Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-02-05
AMAMAANA44A AZ A4sA4 AW.AWAMA
HER LITTLE MIRACLE
BY ANNA S. RICHARDSON.

lack of something better TO do.
You see, they had Just enough
money so that Billy did not have to
work, nor Janet to worry about max
! ing both ends meet They had danced
their way through several seasons
into a lazy, good-humored and COM
radelike engagement, thence into
matrimony. After that Billy had con
tinued to lead cotillons and Janet to
dance them-but generally with other
partners.
Matters between them had reached
the point where the rumorladen So
ctety papers had suggested covertly
that when Billy went to England and
Scotland, where he had nothing in
particular to do Janet would probably
take up her home in Nevada. or South
Dakota, there to remain until Norman
Stanley returned from Africa where
he was fighting ennui by hunting big
! game. 1t was even whispered that
Billy Dalton had insinuated to Stan
| ley that it was rather better taste to
stalk big game than another mans
wife, especially when the other man
was perfectly willing to make it clear
sailing for his wife if it would make
her any happier.
OF course this sounds a bit strong
on paper particularly to the old-fash-
| toned folk who still believe that mar
riage is contract for life and not Il
mere episode. In the set to which the
Billy Daltons belonged the situation
was accepted as a matter of course,
and when Janet asked lot of peo-
pie down to their Long Island place
for the automobile races and the week
end, no one thought of refusing just
because the Daltons might separate
within a fortnight after the gather
| ing.
Such was the situation when the
Dalton car broke down on the Jericho
turnpike, and it's occupants, Janet,
Mrs. Greenwalt, Joe Jeffreys and
Marsh" Huntoon, decided to cut
through the woods to the Dalton place
and leave the car for a farmer 20 guard
until the mechanic who handled the
Dalton garage could be dispatched to
the scene of the accident
Perhaps it was not entirely impa-
| thence which led them to take the
short cut through the woods, but the
call of hundred autumn voices, in
rustling leaves, rich warm colorings
and the chatter of squirrels laying up
winter stores. And thus it was that
they suddenly stopped in their tracks
| and IStpHn6 tn a SnnnH that
of the woods, but of the nursery, the
plaintive wall of a child. Janet it
was who found ia bit of white
faced staring-eyed humanity rolled up
snugly in a great shawl of Iceland
wool
While she held the baby in her
arms and tried to silence it's walls
with uncertain and awkward little
pettings, the quartette held a confer
ence. The child was too young to
have walked there. Mrs Greenwalt
said it was not a day over two months
old. 1t was too far from the road to
be heard by passing travellers. All
there was the anSwer-a wisp of pa
per. tied to the end of the shawl
Please take care of little Elsie 1t
was not her fault that she came into
| the world-and | can do no more"
I've always said that the govern
ment ought to regulate the question
Of marriage among the poor" re
marked Mrs. Greenwalt severely
Here is a case in point"
You are jumping at conclusions"
coiI 1rHyIx ntIr DO, Il
to the town marshal"
And what them" asked Janet, with
out lifting her gaze from the child's
face. The baby had clutched her
finger with it's tiny fist and settled
down as if it had found anchorage.
ooh, there are asylums and homes
for youngsters like this. You'd bet
ter hurry along home with it before II
begins to howl. One of your men can
take it to town before dark. Shall
carry the little beggar for you?"
"Oh, no-shes not bit heavy and
she is quiet now. She might cry II
we changed her position"
They trudged on through rustling
leaves and soft Indian summer haze.
three Of the party chatting gayly;
two, the young wife and the baby,
looking into each others eyes as Il
searching for a new key to the prob
lem of life. Sometimes Janet wished
that the child would close it's eyes
She did not like to meet their trust
full clear-eyed gaze.
Have you disposed OF the young
ster?" asked Marsh" Huntoon, as
they sat down to dinner that night
Janet started and looked across the
/ table at her husband. He lifted his
eyebrows inquiringly
What? Don't you know that our
party was increased by one during our
ride this afternoon? Rather a small
one but, my! what lungs it has"
Janet drew in her breath sharply.
Il wish you would not talk any
more about it at present, good peo-
l. h. TO