Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1908-02-27
they we're
bLIk D

her again for whole week, but we
must remember all tho friends down
to BiKby who have never seen he1
even once"
That's a fact" Herrick agreed
generously. "You writo me every word
they say about her, specially
Uncle Doctor. l bet he'll be aston.
1shed 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
Ike Chicago, where every one Is alb
sorbed in his own affairs. Why, even
the grocers boy acts as If he were
doing me favor when l tell him he
may look at her asleep in her basket!
I'm Just going to 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
homo OF her girlhood, Mrs. Herrick
waited in a futter Of anticipation,
while her own mother ouddled the
wonderful baby.
You haven't once said XIV pretty
she is, mother" she complained at
last.
The grandmother smiled you
see, my babies all had dark hair and
a great deal OF 1t right from the start, :"
was her apologize reply. She's a
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? Geo, 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 girl, know" shsspdshly.
II wasn't thinking for a minute.
Wasn't Chester awful disappointed
cause It wasn't boy?''
cot course not! We bod wanted
little blussyed, goldenhaired daueh-
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 towhead."
Tow!" echoed the ruf1ed little
mother. you ought 10 see the baby's
hair CLEAN and CLINT in the sunlight!
This house is so shaded with trees
that you can't half see her. Here,
I'll take her. mother She's tired and
sleepy-little blessing! Do 1 so to
my own old room?"
From her own old room Mira Her
rick issued that afternoon proudly
bearing a freshly dressed baby. On
the stairs she stopped to pull down
one Of the pettcoats, SO that it's 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 &
well. we'll, Bess!" was Nan 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,
l declare! My goodness! Did you
eyer!"
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 disappointment,
the visit of the married friend was a
tragedy.
What mite!" she exclaimed. II
suppose she looks SO little to me
because my Harold was always 30
big. And don't think she's as strong
as she ought to be, 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 sort of prodigy. can hardly
wait for you to see him"
The event of the day was still to-
come. DeN old Uncle Doctor, the
man who had OBLIGATED at the advent
of little Mrs 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 tho 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, amiahly, seems
to be perfectly symmetrical, except
that one eye is slightly strabismio."
That evening, in her room alone,
Mrs. Herrick sat down at desk to
fulfill her husbands request, but a
lump swelled in her throat as the va.
rious comments on the baby crowded
into her mind. At last she laid down
her pen abruptly and tiptoed over to
the bed. There lay the baby, wide
awake. Regardless OF rules. her moth.
1 u L. q