The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-07-25
A WELCOME GUEST
sy ARNOLD WARRENToN.
$3.50. - M.,t.rn Ntssp.p.

brother. Martin.
"Why. what's your ideaE Jeere1 The
frs speaker. suddenly taken liking
10 humanity. thai you want 10 graf
moor little abandoned ski u Thing,
after"
There Robert Leslie peuSed. An
acute expression in his brothers face
checked him. He Was sorry. for b.
realized that he had made bad break
There had been 6 passage II both their
lives where anger had led 70 injustice
and this, IN turn, 10 sorrow deep and
lasting.
Into their lonely lives this sunny a.
ternoon there had come startling *
uerieuce. Their home was double
house. with d common porch. Robert
lived alone in his quarters. Martin La-
q housekeeyer, & Mrs. Wade. Thus tor
years these Two rare old bachelors had
lived. daily sinking deeper into III
Of uneyentful existence.
See here. Robert" spoke Martin,
after q pause during which The twain
Eazed down al the little budd.ed atom
suugly euscOnced in padded basket,
i see We are Of one mind. Some moth
~, hearrless or driven 10 c!refui eX-
tremiry, has left the child here. Why
she selected TWO Grabbed old crankS 10
take il the little refugee l cannot com
prehend. Here il i, though, and We
are Ike TWO schooiboys with al odd
toy. All right-weu adopt the child
Yes, il viii break the loneliness,
responded Robert; but what 90 We
know about babies"
That's Just II" said Martin. eager.
". But have Mrs. Wade She's old
but she's = woman and knows baby
ways. Don't you see:'
NO, l don't" groWled Robert. =
have a. much right 10 the child as JOY
have"
! Granted, and Wen make il & mutual
adoption" pacified Martin. persuasive
~. I've thought for long time how
/ seuSelesS il was for rs 10 maintain sep
arate establishments. Close up YOU
/ Joint and lessen the expense by taking
q room with Us. and share the bah!
among Us"
So the little founding was carrieC
into the house. each Of the queer OLE
characters jealousy insistent on hay
ing q handle Of the basket al 10 him
self
Here's q visitor. and we're going Il
adopt the little fellow" announced
Brother Martin, and Mrs. Wade wen
into ecsJscies over the tiny stranger
Never was such lovely. smiling, blue
eyed angel, Why. see-he wound hi
chubby fingers around her work-vOrI
hand and actually laughed up at her
Oh. this was such a rare gift from
heaven! And Martin grinned an,
chuckled. and Robert hoped from foo
70 foot In a state Of high excitement
And Mrs Wade cried and laughed
while the baby cooed and crowed-
In the following irrational week Maj
Tin sneaked down town and came bacl
with all kinds Of baby goods. Rober
contributed high chair and a rocking
horse. The two fond and foolish guard
isns lowered about the cradle on a
occasions possible.
I've been thinking that baby ough
10 have some one 10 care specially 70
him." suggested Mrs. Wade. Il hav
my other duties, and I'm old and slow.
50 search was made and a Mrs. Mil
turn hired 10 take charge Of the child
Slyly Martin hid baseball and bat,
kite and q pocketknife. Robert s;
cretly went him one better. He had
toy wagon and sled under the bed.
The days went by pleasantly an
peacefully, the infatuated brothers di:
covering daily some new cuteness an
intelligence in the baby, always CROW
ing and smiling. One day the Ne
nurse was wheeling the little chill
along the street when a lady, youthfI
in face and form. stopped her TO ben
over and caress the baby. The nurs
was attracted by this interest The
fell into conversation and the nurs
mentioned that she would have TO Civ
up her charge, as some relatives Ia
dShVA ACA " Adhc ucI uo!Dt VII
them.
'Oh. can trust you! viii you bles
my life by one simple act?" broke fort
the strange lady, and into the nurse
ear she whispered story that brougi
tears Of sympathy to her eyes.
Ii came about that when the nurs
left the Leslie home she recommends
"a friend" AS Mrs. Bell, the Latte
succeeded her. The boy seemed
love her from the start. She won upo
the brothers and Mrs Wade.
One day Martin called his broth'
into the library. closed the door car
fully ard extended to him letter.
"Read that" he said soberly.
. Why what is it about; Who wro
Mrs Bell, otherwise Mrs. Arno
Leslie. wife OF the nephew you SCI
, adrift eight years ago. He has bet
, i'll in a sanitarium for q year. She hs
to work TO keep him there and had
give up the baby. The letter tells e
the story, and Arnold is well and col
ing for her."
Not 10 take the baby awayT qua
p erod Robert