The Virginia enterprise., 1907-12-06


I and ventured the question: "What is
her vocation?"
She is an actress"
An actress? How strange" But
to the nurse the strange part of it
was the tone of Dimmick's words
1T would not be right to deny her
the privilege of seeing the baby" he
continued. land there would certainly
be no harm in letting her come hero
tomorrow evening for a while"
1T is against our rules to give any
one the address of our baby care
takers: though. If you will allow it,
can take the baby from here"
| NO" Dimmick replied firmly Tell
her that whoever takes Billy must also
take me. Bring her here yourself to-
morrow night"
So it was decided, and after the
nurse had gone, and Billy was sleep
ing snugly in his basket Dimmick sat
long time before the fire. He was
thinking of those other days when his
house was not the shallow apartments
OF bachelor. When Nellie, the girl
he had loved and won, sat with him
| in the warm glow of the open fire.
Three years of domestic happiness,
then the storm came-the storm that
| wrecked their home and drove the
one whom he believed would always
be true TO him out of his life She left
him, deserted him, to satisfy the de-
in1r
made but little protest. He let her
| go. 1t had been a year since she left
him.
To Danish the unhappy thought of
that parting, he tiptoed to Billy's era
die and gently raised the covering.
The lips were working as if the nipple
was between them. A smile played
over the baby's face. Billy was hav-
ing pleasant dream. Dimmick smiled
too, but tear dropped from his eye
as he stole quietly to his room for
the night.
The following evening Billy was
| dressed his prettiest and given his
meal little early that he might look
his prettiest when his mother came.
That the woman might visit her
little one undisturbed, Dimmick took
his pipe and novel to the library, and
let his housekeeper receive the two
women. He heard cry of surprise
from the hall when the door opened,
then other cries of rapture, almost
hysterical, muftled by Billy's cover.
ing.
Poor woman" said Dimmick to the
title page. He settled deeper into his
chair and turned to the book-mark
with determined effort to get in
terested in the story.
"Oh, you darling, you darling" cried
the woman aloud "You don't know
your mamma, do you? Bless your
heart, little one. l know you're hap
py here"
Dimmick closed his book sharply
and sat erect in his chair Who was
this woman, weeping and laughing
over Billy? The bitterness, born of
desertion and hatred fell upon him.
| The sweetness of other days tingled
at his heart; truly, hers was a voice
he had heard and known before
! He crept softly to the door. Billy
was laughing now, and the woman
was suffocating him with kisses. Yes,
sweetheart, l know you're happy, ever
so happy"
Dimmick stood in the door, Billy
was playing havoc with the woman's
hair, and her face was buried in the
boys fat cheeks
He scowled and clenched his fists,
as if the little fellow was in a tigers
grasp. His first impulse was to order
her from the house. But his fists re-
laxed and the scowl left his face, for
again that delightful sweetness of 9TH
er days tingled at his heart.
The woman became suddenly aware
of his presence, and, laying Billy in
his bed, covered and shrunk over the
cradle, begging pity.
Forgive me, forgive me-" she
pleaded, "but l had to see my baby,
l did not know he was here. Must l
go?"
Dimmick scowled again, and silent
ly indicated the door. The woman
|
ing his cheek, detached herself from
him. Il am so glad he is here,'' she
said lowly, looking about her and alb
sorbing the comfort of the room.
"Good-bye, sweetheart" said she,
turning to the door. Tears glittered
in her eyes, and her fingers trembled
when she pressed them to her lips to
toss farewell kiss to the Growing
baby. "Good-bye, little sweetheart, I
must CO."
Dimmick rushed after her when she
reached the hall. "Oh, Nellie, Nellie"
he cried, don't leave him-don't
leave me again. You will stay, won't
you? Say you will stay"
When she returned to the door.
; Dimmick stood with arms outstretch~
ed before the fire, pleading with his
old-time fervor: won't you return.
Nellie? We need you, Billy and l."
Il want to come back" she sobbed,
as he clasped her to his bosom.