Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1910-10-18
Whose Babyp


1t seemed to the man that in all the
three years he had known his wife
she had never looked quite so young
and childlike as she did this morning
Her delicate face, nearly as white
as the pillow on which II lay, appear
ed almost infantile in its sweet purity
of outline. The soft hair, parted anc
falling over her shoulders in two
golden braids, looked far from matron
ly and the man had fairly to pinch
himself in order to realize that the
little pink-faced bundle in the curve Of
the slender, girlish arm was not 8
dream.
Margaret, darling" he said, as he
kissed her, you are so pale. Are you
dreadfully tired? Have too many PEG
pie been in to see you this morn
ing?"
mo. I'm not really tired, Frank
but" The voice faltered and
broke with a tremulous little sob.
why, Margaret, what is wrong
Don't you like the nurse? Is"
THE nurse is all kindness. I'm
just silly, that's ALL"
But what are you silly about?"
I'm not going to tell you, dear
You would think me too foolish if
did SO don't ask me-"
The man reached out his hand and
took his wifes small, tapering fingers
in firm grasp. He felt inexplicably
awkward and helpless. For a few
moments there was silence broken
only by the amusingly audible breath
ing of the tiny sleeper. Then the wife
withdrew her hand from her husbands
and rather violently dabbed her eyes
Margaret, what is it that troubles
you? You must tell me, dear
I'm such a goose. l can't help
feeling badly"
You're just nervous, then? Shall
go away and send nurse in? But
she said l could stay a half-hour.'
There was a note of disappointment in
his voice.
"Of course you can stay, Frank.
won't be such a baby. Any one might
think you had two babies" She smiled
mistily and tried TO stop her tears.
The husband took the flimsy little
wet handkerchief from her hand and
then he tenderly dried her cheeks
with his own more practical one.
81 should like to know what makes
you unhappy Maybe if knew could
do something to stop it,"
mo, nobody can stop it. That's the
trouble. 1t seems to me that l can't
stand it any longer.
The man half rose from his seat by
the bed. q think I'd better CO." he
said. I'm afraid you're getting ex.
cited and feverish. Your face is,hush.
ing"
mo, | don't want you to go. Be.
sides, if you move round the room
now, you might wake Francis"
Very well, dear I want to stay
here with you and Francis as long as
I'm permitted. Even if the nurse
won't let me hold him, that youngster
is my boy"
That's what everybody says. That's
what makes me so unhappy"
Makes you unhappy"
Yes; everybody who comes in here
TO see Francis says he's your baby"
"Wen?"
"Well-now, this morning your Aunt
Sarah came in and she exclaimed
Just think of our Frank having a SOM!
Then yesterday your mother brought
il the old doctor and he looked at
Francis and chuckled, Well, well, so
that lad Frank has a boy of his own!
When Miss Geraldine Harvey was
shown Francis she said, with a great
deal of feeling, SO this is really
Franks baby And every friend and
neighbor and relative who has been in
here has mentioned ecstatically that
Francis is your baby, while not one
single person has said anything about
his being my baby, and he just is
nine
q just wish ! were home at
fathers! Then maybe people would
say, SO this is Margaret's baby!"
Indeed, they would said the hus.
band, laughingly. And l should be
horribly jealous"
Now, Frank, you know I didn't
want to tell you all this-this non
sense. I knew you'd think me silly"
mo, you're not silly-not a bit.
You're the dearest little girl-mother
in the world. But, looKi / think that