Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-06-03
BABY BROUGHT PEACE
by EusTAcE LIVINGSTONE.


weary and my heart il sore. I have
cecided-it is the better way"
Very WELL" said John Randall. ego
the road you have chosen. / win take
mine. There need be no scandal
yen are q lady, ! try 10 be a gentle
man. Remember. though, neither wiz
ever turn back to retraverse the mis-.
taken path"
The woman put out her hand az IL
moved by some pleading influence, but
tne man was gone. Before nightfaIl
the home they had shared for eight
years was In the hands OF carpenters,
masons and decorators. Before a
week had passed by a partition. roof
high, divided the big double house into
two parts. On one side lived the wife,
on the other the husband. Then peo.
pie began to talk.
There's something under the sur.
face" spoke Mrs. Judge Bascom to
her husband-"some dark drama"
Get 1t out Of your mind. wife," was
the blunt retort. There are no two
better people in the world than my
worthy friend Randall and his wife"
Then, wig"
Pride. Neither will seek to remove
the barrier they have raised in their
own self-willed natures. Mrs. Randall
would die by slow tortures before she
would unbend from what she consid-
ers to be true womanIy dignity. Her
self-centered consciousness has re-
PEELED Randall and has made him be-
lieve she no longer cares for hifn. One
good heart-to-heart talk would settle
everything-such as you and I en-
gage In when we're not fighting our
usual family battles!" and the good
natured judge laughed in his whimsi-
cal way.
The old jurist was correct in his sur
misses, but he had not gone deep
enough into the proposition. When
John Randall married Betty Morse
they had been very much in love one
with the other. Then there had been
a disappointment. No children had
blessed their family hearth.
The judges wife was distressed at
Randalls had been close friends Of the
family. With a woman's ready wit
she delved deeper into affairs than her
happy-go-lucky husband. Within her
own mind she framed up a plan to
remedy the outlook. II nigh prove
an experiment, but she hoped for the
best
One cold winters night John Ran
dali sat in his CHEEKY but lonely liv-
ing-room, gazing stolidly into the blaz-
ing CRATE fire. He knew that on the
other side OF the partition his wife
was probably passing her time in the
same spell of gloomy reverie.
What is that?" suddenly exclaimed
Randall.
Tt was a hard. harsh sound, as OF
someone pounding with a club or
stone on the front porch. Randall
arose and went to the door and opened
IL. first turning on the porch light. He
fancied he saw a woman's figure sour
rying past the gate. He looked down
to note a basket containing a blanket
and Counterpart covered with a fllmy
scarf. STOPPING. his heart beating
rapidly. he knew not why. as he drew
this aside.
"a baby" he exclaimed-"aban-
ioned!"
At that moment the next door
opened. Mrs. Randall, too. had
heard the noise on the porch. She
came into view. she caught a glimpse
of the child I'm the basket. A great
cry OF pity. yearning. love burst from
her lips. With hungry heart, jealous.
enwrapt in possession. quickly RAN
dali snatched up the basket.
81 saw 1t first" he cried, almost
freely. 1T is mine!"
Then he went in with the child and
closed the door against the longing
woman. He stirred up the fire, he
turned on all the lights. Suddenly a
new motive for living found birth In
his heart. He felt as one intrusted
with a great treasure. Planning the
many things he must do with the
mornlng-secure a nurse. buy an out
fit for the baby. provide for all its
care-Randall hustled about. The
child woke up. II began to cry.
The door opened. For the first time
In two years Mrs. Randall stood with.
In the room.
"oh. joint" she cried poignantly. ct
can't endure It! The cries OF this
dear little childl"
He relinquished the child to those
tender. loving arms. He sat in q new
warm haze OF contentment, watching
his wife as she quieted the babe in a
motherly way, Fastening into her own
apartments. returning with a bottle
OF milk. and soon had the little one
cooling contentedly In fits downy nest
As the child fell asleep, husband and
wife stood leaning over the slumber-
ing eherub.
John" she said. 81 was all in the
wrong I've known 1t for a long time.
but was too proud to speak"
"And l was hard. harsh, resentful.
Betty" he breathed remorsefully.
Let me stay" she pleaded.
Here. where you belong!" and he
took her in his arms. and the little
stranger that had come to bless their
new life smiled in SIS sleep.
At her home the judges wife smiled
happily. also. next day, when she
heard the news.
II found them a child needing q
home. a poor. little orphan. whom no
one can take away from Them" she
told her husband. and he kissed her
and loved her mora than aver