The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-25

and children A nice little lady she
is, too. No, no, Milly, put that idea
out of your head"
eff Mrs. Crew is a sensible woman"
said his wife, with chagrin written
largely on her fair face, "she would
see at once what a tremendous adj
vantage it would be for the child him
self. He would be treated exactly as
though he were my own son. Oh,
that he were!"
The big squire's face Swallowed for
a moment, then he stroked the dainty
head that rested against his shoulder
IF I judge Mrs. Grew rightly, she
is not one to let ideas of that kind
come between her and her children,
Milly."
But they are as poor as Job, Duke,
and those kind of people are much
more mercenary than you imagine.
She will probably jump at the sugges-
tion-it will mean so much to the 9TH
ers. Also, for Bossy's sake. I should
help them in every way, of course. ;"
But she knew in her heart that what
she said about the blacksmith's wife
being likely to fall in with the idea
was untrue.
The squire shook his head.
Look here, Milly, let me write to
Hogson. He's got something to do
with the Founding Home at his place,
and he will be able to find you child
if you want to have new plaything.
But the spoilt beauty cried out in
horror. 1t was Bossy she wanted, it
was Bossy she would have, until at
last her husband, who idolized the
earth on which her dainty feet rested,
could hold out no longer, and he al
lowed himself to be persuaded to do
what he hated, and to make an offer,
as he bluntily put it to himself, for
the little fellow 1t was to the father
he spoke; not for worlds could he
have been induced to refer to the sub
ject in the presence of Mrs. Grew.
But he told her of the squire's pro-
posal when they were alone that night,
and told her also how emphatically he
had refused to contemplate such a
thing.
His wife listened, and was moved to
sudden fit of anger that he had never
seen before.
Does that woman think that our
children are merchandise that she
would put price on them?" she de-
handed passionately. mo matter
how poor we are, we mean to keep
the children God has sent to US"
The husband soothed her and re-
preached himself for having ever told
her what the squire had said to him.
Don't think anything more about
it, love. You ought to feel proud, you
little mother-hen, that one of your
chicks has been singled out for such
distinction"
cit hurts me to think that anyone
would dare to imagine that we could
sell our children!"
And then she allowed herself to be
soothed by her husbands tender
ness, and she stole away to have a
peep at Bossy as he lay sleeping in
his cot with one little arm thrown
above his head, and his dark face
sweet with the visions of Dreamland.
And she knelt beside him and
thanked God for her treasure.
When she came back to the tiny
parlor, her sensible, tranquil little self
again, her husband was sitting busily
at the table reading, and the light of
the lamp beside him streamed full
upon his face and showed up lines
| that care and work had furrowed
there, and which until then she had
not noticed. 1t seemed as though her
heart stood still as she looked him.
Then she bent over her work hurried
ly, but she could not see the little
pinafore she was making for an in.
slant for the tears that filled her eyes
Had she been thinking more of her
children than of her husband? How
was it that she had only seen the
wornness of his tired face now?
All the next day she was unlike hel
CHEEKY self. A strange shadow came
beneath her eyes-her voice had g
sad information Often she stood t.
watch the children playing in the gar
den, but it was Bossy that she fol
lowed with her sad gaze. She felt
that between this child and hersel1
there was a closer bond. She haG
nearly died when he had been born;
it was thought that she would have
to give up her own life for this small
one just Pickering into existence; bu
God had been merciful, and the dang
er passed. This may have been thu
reason. These mysterious things are
known to God alone. But now she hat
taken herself to task for this deeper
love-it wronged the others, so sh'
reasoned in her woman's way. Sh'
must sacrifice herself for the sake
of her husband, for the sake of thu
other precious ones, and Bossy wal
, her offering. If Mrs. Digby adopted
him, he would never be her son agail
: he would be brought up in position
, in which she had no part, but he
sacrifice would benefit her husband
, The squire had limited SO, and hat
| spoken of living in his gift that wa
soon likely to be vacant. The giving
: up of Bossy would make smooth thu
path of the others.
) And so there came day when thu
. great green car whisked away littl
laughing, excited boy. But there wa
: no coming home again that night
There was an empty cot in the black