Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-03-19

tucked into the soft white things there
/ was baby, tiny and red.
Addressing herself to the furniture
she said: What But this is fantastic
sillyl You can leave baby in rail-
way carriage or a left luggage room
or IN the last bus or taxi, but the day
for dumping on doorSteps is over. II
isn't done. I tell you It isn't donei"
You wake and live for grooming,
What II she did? You can only be
wrong when you're young. Why not
take on the burdens Of the people who
were not Why take on thiS?-a burden
forced upon her with which she had
nothing to do. There was something
criminal here Should she ring up
Scotland Yard? Should she inform
the 3. B. C.? Before the news there Is
an s. Q. 5. ...
But the little pitiflh whimpering was
not to be withstood. She bent quickly
over the basket and lifted the infant
out. She held 1t close in her arms.
She put her cheek to its face. She
took 1t up to her bed. And now what
pray This was not the end of it.
Babies needed food. It was probably
asking for food. What food, what?
She sat up in bed and stared. feel
ing very much like making 1t a whim-
pering duet. After several impotent
moments during which she-yeS, she
did-crooned. she remembered that
there was the nurse. There was also
Mrs. Rickham, the mother Of six at
least, and Doris, who played mother
since being baby herself. They would
know what TO do.
At the side of the bed was a bell.
But where on earth did 1t ring? She
had never tried it before. She put her
finger to it. There was not the least
effect so far as she could hear. It was
ringing in the kitchen with piercing
urgency and as luckily the kitchen
was beneath the nurses room, Miss
Instone leaped from her bed.
She had no right to be there really.
1t was far too cushy job. Her pa
tient wasn't patient and there was
nothing wrong. The doctor had been
there for weeks,
IT haven't the face" he said.
II she had been asked TO make
report on how she had found Pam at
the start, She would have written
this:
"a lovely girl, much spoilt; a very
highly. strung nervous system, cock
eyed from parties and noise; needs
sleep and simple feeding and all the
sun there is; no drinks or smokes; no |
aSsininity"
To this she would have added a !
postscript week or so ago.
''She seems to have thought things |
over, especially something which /
brought her here in state of hys- /
.erical rage. Maybe her broken en- /
though she never mentions /
t; shows signs of wounded vanity and /
;ries a little at times; is happier after |
hat-a form of enjoyment.
Peace, the charming garden and
he regular routine have enchanted |
Ter, I think; reads better books and I
,nly goes to the radio for symphony 1
,rchestraS. Oh, yes, and the news
which makes her very grave; she Gre
ted herself heroine and is wrapped
n mystery. All, but aren't We all?
lust, keeps me on for company. to
which I don't object"
However, fumbiing into her dress
ng gown she woke the others up. 1t
vas the efficient Mrs. Rickham who
new whose bell 1t was. Miss Pamelasl
She must have been taken bad. All
hree ran to her room. Drama for
hange.
eve got a baby" said Pam. Half
;rying and half laughing, between
niger and a state of thrill, not able
ute to believe yet that this thing had
LARRNlCA ~ et44I oA4C NAoSAOoS0 40 oAAHA
link head.
The reaction Of these women was
xactly, of course, the same. They
made a trio Of warm noises and went
oft and dithery. They then sur
ounded the mother and made foolish
Maternal sounds. But they were frus-
rated in their desire to say, "Oh, amt
e the spit Of his father" because they
idn't know the man.
Then, pulling herself together in
biological way, Miss Instone put the
uestion which ought to have occurred
t once.
How did you get it2" she asked.
Mrs Rickham scoffed She felt in
lined to be angry and say, We'll amt
on a nurse2" It is extraordinary how
ven experience can leave no lesson
ehind.
You may be sure it was not the last
me that Pam described the event.
was not for the last time either
rat she saw on her listeners faces
n expression of disbelief A child
lmped on a doorstep by someone
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