The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1913-08-21
BOA1BA
BY MARGARET BARR

ana DrluClDlCS Va 6ON "AASN"
read the newspapers regularly ana
was much interested in strikes ana
methods used as auxiliaries. He lived
on q street at the end of which was
q large mill property and when one
day a strike was declared did great
deal of talking rs to the merits OF the
case. At first he took sides with the
strikers, but when they became some
what militant he changed about and
favored the mill owners. Nothing
pleased him SO we'll as to go out into
the street where knots Of people were
discussing the situation and make 1t
ell clear to those who were disposed to
listen to him.
One day while he was thus showing
q party of strikers just where they
we're wrong and how easy it would be
to set themselves right his wife. who
was at the window, noticed-what he
was ignorant of-that he was rubbing
his listeners the wrong way. Instead
OF benefiting by his diplomatic advice
their scowls indicated that they were
considering him an enemy. His wife
beckoned him to come into the house.
He obeyed and received scolding for
his rashness.
Two or three days after this, when
Mr. Hollingsworth came home from
business in the evening. as soon as he
opened the door he was greeted by q
plaintive wall.
''Oh. Fred!"
"For heavens sake, what Is 1t, dar-
ling?'
"why did you talk so to those Ita!.
ians?"
"What have they done?"
left bomb at the back door,"
"You don't mean it?'
"Oh, I'm so glad you've got home!
I've been afraid 1t would go off before
you came"
"Why didn't you telephone the po-
lice?"
Il didn't know what to do. The bomb
was left about half an hour ago. Su-
san came upstairs and told me that
she had found it at the back door just
inside the she'd"
"What did she say she found"
"A basket. How she knew it was a
bomb was that she heard grating
sound like rusty machinery. She
didn't wait to hear any more. but came
right upstairs to me and told me
about it."
"I'Il have a look at It."
"Oh. don't go near it! Please don'tT'
Notwithstanding this appeal, Mr..
Hollingsworth went through the kitch-
en- to the back door. His wife caught
prevent his examining it. Making a
virtue Of necessity. he stopped and lis
tened. There was succession of small
sounds which Mr.. Hollingsworth at
tributed to the moving OF some mech
anjsm.
"Do come away!'' cried his wife, tug
gtng at his coattail.
There's something going inside. but
l can't make out what it u.s." said the
husband.
r The top Of the basket was covered
with thin wooden cloth, and at that
moment the latter was raised as II
something were passing under it.
"By love-" exclaimed Hollingsworth.
ut looks as If the mechanical con-
trivance underneath were rubbing
against the cover-a concentric wheel,
maybe"
Mrs. Hollingsworth shrieked and
dragged her husband back into the
hall. The occasion Of her action was
tiny puff as II few grains Of gun
powder had exploded.
This Is oil nonsense" said the head
Of the house. I'm going to make an
examinatio
at this Mrs. Hollingsworth slammed
the kitchen door and locked it. For
some time no threats or pleadings
would induce her to open 1t. but finally
she gave way. and the door was open
ed. The cover Of the basket had been
pushed off. and pair of baby legs were
mingled In confusion. the cover being
wrapped around the legs, which were
kicking in lively manner.
"By thunderr' exclaimed Holdings
worth. ITS baby!'
"The dear little thing!" cried tho
wife as she ran toward child few
weeks old lying on its back. its chubby
fists crammed in its mouth and making
all sorts of noises. from the turning Of
rusty cOgwheel to the Growing Of q
young rooster. The explosion they had
heard was an infantile sneeze.
Lucky We didn't send for the po-
lice" said the husband. It'll we found
out what It was. They would have
laughed at us. What in the world are
we going to do with it?''
''I'm going to keep it," said the wife.
Going to keep IT,"
Certainly"
The couple. having been married four
years without children. had begun to
think that they would never have any
/ born to them. and after good deal of
discussion 1t was decided to take the
little stranger in and give it a home.
Being a girl. they called her Bomba.
which is the Spanish for Il bomb.
Mr.. Hollingsworth is still interested
in the labor problem. but is more can.
tious in the expression OF his opinions
to the laborer. True. his experience
with bomb did not turn out as dread
full as he expected. but It taught him
lesson as to the might have been
Little Romba has been adopted nv tho
Hollingsworths and. strange to saw !.
beginning to take great interest in In.
hOr questions