The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-12-25
Daddy, Alias
Carrots

By Jane Osborn

-: Dy jane OsDorn %
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
Bah was sitting darning socks in the
mellow glow of the living-room table
light when Babbette appeared at the
door. Bah in a gray frock with a
white fic'lu, hair parted in the middle
and spectacles on her little nose was
demure. Babbette was respondent,
captivating. She made one breathe fast
just to look at her, standing there with
round, bare arms and round young
body. Steve, reading his paper and sit
ting opposite to Bah at the table. swal-
lowed hard and bllnked.
whats the matter, DEAR" Bah
asked, taking off her glasses and look
ing at him anxiously. Doesn't Bah
bette's dress look pretty7 l copied il
after one in a shop window on the ave
nue.. We didn't think it looked home
madey."
''Oh, that's all rights immense =
Steve hurried. That's not the trou-
bic. / was trying to grasp the idea
that. that-that girl there is my daugh-
ter"
Steve NOVEL; rose with his hands in
his pockets and paced the room medi-
tatively for minute, while Bah busted
herself fastening the buttons of Bah.
cites gloves, tucking in lock Of hair
here and loouening few there. Steve
paused when he arrived before the mir.
ror over the mantlepiece, peered In
and then, striking match which he
took from his smoking-coat pocket
lighted one Of Bab's candles-for orna.
ment only-that stood In brass sticks
on the mantlepiece shelf. He held this
up to. the side of his face and peered
in. No, there was not a gray hair In
the bushy shock of auburn. scarcely {
wrinkle, unless one could call those
few crows feet-the sort that gather
Steve assured himself, even on tbs
faces Of young men who are accua
toned to smiling with their eyes.
he blew cut the candle and clenchet
his right-hand fingers into fist and
with his left hand on his right biceps
felt his muscle. Then he Strengthened
himself up to his full six feet, stood on
the balls Of his feet and Inhaled as Il
to test his lung capacity.
'Tt can't be-" he told himself. "pn
not ready to be that girls fathef-In
too young. Pm only boy-and before
many years TIL be a grandfatherf HI
looked at Bah sitting SO contentedly By
the lamp. She he'd resumed her darn
ing and Babbette. was standing reading
Steve's paper. Yes,s Steve reflected
Bah was content to take back seat
What was 1t to her that old age has
been forced upon them and that for al
their days and nights to come they
must sit there reading papers anG
darning socks or. If they did go out, b.
mere spectators at play or opera?
what on eRrth's the matter Will
you dad7" Queried the eighteen-year
old daughter, CHANGING up from the pa
per, and then, not waiting for him Il
answer, II wonder where Goggles car
be? was sure I'd be late and here BIZ
is keeping me waiting" she went on.
Goggles, who's Goggles7'' queried
Steve.
Bah and Babbette looked up IN sur
prise. 'Why, Goggles is Babbette's
new friend with the eight-eylinder. II
makes 1t SO nice for Babette."
(which Goggles or the eight-cylin
der7" Queried Steve.
"Don't be silly, dad" said the re
splendent young thing, as she folded
her warm arms about Steve and kissed
him on the chin In thoroughly daugh,
teriy fashion "I'm not bit interested
In Goggles-but anyone would dote OF
his motor"
Steve caught the faint perfume-in
toxicating exotic-that chung to his
daughters evening frock. When he
had courted Bah. he recalled, girls used
some simple scent-violet or lily-of
the-valley Those were simple days
What a. thing 1t must be to be young
Steve thought, young when girls. used
perfume like that-redolent of strange
Eastern romance, Persian gardens II
the moonlight, Indian temples and
tropical islands. Steve's impression
was not distinct but it was none the
less vivid. And Goggles, just because
he had an eight-cylinder, could share
the society of a goddess like Babette
Steve rubbed his eyes as If to wipe
the film Of twenty years of married
life from them. What a thing to be
young again he thought. Why, he
was young. People often told him he
didn't look thirty, and If it weren't fol-
that lovely creature there calling him
dad he might sometimes forget that
he was nearer to the half century
mark.
Bah had run off to the telephone
bell, and came back with the color OF
her pink and white cheeks heightened
with rage.
isn't 1t perfectly horrid?" she
storlneu. /. US Geggles and he's 4
Nellie Drew's and telephoned to So
they'd stop for me. He says he was
at Nellie's for dinner and Shorty Tuck
er, who was going to take Nellie tele-
phoned he had been detained and
couldn't bring Nellie, so said he would
have to bring Nellie and they'd stop
for me. Why didn't he tell me he was
going to have dinner there? Nellie's
an old cat-I oughtn't to say that of
one of my own fraternity sisters, ]
know but 1t was downright mean
Babette stop/ed suddenly and a look
VI INSPIRATION nasned across her face
Dad" she cried Selling him in heI
strong arm. "YOu don't look thirty
and you're a lot better looking thar
any of the other boys. You take me
and don't let them know you're my
father. None of these boys know you
and the lights won't be bright. I'll
call you Carrots cause you've got
auburn hair and it's a fad you know
to call the boys some such name. Car.
rots Clay-that's a nice name. No
you don't have to dress-come just as
you are and while you're putting on
your hat and coat I'll just telephone
In case Goggles and Nellie haven't
started and tell them friend of mine
who happened to be having dinner
with me is bringing me, and If they
have started and do come, why, mann
my, you tell them that l started on
with a friend of mine, who was
anxious to take me, and tell them
you're so glad it happened just as Il
did because this friend Of mine was
anxious to take me. Dad, you're a
peach. Nanny, don't be lonesome
there's a DEAR"
Carrots Clay-alias Bab's Daddy
alias lust plain Steve Nowell-did as