Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-07-24
1T WAS
THE LINK OF
BROTHERHOOD
% BY short story pub. Coz

By DENNIS H. sTovALL

drew on his trousers and coat,
stepped Into his slippers, and lift
y ed Baby out Of his basket Then
he went downstairs, turned on the
light, and sat before the crate, In
which bed of Goals was still glowing.
Without looking at the little clock on
the mantel, he knew 1t was about / 30
a. m. Force Of habit always led to his
awaking at this hour to give Baby his
bottle, for, when Baby came, jenkins
had agreed to take the night shift, the
chief duty Of which was to give the
young man his milk and peppermint.
Jenkins unrolled his bundle, dlsclos-
ing round, red face over which two
chubby fists were kneading. Then he
leaned forward and held the bottle
over the fire. Baby opened his eyes
and began snlffling uneasily. This un.
easiness was an lnfallible sign of
trouble, for jenkins had become wise
In the ways of babies.
He placed the warm nipple in Baby's
mouth and leaned back contentedly,
taking cigar from his pocket, as was
his wont, and prepared to pass the
time of Baby's feasting In comfort.
But Baby would not feast. He refused
the bottle absolutely, and began wrig-
Cling and twisting In way that could
mean but one thing-"wind on the
stomach" or Just plain baby collie. SO
Jenkins laid his cigar by and calmly
awaited more alarming symptoms.
Baby ceased his sniffling, puckered his
red face frightfully, closed his eyes,
and emitted one long, startling wall.
It was the first light thunder roll that
precedes the storm.
Jenkins sighed reslgnedly, In anticl-
patton of the impending ordeal. For a
little while the responsibility of a
father weighed heavily upon him. and
he half wished he were back in bache-
lordom. This thing Of doing right by
posterlty is not what 1t is cracked up
to be, thought he, as he teetered the
fretting baby on his knee.
When Baby quieted to take a long
breath for the next wall, Jenkins
heard slight noise in the hail. He
sat erect to listen, but wall number
two arrived with a vehemence suffl-
Client to drown the din of Bedlam. He
concluded 1t was Josephine snoring, or
turning over for a more comfortable
position to sleep, while he, poor man.
labored heroically to save their only
begotton son from the deadly throes
Of collie.
Wall number three put an end to
further reflection, for Baby was at II
with the full vigor Of a six-months'
youth, and Jenkins bestirred himself
to prescribe He had the course of
treatment fully in mind, for, as hint
ed, he had become wise In the way of
babies. The usual bric-a-brac on the
mantel had given way to a miniature
apothecary shop, with long row OF
Walls, carefully labeled. He arose and
walked toward the mantel, hesitating
just before taking the bottle down to
give ear to that noise again.
This time It was louder and closer
than before, and ere jenkins could
comprehend 1t, man stepped through
the pOrtlere and stood In the full light
Of the living room. The man wore
black mask, through which his eyes
peered hideously. In one hand he car
rled revolver, in the other dark
lantern and satchel.
jenkins did not drop Baby. Indeed
he was surprised by his remarkable
composure. He took a bottle from
the shelf and turned his chair.
II beg your pardon for intrudlng."
said a voice behind the mask "but in
order to get out the way came In 1t
VIII be necessary for me to cross this
ROOM"
go right ahead" jenkins replied,
holding the bottle to the light,
mo Intrusion whatever"
The man crossed and reached the
dlning-room door, keeping his eyes
fixed the while on Jenkins. At the
door he paused, stood for moment
and asked:
Golfer
"Fraid So" And Baby emitted a
yell that proved the apprehension well
grounded.
whats you going to give Imp
Three drops Of this medicine In warm
water"
mo, don't you do tits bad bust
ness" The man came back step, and
for the first time jenkins experienced
a queer sensation In the calves Of his
legs.
"That medicine will knock the pains
out of billy goat" the man went on,
"but 1t takes something worse than
billy goat to knock the medicine"
"But, see here, stranger, If you we're
the father Of "a"
II am"
swell, what do you give for collier"
None Of that stuff you're getting
ready to use-that's what they gave
me-"
As II the Invitation to assist we're
amply implied, the man laid his re-
volver, satchel and lantern on the cen
ter table. He then came forward,
watched the wrlthing baby for mo-
ment and gave the result Of his dag
nOsls: yes, It's the genuine, all right;
but we can soon bring i'm out Of II.
Have you any catnlp and yamroot%
Eyes. s'pose so. but | may have
to wake"
"NO, you better not, she might OBJ |
ject to my medicine. Here, let mo
have the youngster, and you rustic up |
the cntnlp and yam
Jenkins Obediently delivered the |
hahv and efuriad for the nantrv. "0h. |