Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-11-30

Now, strange TO say. this novel ar
rangement was extremely agreeable to
| the deposed ruler. Bob took shame
| less delight in doing mental service;
to fetch and to carry for all hands filed
| him with joy. But once outside of the
premises he reasserted himself, and his
| Importance grew as gas expands. Be
| fore long his intimate friends began to
avoid him like a plague. 1t was his
partner. Kurtz, who finally dubbed
him 1.-THE pestilence that talketh in
darkness and the destruction that
wasteth our mondays"
One day, after Bob had acquired suf-
fcient confidence in himself and in the
baby to handle it without anxiety to
the nurse, he begged permission to
show it to the mailman downstairs He
returned greatly elated, explaining
that the attendant, who had some i'm
possible number of babies of his own
and might therefore be considered an
authority, declared this one to be the
finest he had ever bebeld. Oddly
enough, this praise delighted Bob out
Of all reason. He remained in a state
of suppressed excitement all that day,
and on the following afternoon he
again kidnapped the child for second
exhibition. 1t seemed that the infants
fame spread rapidly, for soon the ten
ants of neighboring apartments began
to clamor for a sight of it, and Bob
was only too eager to crafty them.
Every afternoon he took his son down
stairs with him, until finally Lorelei
checked him as he was going out.
Bob, DEAR" she said. with the faint
est shadow of smile. II don't think
it's good for him to go out so often.
Why don't you ask your father and
mother to come up?"
Wharton flushed, then he STAN
mered, "I-what makes you-er-
think"
''Why, I guessed it the very first
day" Lorelei's smile saddened "They
needn't see me, you know"
Bob laid the child back in its bed.
"But that's just what they want They
want to see you, only l wouldn't let
you be bothered. They're perfectly
foolish over the kid; mother cries, and
father-but just wait" He rushed out
of the room, and in few moments re-
turned with his parents.
Hannibal Wharton was deeply. en-
barrassed but his wife went straight
to Lorelei and, bending over her chair,
placed a kiss upon her lips. There"
said she. when you are stronger I'm
going to apologize for the way we've
treated you. We're old people. We're
selfish and suspicious and unreason-
able, but we're not entirely inhuman.
You won't be too hard on US. will
your
The old lady's eyes were shining, the
palms which were clasped over Lore
lei's handNwere hot and tremulous. The
look of hungry yearning that greeted
the elder woman's words was ample
answer, and with a little choking cry
she gathered the weak figure into her
arms and thrilled as she felt the amber
head upon her breast
Hannibal trumpeted into his hand
kerchief, then cleared his throat pre-
monltor1ly, but Bob forestalled him
with happy laugh. Don't hold any
post-mortems, dad. Lorelei knows
everything you intend to say"
'I'm blamed if she does" rumbled
the. old man, because I don't know
myself I'm not much on apologies; l
can take 'em, but l can't make EN-"
His voice rose sternly: young lady,
the night that baby was born stood
outside this house for hours because I
was afraid to come in. And my feet
hurt like the devil, too. l wouldn't
lose that much sleep for the whole steel
trust; but didn't dare go back to the
hotel, for mother was waiting, and
was afraid of her, too. / don't intend
to go through another, night like that"