Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-23

"How do. daddy?"
 Tucker turned in his revoving office chair and surprisedly confronted his wife and daughter.
 ''Why, hullo, Adelaide!" he said: T thought you were going to rean paper at the club this afternoon"
 q am. l."
 ''Pn have to leave her with you, Fred. You see-' Great Scott! Why in the name of all that's rational did you bring her here? My office isn't a day nursery. Why didn't you leave her with Thora? I never heard of anything so-"
 Please listen! Thora went home ill this noon. Your mother is out of town, as you know. The people next door are quarantined with measles and the Codys across the street have all gone off somewhere for the day and there are no other neighbors I could think of leaving Toodlums with, so just had to bring her to you. She will be as good as gold, of course, with daddy; won't you darling?" Toodlums echoed amiably, while her mother hastily removed her coat and bonnet.
 Now, you take off her leggings and lower one window little. You keep
 
 'But, my dear. you don't seem to realize that"
 "Pn be late if I stay here another moment and I must"
 Cant you read that paper some other time? You see"
 'fWhy, how ridiculous you are. The program has been arranged for months. There are at least 400 women waiting to hear it. I must fly. I'll be back just as early as I can. Good by, my dears."
 By, mudder, by," answered Tood- lurns, but Tucker gazed in speeches. wonder after the hurriedly disappear ing figure of his wife:
 Well, I'll be hanged he muttered after moment. If this doesn't beat the Dutch"
 "Bleet Dutch, daddy?"
 Yes, you little-little mischief There, Toodlums, daddy's got your leg gings off. Now you can play with all | those beautiful papers in this waste basket. Maybe they will give you some idea for your first club essay" He turned back to his desk and lift l ed his pen, but it remained poised in the air, while he communed with him. self.
 Was it for this that I let Miss Gray and the office boy off this after fectly quiet and free for the interview l with Maltby-the great New York Maltby, whose call might have beer worth thousands to me. But now when he sees me tending baby! Why in thunder didn't I tell Adelaide tC hire a trained nurse at S5 an hour ol any old price? It would have beer | cheaper than"
 | Daddy, dot bleed, daddy" 1 70, Toodlums, what have you done?' Tucker looked with horror at the crim | son stains on the sheer white frock 1 To 1ad hoy md fofJ razor blade and from the other ther' | trickIed tiny stream of blood.
 Good heavens!" Tucker ejaculated T threw the thing in there myself thi morning. Oh, Toodlums, it was al daddy's fault"
 He rushed with her to the washbasil and tenderly bathed the liliputial thumb.
 "Toodlums naughty" | 'No, Toodlums, daddy Is naughty Now, dearie, hold still while I see hoy deep it's cut. There, thank goodness is isn't bad. We don't have to hay the doctor man. Daddy must fin, something to tie around it.''
 He glanced at the too heavy towel and pulled out his handkerchief, bu that was marked with the city's grime He lifted the little dress and was jus ready to tear the scalloped petticoa when some one said: "Oh, don't d that. Take this.'
 Tucker looked up into the pleasan grave face of a stranger.
 Just happened to have a perfectl fresh one," the stranger remarked, a he tore a fine linen handkerchief int strips. You hold her while I ban dage the thumb. I'm rather used t this first aid stunt"
 That evening after Toodlums wa safe in bed, none the less rosy for he slight accident, Tucker sat before tn fire with his arm around his wife waist.
 Tt never entered my head that tn man who was bandaging Toodlum' thumb was Maltby," he was saying Strange men are always coming in to the office, you know. and 1t wasn'