Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-08-06

A DASH FOR FREEDOM.
BY JANE CASHiON.



It's wonderful how she crows and sings
when you dance around with her"
Milburn looked into the face of his
grandchild with a mock severity that
did not appear to frighten her, for the
little frowning crinkles smoothed into
a smile. When he threw her up to his
shoulder with tender semblance Of
roughness she cooed with delight
Isn't she just the sweetest thing
you ever saw" cried the grandmother.
"Oh, don't know, Alice. There have
been others. | do have a fellow feel
ing for her, though, because she's
bald" Milburn pulled the infant down
from his shoulder and kissed the spot
where the soft fuzzy curls had worn
off on the pillow. But why am l
elected nurse girl? intended to write
a brief tonight" He proffered the
baby to his wife.
Il can't take her now. I've got some
thing to do in the kitchen"
What have you got to do In the
kitchen? thought Manda was capable
of getting up dinner unassisted."
well, Manda isn't here. l let her
60 over to Ethels."
you don't mean to say that Ethel
Is without girl agan?'
mo, but she's having little dinner
tonight and her maid is so incompe-
tent that | sent Manda out to manage
I;,,n hni hn fn
Ethel"
Sometimes | wonder II Ethel will
ever learn to manage her own house
keeping" growled Ethels father How
did we happen to be honored by a
visit from Laura's baby? Is Laura CIV
ing party, too?'
"No. Anyone would think you were
cross who didn't know that you simply
adore that baby"
Even that granted, have yet other
aims and ambitions in life than nurse
girling. think | remarked that had
a brief to write this evening"
We'll you can do 1t after dinner
Tom wanted Laura to dine with him
and went down early to do some shop
ping Poor Laura doesn't get out very
often"
NO, that's so. This is only the third
time this week that her baby has been
quartered on us
"Well, this is the end Of the week,
and anyway think it's joy to have
such a perfect little darling come to
visit us. You know you think so, too"
Maybe ! do. but as | tried to eX-
plain, | have little matter OF my own
on hand"
Mrs. Milburn, however, had gone to
the kitchen and there was nothing for
Milburn to do but establish the baby
among the pillows on the couch while
he made his toilet in as entertaining a
manner as he could invent. He
brushed his hair with free flourishes
that won gurgles from the small on
locker, and he was rewarded by ap
plause when he removed his shoes
with kicks that sent them flying across
the floor. When Mrs. Milburn came to
say that dinner was ready she found
the baby in state Of hilarity.
you manage her better than any.
one else" she declared.
"In other words, I'm the biggest
monkey in the family" Milburn en-.
deavored not to look proud.
"I'll take her now while you 60
down and look at the furnace. l think
the fire needs a little coal before din.
ner."
Where's Dagget? What do we keep
a houseman for? Stocking isn't my"
Now, you know you don't mind fix
ing the fire once in a while. | let Dag
get go out to Nell's. She telephoned
me this morning that the paper hang
ers had left her house in fearful
state and it's so hard to get anyone In
the suburbs to do cleaning that l just
sent Dagget out. l knew that he would
be a great comfort to Nell"
"Oh, no doubt" remarked Milburn.
After dinner when Milburn, with the
baby in his arms, was dancing his
own version of the tango in the kitch-
en- while his wife washed the dishes,
the telephone rang.
"Ill keep her while you answer"
said Mrs. Milburn. When he returned,
his peculiar expression made her ask:
"Who was it,"
Laura called up to know II the
baby was good She said Tom had
asked her to go to the theater, and
would we mind keeping the baby. or
course | said the pleasure was all ours,
and then she said she wouldn't like
to take the baby out in the middle Of
the night, and the only thing the baby
would need was a bottle at three
o'clock In the morning. Just little
bottle at a. m, my dear, That's all"
"You needn't be so sarcastic. That
won't be any bother at all, | shall
have it on the radiator keeping warm
and"
even II 1t should be bother, we
won't mind, for it will be a kind Of
farewell celebration. Tomorrow we
move to hotel"
Move to hotel! Why, what can
we do with the house?"
"Rent it, l suppose. Anyway we
won't run it any longer as a helpsup-
plying depot and emergency station"
"Why?"
"a meant It, my dear. Tomorrow
we'll make dash for freedom"
Don't shout yOur virtues from the