Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-15

I t;ECAd laughed {, Mrs: Bart,
tea from you yesterday. If l lend you
the infant phenomenon, however. you
must be more prompt about bringing
back than am
Never mind the tea-we'n just keep the
baby instead. Won't we. Tot?" This last
query was addressed to the baby itself. d
pink and white mOrSel that obligingly
grinned as she picked IL up and pretended
to spank it. Really. Mrs. Bartlett. I'm
SO lonesome that I'm afraid I'll begin
talking to myself" she went on. as the
little one passed a chubby arm around
her neck and laid its plump cheek confid-
ingly against her own. Papa and mamma
won't be home until a late train. Brother
Will is going to stay downtown for din
ner and even the girl has her afternoon
out today. Our fat is dreadfully silent
that you can hear the dust settling down
on the furniture
Why don't you telephone for that tall
young man to come up?" Mrs. Bartlett
suggested. her eyes twinkling with fun.
I'D rather have the baby" retorted
Porta with pink cheeks. Il can make
the baby behave" and she ran out with
the little one. laughing.
Wait minute called Mrs Bartlett
Temptation was assailing her and she
wore perplexed little frown as Portia
came back I'm afraid you would be
getting more than you bargained for"
she explained. You see. the millennium
has arrived in the Bartlett household. Mr..
Bartlett has actually promised to go out
shopping with me this afternoon Baby
and I are to meet him at an old rem
n nd az
OF money spending We are to take dinner
at some cozy cafe where there is music.
We may not be home until or O'Clock.
and I couldn't think of leaving the prod
ICY with you until that time
why not?" reassuringly demanded
Portia. He won't be a bit of bother.
Jus: you run right on and have your lark
while baby and l romp- I'll take him
over in the park for while and make the
other nurse girls envious. and before
dusk we'll come in and get us up a
scrumptious dinner. Ill promise not to
feed him pickles or cheese, and we'll have
perfectly hilarious time; won't we.
Pudge?''
She gave the baby an extra hug. and
Mrs. Bartlett's eyes glOwed with the al
Turing prospect that opened before her.
''Trot along with him then. and your
woes be upon your own head she re-
piled. Frankly. I'm more delighted with
your offer than I can say. 1t will be de-
1icious to run Off with Jack for whole
afternoon alone and pretend we're a new
ly married couple again. / do hope the
child will be good all the time, she add
ed d0ubtfully
IF he isn't I'll trade him off for Sec
ond-hand bicycle Portia threatened. and
marched across the hall with him.
Within half an hour the mother of the
prodigy, having left behind her sundry
bottles and minute instructions to cover
all possible and impossible emergencies
started gaily down town, while Port ia
ho nv in he
park. Portia, in a neat brown walking
dress, and the baby with the ribbons of a
dainty white cap tied under his double
chin. were just at the door when mes
senger boy rang. She tore open the yell
low envelope and read the telegram with
dismay.
Aunt Marhaw i'll. Come on next
train. GEORGE
Aunt Martha i'll. She must be in a
dangerous. condition, too. or cousin George
would not have sent a message so urgent
to her favorite niece. Portia glared Wild
ly at the messenger boy as she shut him
next train left in half an hour. she dis
covered. Fortunately she was dressed
quite well enough for an emergency trip.
and she had money In the house. 1t
few necessities into suitcase. and then
"a sudden idea. one that had not yet
occurred to her. stopped her breath.
What was she to do with the baby?
Another wild dash to the telephone
Mr. Bartlett was not at his office. He
had gone out to meet his wife, and would
not be back that afternoon They had
no idea where to find him. She made
frantic attempts TO catch her brother by
phone and failed The minutes We're
flying. Finally. in desperation, she threw
a wrapper and some linen into her suit
case. scrubbed two notes. left one on the
dining room table and slipped the other
under Mrs. Bartlett's door. and started
trr the train. baby and all.
She alighted from car at the depot
with only four minutes to spare. Her
train was already steaming and throb-
bling on the track. The baby and the
suitcase weighed about ton each now
= and she found herself wondering with
catch in her breath that was suspiciously
like sob, how women with children ever
made up their minds to travel at all At
the door Of the waiting room she bumped
square into the arms Of a tall young man
who was coming out She muttered a
distracted apology and was pushing
frantically past when the young man
spoke to her.
Are you taking this train, too?''
Ed she gasped. and before the as
tonished young man knew what was hap
pening TO him she had thrust the baby
into his arms. Don't break it. It's
borrowed" she warned, as she dashed fol
the ticket window In relief. She felt that
her burdens were lifted. now that she had
met this particular tall young man. and
from the window. ticket in hand, and saw
that the two were getting on splendidly
without a formal Introduction. The baby
had the tall young man by the ear, and
was holding his head back by that lever
age TO look square into his eyes and say
''Ah-h-h -h-h-h.' in a tone of friendly but
Arm command.
He merely wants you to waltz with
him. Portia explained, she picked up
her suitcase That's his fathers chief
sphere OF usefulness when he gets home,
and Of course the baby expects il of every
man who has the ability"
How clever of him.. said the young
man grimly. as the baby tried to gouge a
pink inquisitive finger in his eye. but he
followed submissively to the train
II was wonderful what difference the
baby made The car was fairly we'll
filled and they paused for a moment of
reconnaissance. A fat man who was oc-
cupyine a double seat looked up, saw the
baby and promptly swept his overcoat
and handbag from the cherished opposite
cushion, then he overturned the back of
the forward seat and nodded with a
friendly smile. The action was revela-
ton without the baby il would have
taken stern measures to have secured
that seat as she knew from past eX-
perience.
With a comfortable sigh she settled
down next the window, and glanced up
i'm sudden admiration at the tall young
man as he sat down beside her. The
baby made a difference even in him. They
two had been splendid friends heretofore