Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-01-06
Moonlight and
Money
BY Marion Rubincam
REALIZATION
CHAPTER 20
And it was a girl after all!

And it was a girl after all!
But it was many hours before
Louise was able even to ask, and
when the nurse told her. she gave a
faint smile of pleasure. She was still
toe weak to say more than the most
necessary words.
Il think she's pleased because it's
q girl" h heard the nurse say to
Harry who was standing across the
room. Now that she was able to
take notice, there seemed to be a lot
of figures in the room.
Then I'm glad too" Harry's voice
answered.
did you want a boy?"- 1t was a
deep voice this time. Louise recog-
nized 1t as that of DR.. Drake.
7 didn't care. l wanted anything
Louise wanted" There was general
laughter at this. There seemed to
be many people around. Louise
forced herself to open her eyes,
heavy. Yes. her father was there
too. sitting on the end of the bed.
She tried to smile and succeeded
weakly. She felt someone take her
hand so she opened her eyes again.
1t was not Harry this time but her
father. A warm feeling of happi-
ness went through her. This was,
Aok 1t&&A IA kaO 4 Ol q
voluntary caress that her father had
given her.
Life had many compensations, she
thought. and not the least of them
was the fact that she was so deli
ciously drowsy.
This time she had lost the feeling of
detachment. h was aware of all
the details OF the room. 1t must be
evening, h thought, for a lamp was
burning on h table, shaded SO the
light would not be in her eyes
The nurse came to the bed as
Louise stirred and smiled down al
her, the cheerful, professional, yet
thoroughly sympathetic smile that all
good nurses seem to possess.
Feeling better?" she asked.
Louise nodded.
II want to see my baby" she told
her.
The nurse disappeared and came
back presently carrying q tiny white
bundle. Harry came in at the same
time and kneeling by the bed, took
one of his wife's hands.
Louise was shivering with excite
nent. What would it look like, his
wee product of her soul and body,
the pledge and proof of her love for
Harry? She had seen very few
babies in her life. She knew them
mostly as the chubby cherubs of the
picture books.
Harry placed another pillow be-
the nurse put the little bundle of
white beside her. Louise looked and
looked, then turned to the nurse with
O. queer expression on her face.
.-Do they always look like that?"
she asked.
The nurse smiled re~assuringly.
NO baby looks pretty when It's so
1yoi11prp All q said "Y0up lif*l2 daNEh-
ter is only about twenty hours old.
Wait a few days and then see how
sweet she'll be-"
cts so tiny" Louise said present.
Eyes. it's smaller than the aver
nurse stated it in a matter Of fact
way.
Louise looked again. The shock
tina so many young mothers u
feel when they first see their baby
was over. There is nothing more
day or so 1t is curiously unlike the
nowerlike creature 1t becomes later.
Louise, in dreaming over the roman
tic side of motherhood. had rather
neglected to learn the practical
> things. Consequently, she was shock
ed at what h thought lookSI IKE
a c~aricature of a face and features.
But as the nurse picked up the
child she asked wistfully, Cant T.
keen 1t here?"
cts much better for both of you
IL 1t stays in the hext room," the
nurse explained. But you shall
have 1t in here for visits
'"They bring a baby into h world
with efficiency methods nowadays,
and it lives on u scientific routine
that's as regular and impersonal as
q clock" Harry commented when
they we're alone. "They chased me
out of my room mex door and made
n a nursery. I'm downstairs now.
Thev have more implements for
sterilizing-"
Had you seen it before?' Louise
: interrupted.
Harry nodded his head.
Were you disappointed" Louise
"T was SO worried over you I hard
" thought Of the baby at ALL" Harry
confessed. '"There's time enough Tor
that when you are well again
Tomorrow-A New Anxiety.