The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-07


 Juia's little daughter was born on | a June day in the lovely Ross Valley
 house the Studdifords had taken for | the summer.
 | They had moved into the house in
 April, because Julia's hopes made later move unwise, and, delighted to
 get into the sweet green country so | early in the year, and to have the
 best of excuses for leading the quiet life she loved, she bloomed like a
 rose. She was in splendid health and l in continual good spirits; her exultant | confidence indeed lasted until the very
 day of the baby's birth.
 1 The days late late, and the pretty
 urse, Miss Wheaton, had been in the I Sc for nearly two weeks before Ju- i Iia herself came to her door, in the | first pearl dawning to say, still laugh | ingly that the hour had come. 4 swift weIl-ordered period of excite
 ment ensued; the maids were silent,
 awed, efficient; Miss Wheaton au- | thoritative, crisp, ready with tschnlcat 1 terms; and Jim as nervous and upset
 as if he were absolutely ignorant or
 all things physiological, utterly depen- dent upon the skill and knowledge o1
 tEe nurse, humbly obedient to her will. | The telephone rang and rang. Jula, | the centre of this whole thrilling drama, wandered about in her grea. pluln-colored silk dress1ng-gown, | Icommenting cheerfully enough upon the various rapid changes that were being made in her room. She picked up the little pink blanket that hG" been hung upon a white-enamelled l clothes horse by the fire, and pressed it to her cheek. But now and then she stopped walking, and put her hand out toward the back of chair as if she needed support, and then an e., hot o11l ln Jim's soul sicken within him: an ex- pression of fear and wonderment and childish surprise. At nine o'clock Miss Poland came in, a little pale, but very cheerful and reassuring.
 I'm afraid-ny nerve-wil1 give out, Aunt Sannai Julia said, beginning her restless march again, after hot quick kiss
 Hear herI" said the nurse, with a laugh of bright scorn. Don't talk any nonsense like that, Mrs. Studdiford Why. she's the coolest of us all!'' "Oh, no-Pm not-oh, no-I'm not!' Julia .moaned. "Your doctor says you're doing spendidly, and that another two hours ought to see everything well over! Miss Toland said, trying to keep the acute distress she felt out of her tone.
 'I feel so-nauseated!' Julia com plained. "So-uncertain!' "Yes know" the nurse said sooth- ingly, whisking out of the room. Miss Toland followed her into the hall.
 she's in great pain, she won't have much of this?" asked the older wo- man anxiously- nurse said brightly, after a cautious glance at Julia's closed door. 'This isn't much-yet She's a little scared, that's all" Hating the nurse from the depth of her heart, Miss Poland went down stairs to see the doctor. Jim was sit- tirg with a newspaper on the porch, irving to smoke. He jumped up ner- vously.
 'eWhere's Doctor Lippincott?" de- manded Miss Poland.
 He ran in to St. Rafael. Back di- rectly." "Ran in to San Rafael? And you let ht,n! Why. don't see how he dared Jim!'' "Ob I guess he knows his business, Aunt SannaI" Jim said miserably. Do you suppose I can go up for a while 2" "Yes, go" said Miss Poland. think she wants you, God bless her!
 But Julia wanted nobody and noth- | ing Jim's presence his concerned voice and sympathetic eyes, only vaguely added to her distress. She frightened recurring paroxysmS of pain; she re- coiled from the breezy mater-of-fact- | ness of the doctor and the nurse; the | elaborate preparations for the crisis | offended every delicate instinct of her nature She felt that the room was hot and complained of the fire; but a | few moments later her teeth chatter ed with a chill, and Miss Wheaton closed the wide windows through 1 June hreeZe was wandering. 1
 The day dragged on. The doctor | came back, talked to Jim and Miss Poland during luncheon about mush- room-rafsing, went upstairs to send F;iSs Wheaton down to her lunch, ana l to watch the patient little WhlIe TOT | himself Jim went up, too, but was | sent cown to reassure Mrs. Toland, | who had arrived and with Miss Sanna | was holding a vigil in the pretty ere tonne hung drawing-room- He was crossing the hall to go upstairs again | when a sound from above held him rigid and cold. A long low moan of utter weariness and anguish drifted through the pleasant silence of the | Eotfse, died away. and rose again.
 Slowly the sense of tragedy deepen ed about them. Mrs. Poland was white; Miss Hollands face was streak ed with tears. The moaning was al- most incessant now. but Jim in the hall could hear the nurse murmur above it. and now and then the doc tors voice, short and sharp.
 'I wonder if you could come in and give her a little chloroform, Jim ?" said Doctor Lippincott, a pleas ant, middle-aged man in white linen suit and cap, appearing suddenly in the door of Julia's room. 'I think we can ease her along a little now, and I need Miss Wheaton"
 Jim pushed his hair back with a ct hand; cleared his throat.
 Sure. Dyou want me to scrub up?" he asked huskily. "Oh, no-no. my dear boyi Every things going spIendidly." The doctor beckoned him in, and shut the door. 1 "Now. Mrs. Studdiford.' said he, 1 well be all right here in no timeI"
 (Continued Tomorrow