Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-08
The Mother Heart,

THE shadow had been hoverins
over North street oil the previous
day and when morning dawneo
IL was found to have descended
Poor Anna Hicks was gone, but
the baby was alive, q girl baby, too
more the pity.
Miss swain sighed as she ate her
crisp, hot, buttered toast. Signing
however, doesn't interfere with the APP
petite. Miss Swain relished her break
fast. but why not9 She was 10 and
she had seen great many comings and
goings. Death and birth were no nov.
city to her. Yet she did feel sorry that
Anna had left girl baby. It was Just
IKE her, too, the pretty inconsequential
little thing.
TITS come to hard world" said
Miss Swain to her coffee cup. She
lived alone, save for Hannah. her maid.
well, suppose somebody will have to
do for it. Mary Peck has been good
TO stay and take care of Anna, but she
can't look after the baby. suppose I
shall have to take a hand in this.
Somebody will have to 60 ahead with
it. Perhaps can find somebody right
here on North street who will adopt it
Mrs. Dick Van Name nowl It would
do her good to have something besides
that wretched little Spite to sit in her
lap"
Miss Swain went into her living room
and sat down at her telephone table.
She had the comfortable feeling of
person who can impose a duty on
others without in any way feeling obi
gated herself. She called Mrs. Van
Name and pretty voice answered.
Il, Miss Swain? Oh, my dear! I
couldn't take a baby! Why, Dicky
wouldn't let me. It's all 1 can do to
get him to have Lovey around. And
besides, Lovey might bite it. He has
such a jealous disposition. I really
couldn't. I'd love to accommodate you,
but couldn't. No. Really"
Miss Swain hung up the receiver.
Lets see. I'll call up the Misses KEEL
ley. Now those two women haven't a
thing to DO but read and motor and
play the player-piano. They aspire to
culture and guess they have got some.
But 1t would do them good to have
baby in the house"
Miss Frances Kelley answered in her
quiet, elf-contained voice which had
an alarmed note in 1t now.
A baby! Poor Anna Hicks babyl I
was afraid this would happen when her
husband died. She was 50 completely
wrapped up In him. Love, Miss Swain,
is a beautiful thing when it's reason
able, but that pair had no business to
get married. Anna was too young In
the first place. You're not asking US,
Jane and me, to take that baby! The
idea! What DO we want of a baby?
We are Spinsters. If we had wanted
babies we would have married and had
some OF our own. I'm very sorry. but
you'll have to ask somebody else
"As If two middle-aged, well-to-do.
healthy women couldn't do for one baby
girl" Miss SWANS old cheeks were
gathering an excited red. She was not
used to having people deny her any
thing. well, I'll try Angelina Russell.
What's her number? Mrs. Enoch Rus
seH-l77, private wire. Now, my dear
Angelinel"
whats that2 You want me to adopt
Anna Hicks baby" The way Mrs. Rus
sell said mel" What have you got to
40 with 1t? IN that case why don't you
adopt 1t yourself? 1t would make q fine
piaything for your old age! No, ma'am,
! beg to be excused. Children are like
toothpicks, you want your own most
decidedly. When my son died I was
heartbroken, but I've outlived the worst
part OF it. Suppose he had lived and be.
come what lots of peoples sons are to-
DAY? Indeed, wouldn't think of ac-
cepting the responsibility Of bringing
This was all from MRS. Russsll.
There's Pearl Durham thought
Hiss Swain. "She is going to be mar
Red. Maybe they'll like a nice. baby to
start housekeeping with"
deal.
Mercy. You're joking, Miss Swain.
know you're joking!" she gasped.
"I1l try Miss Williams and then I'm
DONE" said Miss Swain.
But Miss Williams was quite as I'M
willing as the other women had been.
II know it looks as if I could and
should do it." she said. But I can't. I !
don't understand babies. should prob
ably hold 1t wrong side up. It's too great
a problem. I can't accept g.,
WELL" said Miss Swain as she hung
up for the last time, 1--WE done nv part. ,
anyway. And now think I'll knit q
It was pleasant in her living room
with the smell OF newly blossomed hya-
clnths and the sound of her canary bird
cracking seeds in his golden pagoda.
N1aS AOShC0 OtAQ KILL anu occasionally
looked down the street toward the poor
little house where Anna Hicks had lived
her brief married life and had died gal
lantly, and where the tiny girl baby.
motherless from her first breath, was
waiting for some mother heart to claim
and love her.
Probably" thought Miss Swain. at
would be better II she died" And she
sighed. Life is O coil for the best of u.s."
Somehow she made poor progress
with her knitting. There was ever the
interfering thought Of the tragedy down
the street.
IF wasn't an old woman who can't
keep servant any length of time
might-she was beginning when Han
nah looked in ct the door.
Some one to see you, Miss Swain,
shat is, II you'll see her."
Show her in. Hannah" said Miss
Swain, glad Of any diversion from those
troublesome thoughts.
The woman who entered IVES not
young, merely youngish. She was small
and rather pale, although she gave the
impression OF muscle and Wyacity. She
painted little as she sat down, clasp
ing her black-gloved hands close to-
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