wall street, ant
she's afraid she won't be able to g,