The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-07
Chapter IS
TINS HOME

M - TUNE
This is the sitting ROOM Myra
said, laying down the gray hat and
leading the way.
The sitting room was done" in a
period suite, which Ruth remembered
hearing Of. Myra's mother mad given
it. 1t was handsome wood but too
large and too heavy and too gaudy for
that small room. There were lace
curtains at the windows, Topped back
with ribbon, and velvet ones over
them.
And we're rich, for this neighbor
hood. We have a dining room. They
eat in the sitting room mostly, or the
kitchen" Myra was saying, going on
through curtained archway into an
other room.
This evidently was the dining room,
for the table stood in the center and
things that were obviously wedding
gifts stood on what was obviously a
''sideboard'. This room was oak,
rather plain, and the two small win.
dows had white curtains and then blue
ones The table was set for three.
with all the array of dishes and silver
and glass that only young housewife
can muster and display with such an
air.
And here's Junior" Myra ex-
claimed
She walked to baby carriage in
the corner. and genetly picked up the
sleepy bundle within it. Ruth stood
perfectly silent.
She wanted to say something, she
didn't know what it should be. After
all, she knew no babies, and had no
idea as to what one said or did to
them. She was rather in awe of them
and immensely flattered if one of
them ever noticed her or smiled at
fragile little beings, likely to crack in
the middle if an amateur picked one
up.
But Myra had no such feelings. She
held the child in just the proper fash
ion in the corner of her arm, one hand
supporting it where her arm did not
cradle it.
He's the image of Tim, isn't he?"
she asked looking fondly at the child,
who was blinking at little at the light.
Still Ruth could say nothing.
So this was Tins child? 1t looked
like any other baby. It's skin was pink
and fair, its delicate hair was dark,
its eyes seemed dark, too, though she
couldn't tell. 1t was still young
enough for it's features to be soft and
undetermined.
Try as she would, she could see no
resemblance to Tim-to Tim. glorified
in her eyes as someone extraordinary
lily handsome.
He's older than | thought" she
managed to say at last. 1t was the
only thing she could think Of.
t,rncH with q
little laugh. DO you know how long
other, Ruth"
We're %. We were Is, weren't
we. when you"
When l went to live with Cousin
Emily. Time flies. doesn't it,"
Ruth looked again at the child
= Want to hold him." Myra offered
the last word in maternal hospital
ity. .
s Ruth drew back. not knowing why
she did so. At one time she would
have thought it the greatest privilege
in the world to hold in her arms Tins
child. Yet here was Tins child held
out to her-though, to be sure, it was
Myra who held him out.
NO, might drop him." she ex-
claimed hastily.
Myra laughed good naturedly.
Come, muvveer's boy" she crooned
10 the sleepy baby. It's long past
beddy time. But we stayed up to see
Auntie Ruth didn't we? See Auntie
Ruth over there"
The baby turned a sleepy and indif-
ferent eye upon the visitor. Ruth
smiled. forced smile, exactly the
sort that grown-ups unused to chill
dren proffer as a friendly advance,
and exactly the sort that children in
stinctively shrink from.
Ruth held out a hand, still feeling
lost as TO what was expected of her.
The child made no answer, though it
was much wider awake. Still Ruth
could see no resemblance to Tim.
My stars. the roast" Myra went
on into the kitchen, the baby still in
her arms. She deposited him without
ceremony into a child's high chair,
opened the oven door and began pour.