The Detroit times., 1916-04-17
THE EVENING STORY.
Matter Of Disposition
Copyright. 1915. BY W. werner.J

A<bcRVcAssObs
|. BY W. werner.j
having appropriated the smile TO
herself II just know he thinks
about things We suppose he doesn't
understand"
Henry Porlett appreciated her
point Of view--that is, he knew what
she meant But he had. his own idea
about the purpose and direction OF
that smile. A father has some
rights. Well" he admitted. 81
guess he knows his own father, all
right"
The fat baby was good. He had
never been sick and he had never
seen the moon or learned TO cry for
that, and all his other simple wants
were supplied even before he came
10 the place where he wanted them
He ate and went 10 sleep, with little
crowings and chirrupings: he slept
and woke. drowsily. with happy lit
tie signs. and eyes that laughed
even before his rose OF a mouth
spread into its slow smile. He was
the best baby that ever happened.
you'll notice. Adele" said Henry
judiciously, that he's bald on the
back OF his head. That. have
heard from folks who are supposed
TO know, il sure sign OF a fine
temperament in child. mean he's
baby with the right sort Of dispo-
sition. And, my dear. you'll notice
also that his father Is bald on the
back Of his head. Two and two still
make four. presume. So you'll
have TO admit. II you don't go dead
against the evidence. that II is his
fathers disposition he has. Now,
won't your"
Adele shifted and tossed her pretty
head with a familiar gesture. II will
hot" she retorted. "I1l have to
concede that he's bald on the back
Of his dear little noodlums. II that's
what you want me 10 say. but that
doesn't mean that his precious little
disposition was inherited from any
one who hasn't any Of his sort TO
spare. You are bald on the back of
your head. must say, but then you
are bald on the front Of your head,
too. and he isn't at all. So that set.
ties hat. And. besides. you have ad-
mitted that he looks just like his
mother. And II he has my features.
why, OF course. It's my disposition he
has. TOO. That's what makes him
such a precious little dear-isn't IL,
icky bicky. honey funny. baby best
est!"
She twiddled finger at the fat
baby and the fat baby regarded ii
iripassively. Adele smiled victori'
ously.
Henry considered. 81 never saw
woman yet who would reason with
anything like common honesty. You
believe what you want to believe,
like oil the rest OF EN-. Gosh. Adele.
II YOU were in business and some
body asked you 10 bid on the con-
struction OF building he was just
thinning abou. starting II things
went on as he planned. you'd order
the material and hire the men and
present your bill for the completed
contract before he got through
counting the pedestrians TO see II
IL would pay 10 put the shack on
that corner. You don't take any
thing for granted--oh. no. Nothing
except everything in sight. and
some things 1t wouldn't do to look
AZ too closely.
Now just stop and think about
what you are saying. Reason a lit
tie. You say he has your features,
ihcn you want 10 claim everything
else a. we'll. Of course, he looks
like you--T aunt II, even il he has
got my nose and eyes and mouth
like ] used to have when | was a
baby. But, gee whiz Adele, doesn't
he belong to us both? And II he
belongs to both OF us. I've got TO
be represented somewhere. haven't
I? He can't be all you. tell you.
IT'S my disposition he's got. No
doubt Of Il at ALL"
The fat baty TOOK no sides. He
continued to smile sleepily and 10
wave his fat arms and legs. Then
~ they gased fondly down at him
his expression began TO change 10
something they did not recognize
II was . new face and new baby
The little mouth cursed and the 1T
tie cheeks began to pun out. The
Kttle arms drew down and into the
little pink sides. The fat little legs
drew up and bent double. Then the
dewy mouth opened square and there
was q new sound in the room. "Yaa-
aaa-aaa!" II went Henry jumped
and looked behind him. II was
startling and cataclysmic.
Adele reached him first. She was
stunned, too, but her mother in