The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-01-14
His Chum's
3 ably
BY r. c. Kraemer.


the street with his suit case in his
hand, lodging in and out of the
crowds, 1t occurred to him that about
the first little pleasure he would stake
himself to would be to go out and
drop in on Jim Hudson, his room
mate at the time he left the city. And
just a couple of months ago he had
learned that Jim had become the dot
ing parent of cute little youngster
nights.
Huh" thought Billy to himself,
It'll be funny enough to see old Jim
all house broke. That alone ought to
get good hand, but to see him carry
ing little Jim around and doing the
fond parent act will get the big
laugh. Wonder If he remembers how
to room together?"
Jim came to the door and greeted
his old chum warmly. Then he intro.
duced him to Mrs Jim. She sized
up as a mighty pretty, stylish little
woman, of the jolly, chum-wfe kind
just the sort of girl for Jim, Billy
thought.
Now, I've got treat for you"
spoke up Jim, suddenly. IF you don't
think we've got about the cutest little
youngster you've laid eyes on for
many a month"
He hurried back into their little bed
room and came out with florid-faced
little bundle that he held up proud
ly for his old pal to admire and get
all excited over.
Billy laughed. He couldn't help it.
His thoughts of the contrast between
Jim's present and former attitude on
| the baby proposition would have
| brought a grin to the face of a gar
| goyle.
Jim frowned. What are you laugh.
| ing at?" he asked, in sort of supe.
| rior, don t-make -a-monkey-out-of-yo
self tone Let us all in on the joke"
Somehow, he didn't seem like the
same old Jim. Then his little wife
sort of looked puzzled, too as if she
just couldn't figure out how laugh
could possibly dovetail in just there.
Billy saw that he would have to
hedge. But then what was he going
to say? The baby certainly wasn't
much to look at 1t seemed foolish
TO speak of baby being nice looking,
anyhow, and they all look so nearly
alike at that age.
1T er-it seems like large baby,
stammered Billy. 1T looks like a
smart un too, for its age. How old
is it. anyway, Jim?'
After that they all became more al
ease.s Jim started in to tell of =. the
baby's fine points of superiority over
other babies.
All this didn't interest Billy at all
He hadn't planned on talking baby all
evening, when there was SO much
reminiscent stuff to go over. He tried
TO switch to something else. Il won
der whatever became of old man Stew
art, Jim--the fellow that used to live
across the hall from us, who was sc
crazy about draw poker?"
Jim shook his head. This kid JUS
laughs and plays like this all the
time" he said Huh, You ought t.
see him when he gets his bath
thought That's what's fun for him.
Billy tried to crank up and get ;
fresh start. Il suppose those young
sters that used to live on the foo
beneath us have grown up to be prett.
good-sized boys by this time-boys O.
girls, whichever they were. Didn'
they use to make a racket, though?
We've never been up with this bo,
single night" announced Jim, NOR,
or less irrelevently. We'll, once O
twice Edith took him over into on
bed when he was little fretful--h
had little attack of collie a montl
or so ago. / guess any of us are
little peevish and grouchy when view
got the tummy ache, Ell, Billy"
Billy nodded, and then tried to pu
new cylinder into his machine an
open up different tune--anything t
get away from the model progen
dope.
You ought to have been with m
on my California trip last summer
jim" says Billy. 81 thought of yo
many time"
! We'll have to stick pretty close t
! home for few years until this littl
tyke gets little bigger and huskier,
says Jim. why, we haven't even bee
to theater since this chap came. Q
course, we haven't wanted to. w
| have fun staying home here and watcl
ing his little stunts. youngster'
do something new every day at hi
age. l tell you what you want to d,
you want to come out some mornin
and see him get his bath"
Billy said he thought that would b
great. But by and by he diplomaticall
excused himself and went back dow
town. promising to come back agai
soon.
| don't believe Mr.. Temple care
| L. l.. l.