The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-16
"BabyV Was a
Spaniel
By LILLIAcE M. MITCHELL

moved in today, Mr.. Bates muir.
INJURED as he sank into the host chair
at the dinner table.
"Yesl" his wife responded, a trace
Of bitterness In her voice.
Surely you have no Ratchet to bury
this early?" he asked.
"Hatchetw said his wife coldly.
"Let me tell you what that woman did
made me the laughing stock Of the
neighborhood. That's what she did.
/ went out on the back porch when
their things were coming in and l was
just about to tell her she could boil
her kettle for luncheon over here II
their gas wasn't turned on yet when
she let out yell and asked me If I'd
seen Baby"
Him." muttered Mr.. Bates. slope
Baby rests well at night and doesn't
try to compete with the Miller radio !"
"She's sweet, helpless little thing"
went on Mrs. Bates, you know. the
cuddly type with blond hair and blue
eyes and soft little voice that you
can hardly hear. Well, she kept look
ing around, so worried about Baby
that I said I'd go downstairs to see
If she was anywhere about. I asked
how old she was and Mrs. Peterkin-
that's their name-said nearly three
years old"
"Ah, then she won't cry nights" Mr..
Bates said with some satisfaction as
he looked towards his salad plate with
pleasure.
$50 l went downstairs and left her
wringing her hands helplessly while
the movers tried to struggle past her
with a highboy-"
"Say," interrupted Mr.. Bates sud
denly. "did you go over to see Pickles
today. honey? They gave him some
worm medicine last night and kind
of worried all day about the pup. !
wish I could persuade the agent to let
us have him over here"
His wife glared at him and he sub
sided.
"And when l got downstairs there
was no sign of Baby anywhere about.
I hurried to the Kenmore corner and
looked and rushed back to the Win
throp corner and looked. Mrs. We'll
.lingford came along and I told her
to keep a sharp lookout for a little
'three-year-old girl. She saw the cor.
ner policeman and hurried along to
tell him the child had got lost in NOV
ing"
~ believe I'd have let the mother
inform the police about it." said Mr..
Bates.
$50 the policeman beat on the walk
with his stick and two other officers
came running along. Get down to
the corner of Ridge there quick! the
first officer told them. The child's
only three and she won't know about
the crossing lights! Run? And off
they tore as fast as they could. Well,
I thought I'd run upstairs again to
see If by any chance Baby could be
hiding in the apartment anywhere.
You know, sometimes child will run
into q clothes closet or climb into
cedar chest"
II know it," sighed Mr.. Bates, who
remembered the child Of his wife's
sister.
"By the time / got upstairs again
the new neighbor was all smiles. Baby,
it seemed, hadn't been out of the fiat
at all. didn't stop to ask any ques-
lions about 1t but chased down to tell
Mrs. Wellingford and the officers.
Why, the way they started off, you'd
have supposed it had been kidnap-
ing at least! And they asked lot
of questions that l couldn't answer be-
cause hadn't stopped for questions
when heard Baby was missing.
Finally I got upstairs for the second
time and stopped in to see where the
child had been. And what do you sup
pose, Harvey?"
"What?" he asked, trying to infuse
just the proper amount of astonish-
ment to suit her and yet leaving a lit
tie reserve to use when she let fall
her news.
"Baby wasn't baby at ALL" said
Mr.. Bates triumphantly. "She told
me Baby was under the stove right
now and there under the gas range
was a basket with a black spaniel
looking up at me brightly. Baby was
a dog!
"a dog?" echoed her husband blank.
~. Then a smile broke over his fea.
lures. "a dog? Well, If they had
to make concessions like that to get
a new tenant, I guess there'll be no
kick If 1 get Pickles over mere from
the kennels, Ell? Where's that phone
book, Mabel, Ell? I'll phone them to
bring Pickles right overi"