The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-23

To Distinguish her from the baoer kind.
w. l. MCGUIRE.
! 4 The Evening Story
| Bonnie Ia1die.
| By Molly McMaster.)
The court Of tho apartment house
was unusually quiet.
Doris vane marveled at this fact
while she sat beside her open win
dow. ; She was glad Of the stiffness
because 1t gave her q moment to con-
centrate on the situation that was
troubling her. She was contemplating
| the advisability Of marrying Edward
Kelly. and the thought had its draw
backs and its charm.
! Doris had met the society man at q
reception. She herself had been the
solotst. and Kelly had sought her ac-
| II have everything to offer you.' he
had said not ten minutes earlier when
he had left her at the door Of her
small apartment. You need struggle
no longer with your music. I will Law
ish everything on you that money can
buy"
II doubt II you could buy mo happi-
ness" Doris had answered in q mus
ing voice.
! And that was the question she was
| trying to answer as she sat in the
darkness and stiffness OF tho court.
Certainly it would DO as easy to love
q man with money ~ one without"
she decided
Out Of the silence there came the
appealing cry Of an infant. Doris
raised her head to a listening attitude.
Edward Kelly was forgotten instantly.
There was q baby crying somewhere in
that court.
II hope someone will go to 1t soon."
| thought Doris. She listened. all atten-
| ton. The night was warm and the
| windows open in most Of the apart
ments. She decided that the child's
cry came from the room next her own
| boudoir. A fire escape practically
Joined the two rooms
The crying continued and the small
voice began a most imploring call for
"Mamma-Mamma. dear"
Doris became tense waiting for the
footsteps Of the mother that would
assuredly rush to her baby's side. To
Doris there was nothing quite 90 won
derful as a child. She had often won
dered If she would not spend every
waking and sleeping hour in alteration
Of one Of her own.
Heavy footsteps in the room SO
near her own stopped her thoughts
and arrested her ear. A deep. mas
cu1ine vocie was attempting to con-
sole the awakened baby. There was
a clumsy. unaccustomed kind Of a
note in the mans efforts that seemed
only to raise fresh outbursts. That
ton was evident.
Doris laughed a trine hysterically
so great was her desire to step across
that fire escape. take the baby in her
arms and rock it to sleep.
AS last resort the man began sing
n
The mans voice was SO big and gruff
that she feared the baby would roar
It's terror to the entire neighborhood
When she heard the words OF the
terrible little song that was serving
as lullaby Doris shook with mirth-
less laughter. There's a Bully Gone
to Rest" That seemed to be the only
ditty known to the man. He repeat
ed it time and again to the thud of
heavy boots.
The small. tenderly sweet voice of
the child demanded other music,
"Rock-a-by-Baby. Bonnie Laddie-
Bonnie Laddie!"
Doris choked back the lump in her
throat. She knew not whether the
piteous appeal OF the baby for its lul-
iaby or the efforts Of the man to sat
isfy 1t reused her emotion.
She could stand It no longer and
stepped out Of her window and across
the fire escape to that other apart
ment.
''Shss!" she cautioned, peering into
the candle-A Lit room and discerning the
man just about to exit hurriedly IT
will sing the baby to Sleep" She
stepped within. the darkened room,
and leaning over the crib, crooned
softly to the baby.
The man. startled out of his senses.
stood looking and listening to what
seemed to be an angel visitant.
FINALLY he found vnico fn r.
His mother said to give him a bot
get it." ~ o'
Put it in a tin Of hot water for a
rev minutes-until drop Of milk is
warm on your wrist" Doris ordered
softly. and continued her singing.
Bonnie Ladder" demanded the
small voice and Doris felt glad that
she was Scotch. and that the baby's
command was one she could fulfil.
the bottle the baby was dozfng off
and the girl took it gently from his |
hand while she sang my Bonnie |
Highland Laddie'' in the most beau |
ttful voice in the world.
Relieved that q woman had come
to his rescue. awed at the manner of |
her coming, spellbound at the picture |
she presented there beside the crib in |
the candlelight and thrilled to the soul
ed his when she took the bottle, David |
seemed as one bereft Of the power Of |
speech.
Doris arrangd the bottle in q slant |
ing position that the baby might drain /
wondering look at the beautiful pam
sylike face, motfoned David to quit |
the room softly and went noiselessly |
out and into her own room.
In the light of the next day she |
viewed her act as human. She would /
n "a N in n