The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-13

rier slowly, as he unwrapped a thick shawl from his great thick shoulders. 'I wish you wouldn't call me Dot" said Mrs. Perrybingle with dignity-yet there was an air which showed that she did wish 1t. What else shall I call you?" returned the huge bulking carrier, Dot and Carry-I almost made joke there, Dot-very near it-I don't know as I ever was nearer" John looked at the baby in his wifes arms as if he was a little afraid of it, but respected 1t immense ly "Ain't he beautiful. John?" asked Mrs. Perrybingle. Don't he look pre- cious in his sleep?" He generally is asleep, aint he?" asked John anxiously, Tor, John, gracious no!' said Mrs. Per rybngle loftily.
 The precious baby having been turned over to Miss Slowboy, John was divested
 with the help of his wife of various great coats and remarked that he had had a hard time of it fighting the wealth
 CT on his rounds, the northeast wind blowing into his car a perfect gale, no matter in which direction he was driv ing Bowser, the dog, came demanding admittance at the door; Mrs. Perrybingle made tea and promised to help John with his parcels when the two had inn bibed a warming and sociable cup to- gether.
 "Hey day It's merrier than ever this evening" said John, referring to the Cricket, which was putting forth its best efforts. And it's sure to bring Us good fortune, John," replied Mrs. Perrybingle;
 "the first time I heard it's cheerful note was when you brought me a bride to this home here-its little mstress-nearly a year ago, you recolleet, John?" "I should say sor' answered John After that John brought in his parcels, and his plump little wife and he began to assort them Among the packages Dot came upon was a great wedding cake in a big box. ''Why, goodness, John," said Dot, as she read the address upon the box, you never mean to say that Gruff and Tack teton, the toy merchant, is going to be married?" John nodded an assent and his wife nodded 50 times in a meditative ane solemn way. And it has really come about" said she at last and we were girls at school together"
 Now, the senior member of the firm of Gruff & Tackleton had long been dead and his survivor had not only inherited the business, but also the character which the name of his former partner would signify according to the dictionaries. Also Tackleton had cast his eyes upon young woman not half his age-and so unlike May Fielding, Dots school friend. And Mays mother had worried and tortured her daughter until she had with many tears consented to the unequal match This was now what made John and his wife very thoughtful and, perhaps, was why the Cricket ceased it's song upon the hearth. Then suddenly John ex- claimed: 'Why, bless me! I have forgot ten the old gentlemanr' and rushed out into the night from whence he present. ly returned leading in a little old man, very deaf and very gray, and wearing huge spectacles. The stranger calmly took a seat and, opening a book which he took from a capacious pocket, began to read. There" said John, that is the way I found him, sitting bolt upright by the roadside. He jumped into my cart and handing me IS pence said, Carriage paid And there he is He was asleep in the straw" T was to be left until called for," remarked the little old man looking up, don't mind me-" And he went on reading.
 Then the stranger looked up again and spoke: Your daughter?" "W-i-f-er' roared John. 'Indeed-very young Baby yours?" This was Mrs. Perry ybingle's cue: Two months and three days-as. Vaccinated just six weeks ago, and it took very flne-lyl Considered by the doctor a very remarkably chil-de-e. May seem impossible to you, but feels his le-egs already" Here Mrs. Perrybingle paused, being quite red in the face and out of breath at trying to make the deaf old fellow hear Just then there came a knock at the door, and then in the door walked little, meager, thoughtful man. who seemed to have made for himself a greatcoat out of a sack cloth covering for some old box. For when he turned to shut the door and keep the weather out you could see the letters G. & T. in large black capitals on his back. He was, to make a long story short old Caleb Hummer, who lived with his blind daughter in a little shack along side the warehouse of Gruff & Tacketon, and was faithful and oppressed slave of the toy merchant. Caleb's daughters name was Bertha, and, blind as she was, she assisted him In his work of manufac- turing and dressing dolls and mechanical contrivances for Gruff & TackIeton.
 Tackleton ground them down and op- pressed them, but Caleb, in order to add some cheerfulness to the dreary life of his daughter had invented an artificial world and an artificial Tackleton for her. He described the miserable room which they made their living room as an apart ment as gorgeous and as comfortable as his imagination would allow him, and when old Tackleton came growing and faultfinding about he told his daughter what wag the toy merchant was. When he gave her little presents he always said they came from Tackleton. According to Caleb the toy merchant was the good genius of their lives, and so it came about that Bertha worshipped the old scoundrel and fell secretly in love with him.
 Even now Caleb's visit to the carrier was in furtherance of one of the little ! strategems by which he sought to keen poor. blind Bertha from knowledge of the actual state of affairs. He had or dered a little potted plant from the florists to take home to his daughter. telling her that old Tackleton, the benevo- uov,t fn