Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-03-16

Middle-aged worthy couples on the
quest Of that which nature in a moment
Of grim sport has denied them and Law
ished upon the unworthy AIMS of the
world are legion. and the Amberleys were
almost %fictionally true to type.
Mrs. Amberley was a large. comfortable
looking woman in r~ustling black. silk.
through the folds Of which her ample
form seemed to spill, wheat-sack fashion,
as She sat on her chair, hands folded,
and listened to Miss Crabtree extolling
The virtues of the infant. Mr.. Amberley,
seated a little behind his wife, was small,
nervous, and enormously i'll at ease, as If
realizing that this visit was an indict-
nent of his palpably deficient |virility.
a fringe of sparse, wispy hair encircled
his temples, a pair of faWn-colored con-
9ress CATERS his ankles. and his thin,
oioodless hands clutched the head of a
silver mounted Malacca zane like a mar
Iner's clutchin5 a half submerged spar.
The three of them adjourned to the
nursery, Mr.. Amberley trotting behind
The two women as If led to slaughter by
some invisible cord. He exhibited a ten
tative interest in the infant by remark
ing apologetically that 1t seemed unusu-
ally red of complexion, and suggesting
that some hidden strain of Indian blood
might be coursing unsupported in its
veins, Mrs. Crabtree and Mrs. Amberley
exchanged pitying glances at this exhibit
ton of male ignorance, n the matron
explained, CURLY, that such complexion
vas universal in infants Of three days.
At this information MIR. Amberley lapsed
into embarrassed silence while Miss Crab
tree extolled the physical projections Of
AIMS Illicit contribution to Manhattan's
seven million.
The Amberleys left and Miss Crabtree
repaired to the ward and informed Ann
in her crisp, businesslike voice that,
pending certain legal formalities, a home
had been found for her child. The effect
Of this information was startling. Ann,
the Hungarian. rose on her elbow, her
vivid blue eyes blazing.
You dare take him away from mel"
she stormed. I'll burn this joint to the
ground, d'you hear? He's all l got out of
this, and I'm going to keep him. Adopt
him out! Say, how d'you get that wayP
Amt his mother?"
Miss Crabtree backed away discreetly
from the blazing eyes.
You call yourself a woman. you old
dried up fossil" the girl ven on. you
bring him back to me this instant or I'll
get up and fetch him myself"
Miss Crabtree fled the ward. The two
pink spots in her cheeks glowed a dull
salmon red. The attendant brought the
IllllQ W ITO llOtilCit ui1d III itobOiC0
peace to the ward. Ann. barring her
young white breast to he tiny lips,
glared belligerently about the ward, a
young tigress with a one cub.
In her office Miss Crabtree sat staring
straight in front of her. In the matron's
gray, penetrating eyes lay a. look Of cold,
deadly fury, which gradually was super
seeded by another, that of a woman who
has sold her birthright for a mesa
terrible mess-of pottage.
1t is rarely that men in unofficial ca
pacity stray within the highly sanitary
precincts of this hospital, but 1T does
happen occasionally. They are usually
black proved fathers and brothers come
to wiring confessions from unwilling lips
with scowls and reproaches, and who de-
part mumbling vengeance. But once in
q while memories of soft arms, warm lips,
a touch OF pity or perhaps some. vague
notion of responsibility bring the other
sort there.
1t brought one Of these now, a dark
eyed youth, who, after cruising back and
forth before the smoke-begrimed porte
chere for half an hour to summon cou
age, plunged through the revolving door
and presented himself, cap in hand, be-
fore the information desk. Blushing to
the ears, he asked for the girl with the
unpronounceable name.
The lady at the information desk
pressed a button that rang q p%eremptory
bell somewhere. The boy shuffled his
feet, tugged at his cap. looked at the CELL
Ing, then at his brown oxfords, stuck his
hands in his pockets. pulled them out
again, pursed his lips, and tried to whis-
tie, and was then rescued by a white
CARRIED minion who answered the per-
emptory bell.
He was led up a wide flight Of stairs
! and into a large room, following doglike
on the heels Of the guide, and running
the gantlet of feminine eyes that stared
at him curiously, disdainfully. hopefully
each in their own way, from the double
row Of white beds.
Before one Of the farthest cots hi:
guide left him. The boy stood abashec
before the girl with the unpronounceablt
name. He twirled his cap, shifted him
l.self from one foot to the other, grinnec
sheepishly, and said: 10, Ann. How'i
tricks?"
The cornflower blue eyes regarded hin
soberly.
Not so worse" she replied.
They looked at each other in silence
these two. They were too young to spec.
ulate upon the mysteries of nature
which had used their youth to betra.
them. They only knew that something
had come between them and their love
and that this something was more i'm
portant than love itself.
Don't you want to see imp" the cir
finally asked, as she drew the cover
aside.
"Surest thing the boy replied, val
iantly. He approached IN tiptoe, as 1
he were carrying something fragile, ant
he extended q not overclean digit, witt
which he touched the infants wrinkleC
forehead gingerly.
Gosh, amt he small2" he said.
Hes no such thing Ann replied. in
+ dignantly. "He weighs nine pounds. &c
: yourself q chair an sit down. He ain
/, gonna bite you" She propounded a ques
, ton. Does your folks know you com'
( to see me?"
T He shook his head.
1.-The old mans ravin' about 1T yet.
halter sneak of, an I amt been hom'
= for four days" He glanced at her side
t wise. II was wonderin'-the boss salt
t he'd let me have my job back again, an
well. I've been kinda looking arount
t for a place." He paused. embararssedly
Il thought maybe you'd like to get mar
3 ried-or so~mething?" he added vaguely
The girl did not reply at once. H
looked down at her fearfully. She wa
: struggling to keep tears out Of her blu
t eyes. Manlike, he misconstrued he
r silence.
} Don't you like me enough to MARI,
/ me, kid2" he asked. miserably. FIRE,
e King said he'd lend me twenty-five buck
and he'll let us pay it back to him b,
e the week"
The girl put forth a small, dainty hans
c and drew his face close.
/ Like your" she whispered. II Low
you, ! love you"
q At that moment. Miss Crabtree en-
tered with a sheaf OF reports In her HAND