The Press., 1907-10-02
The MOUTHS
OF BABES.
By TROY ALLISON.

u Copyrighted. 1907, by G. H. Sutcl1ffe.
Observation-Disclosures tt%
"I'd like to come over there" said
a small feminine voice somewhere
from the neighborhood of the hedge
row.
Drayton, sitting on his garden bench
with a newspaper and cigar, turned
toward the hedge that separated the
two gardens and located his visitor
She was evidently standing on some
thing high enough to enable her tc
overlook the adjoining territory.
Drayton went over to the hedge and
looked down into some exceedingly
blue eyes, surrounded by fun of vel.
low hair, surmounted by a still fluf11el
blue bow.
"Hello!' he said. looking down from
his six foot height. where did you
come fromT'
"I've been here often and peeped
through" she confded. Lift me
over" she commanded in the tone OF
one accustomed to being obeyed. hold
ing out her arms.
He lifted her over to his side Of the
hedge, and she ran directly to his rus
tic seat.
I'm not prepared to entertain la
dies" He stood with his hands IN
his pockets and smiled into her up
turned face. What can offer you
MADAME
"I'n take chocolate, please" She set
tied her skirts over her chubby little
legs and smiled back overwhelmingly.
Drayton looked dubious.
"Er-Tm sorry to say the chocolate
is all out. Wouldn't grapes do7" he
suggested.
Eyes; 1 dess dwapes will do very
nicely, thank you" And Drayton
imagined she was probably giving a
very good imitation of her mothers
manner.
When he returned from the house
with a bunch of grapes and a huge
peach, he found that she had filled her
| lap with his choicest roses and was
hugging them to her face.
''Trn doing to live here always. I'm
doing to marry you," she announced.
Drayton, thirty-six and bachelor,
actually felt his face turn red.
"Er-when?" he asked feebly.
Just as soon as you can Diet the be-
dagement ring"
| "Of course, of course, anything you
say, but what might be the name OF
my future wifeT"
'Louise. It's mammals name too"
cit would be lovely to have a wife
named Louise. but you wouldn't like
! my house, little girl It's full Of pipes
and things"
''I could stay out in the darden with
the roses, and you could bring an UNI
| brella and hold 1t over me when 1t
rained," she suggested resourcefully.
"That would certainly be unique. I
see you would be able to plan things
like real housewife should, but do
you think you could stand the pipesr
"You could keep all your pipes In one
room, and / could have a little blue
and white room and not have any
pipes, couldn't II never have any
pipes in my ROOM"
'That's the scheme. Well plan that
blue and white room right away" he
agreed heartily.
His housekeeper was surprised when
the paperhangers came next day and
did the south room In blue. She was
still more surprised when the van
drove up with all the furnishings for q
dainty little bedroom. She felt hurt,
considering how long she had been In
his service. It was special slight fol
Drayton not to tell her, first Of all,
that he intended to be married.
But Drayton, following a within, was
fitting up the room according to the
child's fancy.
Late one afternoon he strolled down
the garden path and found little Louise
waiting for him to lift her over the
hedge.
"Your blue room Is all finished, little
wife," he said, tossing her In the air
to her great delight. Its ready fol
you to look at. told the housekeepel
young lady was going to visit hel
this afternoon"
"Are there blue roses on the wall?
she asked eagerly.
"Rushels of them-and little white
frilly curtains. and dear little white
bed-and fairy tale pictures on TIL
wall"
"Oo-oo-but certainly do low
you" She chung to his fingers as they
walked toward the house. "pld yol
Diet the Sleeping Beauty pictureT'
"Yes-and Princess Goldilocks-it's
grand room, all right"
"Well, I'll marry you the first thini
tomorrow, and nurse can send over al
my dolls and things"
'Isn't this rather-sudden2 Perhaps
your mother would prefer your waiting
until you are a week or SO olderY
"No, indeed" airily. Mamma let
me do anything want-that is, mos
anything"
"But she'll miss you. and your papi
will miss you"
ooh, didn't you know2 I haven
had any favver for long time-mos
'leven years, nearly"
Drayton took In the flve-year-old dig
nifty of her In an amused glance.
"Rut II you haven't any papa In
sure your mamma will get very lionel!
II you marry so young"
"But I'm going to bring her owe