Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-04-03
Copyright, by Lothrop Publishing Company.
CHAPTER XIV.-CoNTlNUED.

You KNOW IL S SO, ma, the SnteI
went on, accusingly. zone night last
winter when you were away we dined
at the Balldridge's, in Eighty-sixth
street, and the pavements were so
sleety the horses couldn't stand. so
Col. Balldridge brought us home in the
one of the stations a big policeman
got on with little baby all wrapped
up in red flannel He'd found it in an
areaway, nearly covered with snow
where some one had left it, and he was
taking it down to police headquarters,
he said. Well, ma went crazy right
away. She made him undo it, and then
she insisted on holding it all the way
down to Thirty-third street. One man
said it might be president of the
United States, some day; and Col.
Balldridge said: Yes. it has unknown
possibilities-it may even be presi-
dents wife'-just like that. But I
thought ma would be demented. 1t
was all fat and so warm and sleepy 1t
could hardly hold it's eyes open, and
believe she'd have kept it then and
there il the policeman would have let
her She made him promise to get it
a bottle of warm milk the first thing,
to the policeman to get it things with,
and then all the way down she talked
against the authorities for allowing
such things-as if they could help it
and when we got home She cried-you
know you did, ma-and you pretended
1t was toothache-and ever since then
she's been perfectly daft about babies.
Why, whenever she sees a woman 60
ing along with one she thinks the poor
thing is going to leave it some place;
and now she's in with those charity
workers and says she won't leave New
York at all this summer"
Il don't care protested the guilty
mother, lit would have frozen to death
in just a little while. and it's done 50
often. Why, up at the Catholic Pro-
tectory they put out a basket at the
side door, so body can leave their
baby In it and ring the bell and run
away; and they get one twice q week
sometimes; and this was such sweet.
fat little baby with big blue eyes, and
its forehead wrinkled, and it was all
puckered up around it's little nose"
And that isn't the worst of it, the
relentless daughter broke in. s'She
gets begging letters by the score and
gives money to all sorts of people, and
a man from the Charities Orgauiza-
ton, who had heard about it, came
and warned her that they were i'm
postors-only she doesn't care. Do you
know, there was poor old blind wom-
an with dismal wheezy organ down
at Broadway and Twenty-third street
the organ would hardly play at all,
and just one wretched tune-only the
woman wasn't Lind at all. we found
out-and ma bought her nice new
organ that cost SIS and had it taken
I'D to her Well, she found out through
this man from the Organization that
the woman had pawned the new organ
for $40 and was still playing on the
old one. She didn't want a new one
because it was too cheerful; it didn't
make people sad when they heard it,
like her old one did. And yesterday
ma bought an Indian
"A WHAT" asked her brother. in
amazement.
IAN Indiana tobacco sign"
You don't mean it? One. of those
lads that stand out in front and peer
under their hands to see what pale
faces are moving into the house across
the street? Say, ma. what you going
to do with him? There isn't much
room here, you know"
Il didn't buy him for myself" re-
piled Mrs. Bines, with dignity; Il
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
them, 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 SIS 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 new one"
:; But she has to support five children,
and her husband hasn't been able to
work for three years, since he fell
Through fire escape where he was
sleeping one hot night" pleaded Mrs.
'Bines, ''and I think I'd rather stay
here this summer. Just think of all
those poor babies when the weather
gets hot. never thought there were
SO many babies in the world" ',.-~.. H..
Well, have your own way said her.
son. III you've started out, to look
after all the babies in New York you
won't have any time left to play the,
races; I'll promise you tina ..,,:s:9:s: : ss.=.
Why, my son, |. never s. s. E: 4. {.
t'sBut sis here would probably rather
do other things. @ s..s.s .z*S s !. i
~ think" said Psyche, STD like
Newpoft-Mrs. Drelmer says 4 should
mot think of going any place else.
Only, OF course, I.can't 60 there alone
She says she would be glad to chape-
rome me, but her husband hasn't had
q very good year, in Wall street. and.
she's afraid she won't be able to go
herself. & 5..s
I Maybe, q began Mrs. Bines, IL