The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-12
BABIES NOT ALLOWED
BY CATHERINE cooPe.

ooooooooooooooo'
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure Newsps
paper Syndicate.)
Mary Anne turned from the box Of
nee after securing her seat for tn
matinee on the following Saturday.
She would have left the foyer an,
gone out for the pleasant jaun
through the shops but for the fact tina
her attention was attracted to tn,
poor little woman who stood forlornly
holding tiny infant in her arms
The woman had been arguing ouietl,
with the boxofice man. but to n,
avail.
am sorry, madam, but infants II
arms are not allowed in the theater
1t is against the laws of the house.
There was finality in the younf
mans voice.
With her usual impulsiveness Mary
Anne approached the woman and
made inquiry.
i can't go in with i'm and I've
paid my way in from Bexhill. NV
friends are up there now They'll be
wondering what's 'appened to me-"
Couldn't take care of the baby
while you go up and see the panto.
mime? l have the whole afternoon
free. Do let me-
Mary Anne saw the woman through
the doorway, then turned with her
charge, wondering what her impulsive
nature had got her into this time.
Mary Anne lived in the suburbs,
herself. She remembered the huge
open fires that she had seen in the
Liverpool station when she had come
In the morning to business.
She soon arrived beside the warm
fire without mishap. She had not been
comfortably ensconced there for a pal
try five minutes before the infant
showed most positive signs of dissatis-
faction with Mary Anne's treatment
OF him. He walled softly at first but
persons in the waiting room stared
or, more truthfully, glared at Mary
Anne, while one or two men walked
disgustedly out of the station.
The girl was distracted. She
wished she had never wanted to see
Jack and the Beanstalk." She pinned
for knowledge Of the care of infants
and determined to study up Doctor
Holt without loss Of time. The fact
the baby let slip the bottle his moth
er had given Mary Anne brought q
deep flush to the girls cheeks.
A young man, who had been surrep-
titiously watching Mary Anne's fran.
tic efforts to pacify the baby came
over and picked up the fallen bottle
and presented 1t to her.
us there anything can do for
your" he asked, and he seemed so
likely to know more than she did
about infants that Mary Anne smiled
gratefully. There may be pin stick
ing him-have you looked""
Moo said Mary Anne. II didn't
know just where to look
Great Scott! Who dressed your
baby? Let me have look" He took
the baby from Miss Anne's arms very
firmly but gently and Mary Anne
heaved a sigh of relief The young
man certainly knew how to handle a
baby.
mo doubt you have several Of your
OWN" she vouched only half aloud.
"No-not guilty. am q doctor.
That is why I had the temerity to
offer my assistance. There seems moth.
Ing wrong with the kiddie. Wouldn't
he take his MILK"
mo" Mary Anne said with q wist.
hui smile that sent a wave Of peculiar
emotion over the young man. HE
didn't seem to want II"
Maybe you gave 1t to him too hot"
the doctor.
"Hot! 1t was stone cold" She
sazed fearfully at the baby.
"Cold milk for an infant! You are
fine mother" the doctor COM
but am not his mother" protest. !,
I'd Mary Anne with a rush of color to |
Ter cheeks. Il don't know a thing
bout babies"
aughed the Doctor, somehow very
much relieved that Mary Anne was
lot the infants mother. He had been
how SO neat and dainty q
,irl could take such wretched care Of
! baby.
Mary Anne told him of her adven-
ure with a shy smile. She marveled !
low the baby had become wonderfully
ontented in the doctors arms.
Il suppose you wouldn't mind show.
ng me the number of your seat for
Doctor Cosgrove asked
as they went toward the
heater with the sleeping baby. 81 have
een intending to see Jack and the
'eanstalk.'
His guilty expression told Mary
Inne that the pantomime had never
ntered his head before.
my seat is No. 14-D." she said
uickly.
Mary Anne blushed hotly and Doc
Or Cosgroye burst into hearty laugh
er when the little mother of the in
ant came beaming from the thea
Or.
Your misses has been an angel!
'ish l could give her as much hap
mess as she has given me today"
Il think you have done more-for
g." the man said quickly. and cast a
lance at Mary Anne. "She Is not NV