The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-05-09

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her knee. The lady bent over him.
This baby is worth great DEAL"
she said. why do you want to sell
him I"
Because there's six more like him
mot exactly like him cause I'm
one; bat we've got good many ba-
bies and not much money, and I
thought-I-I have to take care of
him all the time-and the girls don't
always like to have him round"
"Do you think he's worth hum
dred dollars?" asked the lady.
A hundred dollars Why, ofcourse,
no baby in the world could be worth
that
IL think ten would be enough"
said Eliza tremulously.
''I can't pay You all at once" said
the lady. She stopped and lifted the
baby into her lap and he leaned
against her, laughing contentedly.
'%But I'll pay by installments."
whats that 7" asked Eliza with
dread.
"Why little by little. you know.
If he suits me, TIL pay it all; but
meantime I'll give you-how much
shall 1 give you till we get ac-
quainted 7"
'Ten cents would do for tonight" !"
said Eliza.
The lady took up dangling silver
purse and, holding it out of reach of
the baby's fingers, she extracted a
dime.
~ suppose you II give this to your
mother she said gravely.
eyes, ma'am," answered Eliza
with greater gravity.
'sAnd here's one cent for you to
spend. And here's my card to show
your mother who's bought the baby"
Eliza stood looking at the lady.
"Good-by, said the lady. Whats
his namel"
David" answered Eliza.
David and I are going into the
house." said the lady. She gathered
the baby up in her arms, and he,
playing with the silver purse, never
looked at Eliza.
"Do you-do you"-asked Eliza,
"know how to take care of babiesf"
The lady's lips quivered. Every
we'll indeed" she said, and then she
went into the house and shut the
door.
"I'llleave the cart" shouted Eliza;
"you may need it"
Nobody answered, and Eliza walk
ed slowly away. She tied the card
and the dime in the corner of her
pocket handkerchief, but she held the
penny in her hand. When she reach
ed the postofice the boys were gone,
so she went in and bought ten candy
marbles for a cent. Then she went
on to Amy's house. The candy was
delicious and sticky and Eliza's mar
bles were delightfully."- hard. The lit
tie. girls kindly inquired about David,
answers. Eliza ought to have had a,
beautiful time; but she did not.
cpl walk home with you" she
said to Catharin Whitney, who lived
at the other end of the village.
"It's out of your way" said Cath
crime, with more truth than polite
ness.
"I don't care" said Eliza but she
walked so slowly that Catherine pro
tested.
"You act dreadful queer, Eliza
are you sick or anything!"
"No," answered Eliza.
She said goodbye to Catherine at
the gate. and then she waited some
time before she began to walk toward
home. The sun was setting and
pouring golden glory over the world,
but 1t all seemed dark to Eliza. She
walked more and more slowly. Her
head was hanging low, so that those
who passed should not see the tears
in her eyes. What was the matterl
She took out her handkerchief and
felt the ten cents in the corner. She
was coming to the postofice now.
Up that street she had trundled David
| to his new home. Eliza stopped and
threw up her head.
David |" she called !; then went
up the road like deer.
The maid of the lady who had pur-
chased David had just said at the door
of an upstairs room:
IA little girl to see you, mum"
when Eliza pushed past her.
Eliza was breathless; there were
tear streaks on her cheeks /; she threw
herself on a baby sitting in sweet
placidity on the floor.
"Oh, David, David" she cried,
"don't you know sister, don't you
love Eliza?'
David gurgled and thrust the nose
of a woolly lamb in Elias face.
Then the lady who was sitting very,
very near David said:
"What do you want little girl
This is my baby, 1 bought him to-
day.
"Oh, no, he isn't, he isn't, he's
mine.'' Eliza caught David around
his fat shoulders and dragged him
toward the door. 'I'll give you
back your ten cents and your penny
when earn another, but you can't,
you can't have him.
"Wait, little girl, wait, you are
hurting him. for David had begun
to whimper. "Let me speak to you
| for a moment, dear"
Something in the lady's eyes made
Eliza let her take David into her lap,
though Eliza stood close by.
"Once I had a baby something
like David" the lady put her lips
against David's curls. "And God
took him away-and-and I can't
have him back. You can have David
back-but don't try to give away OF
sell or lose anything that loves you
Some day there won't be so many
and you'll want to remember that
| x,o,. oIu,oxc loved euervh0dv God