The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-01-10
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Take one last look at baby's beau
tiful eyes, Chester" said young Mrs.
fherrick, as they waited on the sta
ton platform for the train. IT'S
cruel to think that you will not see
her again for a whole week. but We
must remember al the friends down
to Bixby who have never seen her
even once"
That's fact" Herrick agreed.
generously. you write me every word
they say about her, Bessie-especially
Uncle Doctor. l bet he'll be aston
ished to see such fine, angelic baby"
Il know he Will. The truth is, one
reason I'm so eager to take the baby
down there is that she's never had
any real appreciation outside OF ours.
It's no wonder, in big, selfish city
like Chicago, where every one is alb
sorbed in his own affairs. Why, even
the grocer's boy acts as II he were
doing me favor when | tell him he
may look at her asleep in her basket!
I'm just going 70 revel in seeing ia
Their and mother and all the Bixby
friends go wild over the little darling.
There's the train"
The next morning, arrived at the
home of her girlhood Mrs. Herrick
waited in a fiutter of anticipation,
while her own mother cuddled the
wonderful baby.
You haven't once said how pretty
she is, mother" she complained at
last.
The grandmother smiled. You
see, my babies all had dark hair and
a great deal of it right from the start"
was her apologize reply. She's
nice, healthy little girl, though, dear.
Don't you mind"
Hello, there!" broke in a boyish
voice as Mrs. Herrick's young brother
bounced in at the door How do,
sis? Where's that kid? Gee, but
isn't he funny! This is your Uncle
Dan, sir"
What are you thinking of, Dan!
Your little niece is a girl"
"Oh, it's a girl, know" sheepishly.
Il wasn't thinking for a minute.
Wasn't Chester awful disappointed
cause 1t wasn't a boy?"
"Of course not! We both wanted
a little blue-eyed, golden-haired daugh-
ter"
Call this golden hair?" inquired
the baby's grandfather, whimsically,
as he bent and stroked the scanty
down. I'm my day we'd have called
that a tovhead."
Tow" echoed the ruffled little
mother. You ought 10 see the baby's
hair CLEAN and CLINT in the sunlight!
This house is so shaded with trees
I'll take her. mother. She's tired and
sleepy-little blessing! Do | go to
my own old room?"
From her own old room Mrs. Her
rick issued that afternoon proudly
bearing a freshly dressed baby. On
the stairs she stopped to pull down
one of the petticoats, SO that its fine
lace and infinitesimal feather stitch
ing should peep from below the dainty
dress
Nan Fielding was always so crazy
about pretty clothing that she'll ap-
preciate the work on that petticoat,"
she was thinking, as she hurried down
to the parlor, where one Of the friends
of her recent girlhood was waiting To
see her.
We'll, well, Bess!" was Mans greet
ing "Awfully glad to see you, If you
do look like ghost of yourself So
this is the wonderful infant? Let
me get a look at the little tike Well,
i declare! My goodness! Did you
ever!"
With that Nan definitely dropped
the subject of the baby and began to
tell about the course of study in the
literary club.
If Mans call was a disappointment
the visit of the married friend was a
tragedy.
What a mite!" she exclaimed. Il
suppose she looks so little to me
because my Harold was always so
big. And don't think she's as strong
as she ought to bee Bess. At her age,
Harold would straighten himself right
up. But then, Harold had cut two
teeth when he was as old as she is;
he's a sort of prodigy. can hardly
wait for you 70 see him"
The event of the day was still to
come. Dear old Uncle Doctor, the
man who had officiated at the advent
of little Ms. Herrick herself and who
had made tremendous pet of her
ever since, was coming to view her
baby She was especially eager to
hear what he would say.
When he walked in the first thing
he did was TO pick up the child and
carry her to the window, where he
studied her at arms length for fully
minute. Then he turned to the
little mother, who stood, awaiting his
comment, her heart in her eyes.
"Her face" he said, amiably. seems
TO be perfectly symmetrical, except
that one eye is slightly strabismic
That evening, in her room alone,
Mrs Herrick sat down at a desk to
fulfill her husbands request, but