The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-12

"Aber, dere ss Fritz But you do not him mind
NIGHT? He the kinder loves, go to Miss Brattoa-
Ach. she ISIS old maid"
Regina down the stairs and slipping past the
excellent Fritz who sitting curling wigs in the
front room, installed herself and the baby in the
tiny silk-fed back where Mrs Hansel kept
all her surplus as well as her supplies
There, by the light of dingy gas-burner Regina
made the softest of couches for her small charge.
Sashes kerchiefs scarves, and even laces she used
to make bed such a fairy princess might
have enjoyed Upon this rainbow couch she laid the
baby. and then, from interruption she hung
hungry over the wee little form and poured out to
it some of the pent-up mother-love which her own
baby was too many long eternities away to hear.
And the little dropped asleep the minor
tragedies of her restrained life since the babys death
came to the fore with sharp dstinctness
He never seemed to care!" she murmured vacil-
1ating between tears and hardness. Il could have
borne it-oh. think could have borne it-it he
had only seemed to care,"
opsIalrs she could hear the tramp or feet Soon the
Little Mother-Woman would come to rob her. the
spurious, make believe mother-woman of her treas
ure She got on her knees and clasped the sleeping
baby to her breast The child stirred and wbimnerea
softly, opening and shutting an aimless hand. its
mouth was halfopen, moist and as pink as a moss
rosebud Its scant fair hair as soft as the fur OF
very young kitten, damp Still sleepily crying.
she cuddled closer into the soft nest of Regina's
bosom, and in a moment had drowsed OF again.
Look, where the little stars play"
sang Regina. trokenly, controlling her wild longing
to press the sleepy baby closer to her heart
And call to the flying Sun:
Come back Sum- from your love the pav-..
There was a firm and extremely hurried stem ont.
side. and mans wife speaking quick word to Fritz
ut Regina did not notice. She laid the baby gently
WIN, singing, beneath her breath:
For your work is now-all-aone--
Suddenly there was a shadow her side: she wa.
caught casped, and held hard, hard against a very
stormily pounding heart
Regina"
t. She looked up, trembling into the earnestness in
sandy's face. and, crushing down her agitation at
what she saw there, whispered:
Hush! You'll wake herr"
The little phrase brought back to them both. with
poignancy that knifelike the many times in
the past that had used it to the other tiptoeinp
with hushed laughter about their tiny fat when ths
baby was asleep and they were helping each other
get dinner.
Regina I saw you with rnar baby" ne said
again, with a very unsteady voice. 81 did not know
did not realize"
You forgot" said Regina with reproof that was
the sharper for its gentleness
He shook his head dumbly vet humbIv. for bs
knew better than she how near he had been to
forgetting Then with manly determination he said.
vehemently and contritely
Il will never forget again Regina"
Hush hush, you'll wake the baby" whispered Re-
gina, happily and Sandy acted the rest silently.
"Oh, Mrs Cairns" gasped the anxious voice of the
Little Mother-Woman at the door, where is"
Then she caught sight of the heap of silks and what
lay them and darted forward, with an ejacula-
ton of relief.
II hunted for you everywhere" she explained az
she gathered her small daughter into her arms and
looked apologetically from Regina to Sandy. Then