The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-01-09
Elcie'c
Little Miracle
3, Ann. st.s.s Richardson
Copyright. ise- :, MAY aekson

| dpaTL- Inere was no particular reason
for this state Of affairs. save the lack
Of something better to do.
/ You see, they had just enough money
so that Billy did not haye to work nor
Janet to worry about making both euds
meet. They bud ddnced their way
through several seasons into II lazy.
good humored and cOIrrade-iike engage.
ment. thence Into matrimony. After
that Billy, bad continued to lead CO.
tillons and Janet TO dance them. but
! generally with other partners.
Matters between them had reached
the point where the ruInor laden socI-
ETY. papers had suggested covertly that
when Billy went to England and Scot
laud. where he had nothing in partic-
ular to do. Janet would probably take
up her home in Nevada or South Da-
kota. there to remain until Norman
Stanley returned from Africa. where
he was fighting eunui by hunting big
game. 1t was even whispered that
Billy Dalton Ind lnsinuated to Stanley
that 1t was rather better taste to stalk
big game than another mans wife. es-
peclally when the other man was per-
fectly willing to make It clear sailing
for his wife II It would make her any
happier.
OF course, this sounds bit strong on
paper. particularly to the old fashioned
folk who still believe that marriage is
a contract for life and not a mere cpl.
sode. In the set to which the Billy Dal-
tons belonged the situation was &C.
cepted as matter of course. and when
Janet asked lot of people down to
their Long Island place for the auto
mobile races and the week end no one
thought of refusing just because the
Daltons might separate within a fort
night after the gathering.
Such was the situation when the
Dalton car broke down on the Jericho
turnpike, and its occupants-Janet,
Mrs. Greenwalt, Joe Jeffreys and
Marsh" Huntoon-decided to cut
through the woods to the Dalton place
and leave the car for farmer to guard
until the mechanic who handled the
Dalton garage could be dispatched to
the scene Of the accident.
Perhaps 1t was not entirely impa-
thence which led them to take the
short cut through the woods, but the
call of hundred autumn voices in
rustllng leaves, rich, warm colorlngs
and the chatter Of squirrels laying up
winter stores And thus 1t was that
they suddenly stopped In their tracks
and listened to a sound that was not
of the woods, but of the nursery-the
plaintiye wall OF a child. Janet 1t was
who found tia bit of white faced,
staring eyed humanity rolled up snug.
ly in great shawl Of Iceland wool.
While she held the baby in her arms
and tried to silence its walls with I'M
certain and awkward little pettings the
quartet held conference. The child
was too young to have walked there.
Mrs. Greenwalt said 1t was not day
over two months old. It was too far
from the road to be heard by passing
travellers. Ah-there was the answer,
wisp OF paper tied to the end Of the
shawl:
please take care OF little Elsie. 1t
was not her fault that she came into
the world, and can do no more"
I've always said that the govern
ment ought TO regulate the question OF
marriage among the poor" remarked
Mrs. Greenwalt severely. Here is a
case in point"
"You are jumping at conclusions"
said Huntoon dryly, Lets take it to
the town marshall
"And what then?" asked Janet with
out lifting her gaze from the child's
face. The baby had clutched her fn-
ger with its tiny fist and settled down
as IL 1t had found anchorage.
"Oh, there are asylums and homes
for youngsters like this. You'd better
hurry along home with It before 1t be.
gins to howl. One of your men can
take 1t to town before dark. Shall /
carry the little beggar for you?"
4Oh, no. She's not a bit heavy, and
she Is quiet now. She might cry II we
changed her position"
They trudged on through rustling
leaves and soft Indian summer haze,
three Of the party chatting gayly; two.
the young wife and the baby, looking
into each others eyes as IL searching
for ANEW key to the problem OF life.
Sometimes Janet wished TINT the child
would close its eyes. She did not like
to meet that trustful, clear eyed gaze.
"Have you disposed of the young
ster?" asked Marsh" Huntoon as they
sat down TO dinner that night.
Janet started and looked across the
table at her husband. He lifted his
eyebrows inqulringly.
Huntoon's good humored laugh broke
he awkward silence.
what? Don't you know that our
party was increased by one during our
ride this afternoOn7 Rather a small
one but, my, what lungs II hasT"
Janet drew in her breath sharply.
Il wish you would not talk any more