The Lamar register., 1911-01-11
IN THE
NIGHT

6haWberk was just dreaming I'M
he was sinking into q sea OF feathers
when he heard his wife's voice. Her
tones seemed distant and smothered
and unreal. but the words were plain
enough.
"Charlesi Charlesi" she said.
You'll have to get up and wheel the
baby!"
The baby belonging to the Shawbsrk
family had . cold and for three days
and nights had been. to put It mildly.
restless Shawberk and his wife had
been 30 long without sleep that the lit
lie respite they had Just been enjoying
seemed heavenly. At the fatal sum
mons Shawberk. like q craven. feisned
that he had not comprehehded.
What did you say. Mamie?" he
asked. drowsily.
The baby" repeated his wife. Hes
awake-wheel HIM"
The Shawn erks kept the baby car
Rage in their large bedroom and II
was commonly utilized as = crib by
their non and heir, who was extremely
young Since his cold the baby had
slept whenever he condescended to
close his eyes which was rarely.
There was no help for 1t. Shawberk
pried his eyes open by main force. put
out one foot into the night chill. shiv-
cred. shook himself and arose.
He stumbled against the carriage
and a little feeling Of irritation at his
wife Immediately surged through him.
She had been very careful to put the
fo9 xuh abnnIdnf nj
him. Then she crept under the warm
covers and left him to face the music!
Wasn't he overy bit as tired and sleepy
As she was?
Then Shawberk had tho grace to be
q little ashamed Of himself as he be-
gan his tramp back and forth across
the floor. Long practise had made him
perfect In the dark and he avoided the
furniture skilfully. He was wide
awake now and enduring his martyr
dom like a man His wife already was
wrapped In heavy slumber.
OF course there was no reason why
she should keep awake. but Shawberk
somehow felt bitterly that he had
been abandoned to a hard fate.
There was some satisfaction In see
ing that his mlnistrations had had
an immediate effect. for quiet was
reigning inside the baby carriage
Poor little duffer, The baby Ger
tainly had had hard time OF II. Shaw
berk pushed the carriage more vigor.
ously as he recalled tho baby's general
unhappiness of the past week. n he
was getting any comfort out of being
ra.sII ..1 t..
shawberk was very glad of IT,
His heart sweiled bit with the
pleasant realization that he was
able to do something for his child.
There usually was so little n father
could do and sometimes he had even
been a little jealous of the baby's
preference for his mother.
Shawberk suddenly realized that he
was cold and miserable. He stopped
wheeling the carriage long enough to
search for his heavy bathrobe. Hear
Ing slight rustic. however, he has
tened back TO the carriage. Now that
the baby was asleep he felt that It
would be a shame to let all his work
60 to waste by permitting him to wake
up.
Whenever Shawberk tentatively
slowed down his ears would catch a
suggestive stir and rustic. Then. he
fore the protesting cry which he ex.
pected had n chance to ring out. he
hastily began wheeling again. stu
bis wife slept quietly.
In spite Of himself Shawberk felt
cross and Indignant. II seemed to
him as he stumbled on that she at
least ought to want to share his weary
vigil Some women. he thought. would
even get out OF bed and let their bus.
bands rest.
shawberk yawned TIL his Jaw
cracked and then In moment of dis.
traction he struck his toe against a
chair.
"o-o-o-oochl" he moaned. dancing
about.
When the pain WAS somewhat al
layed he realized that the baby car.
riage had stood still three or four
minutes with no protests from the
baby.
Shawberk wondered II he dared stop
and get some sleep himself. The ton
OF hh head seemed caving In. his
veins ran Ice water and he ached ALL
over
"Mamiei" he whispered hoarseIy.
Can | stop now Isn't he all right /,
I've hecn wheeling him for honrsi"
WHAT" asked his wife. startled
Then she awoke. why. Charles
shawberki What on earth do Won
mean? What have you been doing all
this time? The baby's sound asleep in
bed here by me-you did not put him
In his carriage at ALL"
Me put him In the carriage,- ex.
claimed Shawberk why. thought
you had done that when you called
mel"
We'll. didn't" said his wife "He
must have gone to sleep again of hi,
own accord. Where are you coing7"
Me-" said Shawberk In tones of
depressed emotion. "Oh. I'm Just 60
Ing out to kick myself around the
blocki"