The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-11-08
By PETER B. KYNE
Copyright by Bell Syndicate
WNU Service.

physician informed him that his hopes
Of fatherhood were not apr to be real
lied he had brilliant Idea and
preached 1t to Mrs. Gatlln.
Lets adopt babyl" he urged.
Louise demurred. She had her
doubts as to the ACCESSIBILITY of taking
over somebody's else troublesome
never knew how an adopted baby was
going to turn our-there was no hurry,
anyhow-she must have time to con-
slider the idea-her health.
ITO hi with your health |" Mfr. Cat
lin roared, for the first time In his
married life becoming vulgar. "Every
doctor you've had tells me you're or
ganlcally sound. You only think you're
sick"
MY nerves." she protested, but he
silenced her.
you think too much about yourself
and not at all about anybody else, par
ticularly me. What you need Is baby
to fuss with. You'll learn to love 1t In
a month as much as II 1t WAS your own
flesh and blood"
I'm afraid you'll not love 1t. Theo-
dore. You're so cranky and irritable
she defended.
lLIsten!" Mr.. Gatlin commanded.
.Tm at the point where I'm seriously
considering suing you for divorce on
the grounds that you're barren wom-
an. In other ways you don't measure
up to my ldea of wife and COM
panion. It's no fun for me ofcome
home night after night and have to
listen to your tales Of woe
"You are devoid of sympathy" his
wife charged. "You neglect me-"
Maybe I've failed" said Mr.. GatlIn,
"but by Jimmy, I've tried, and I'm will
Ing to keep on trying little longer.
Only, from now on, we're going to try
my methods. and adopting a baby Is
one of them. II that falls I'll take the
baby over myself and we'll call In the
lawyers"
She knew she had gone as far as
she dared. Even the dullest of married
women know when that point Is
reached; that Is. they know when 1t
mas been reached for that day.
"Well, II we can find baby OF good,
sound, intelligent, healthy parentage,"
she assented grudgingly.
1--WE got one staked out" Mr.. Gatlin
cried joyfnlly. .'and | know Its par
ents. They're sound as grlndstones.
know the grandparents Of the child on
both sides.
Il don't know them personally" he
went on, but I've had doctor look
up their records. High class people
No insanity and no crookedness IN
them"
It'll have to meet these grandparents
and parents, Theodore"
Unfortunately" he replied, they're
all dead"
what did they die ofr?"
1.-THE grandparents on both sides, OF
old age; the father OF the baby was
an army captain and he got killed In q
fight In the Sulu islands. The mother
died In childbirth and the baby Is In
the Infants shelter In San francisco"
boy or girl 4heodore?"
BOY"
Il could never stand boy, Theo-
dore. must have a girl'
Mr. Gatlin grinned evilly. II figured
you'd try to edge out of 1t that way.
Ii Isn't boy. It's girl"
Louise Gatlin was not very intel
lgent, but she was sufficiently so to
realize that for once In his life Mr..
Gatlln was due to have his own way.
That night as he lay abed. Mr. Cat
lin suddenly gave himself a prodigIous
poke In the ribs. "What a jackass
was not to consult that doctor before
| married Louise" he groaned. "When
! thought could father child of my
own | didn't pay any more attention
to Its ancestry than | would to select
ing a necktle Anything that looked
well would fill the/bIll But when 1t
came to selecting some other mans
baby. gave the job all the attention |
would give to the purchase of piece
OF property. | wouldn't think OF buy
inga lot until had run down the rec
ord of the title and satisfied myself
there were no flaws In 1t. II men
would only employ that much common
sense In selecting their wlves-or
| wives, In selecting their husbands--I
| knew what nervous. complaining,
selfish old shrew her mother was
what's that law the doctor spoke Of?
All, yes. Mendel's law. The law that
| like shall produce like. Simple Nat
urali Any fool should have thought OF
| that--and yet 1t took an old monk--a
| celibate--to promulgate the news.
! Whew-w-w-w!
Theodore said his wife, from the
other twin bed, Il should think You
| might be more considerable of me than
to whistle like that and wake me up"
I'm so happy, darling, couldn't
help 1t. Forgive me-"
"Have you thought of name for
the baby?'
| II have. Penelope"
| "A horrid name. Where under
heaven did you get that na~ne?"
TO her unspeakable amazement he
| quoted a verse from Henry Herbert