The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-05-06

where we stood. I'm not asking you
TO settle down forever, dear (How
could you earn q living in such a
spot?), but I'm homesick for place
to call my own--a refuge in time
of need-a nook to hold the lovely
things we just can't help collecting
Ia haven when there's baby to
be born. It's no fun bringing a
child into the world during storm
at sea, as-as / did Jimsy."
Don looked at her in silence for a
moment. When he spoke there was
a trace of anger in his voice.
"Are you implying that / don't
know it? That / underestimate the
horror of that apprehension you,
my dear? Do you think I'd have
risked waiting so long to sail (even
though we thought there was time
to spare) if we hadn't been so dam
nably hard up that l felt must
squeeze every possible shilling out
of South Africa? Why, / even con-
sidered sending you on earlier,
alone, Nora, and was afraid you
couldn't stand the trip with the boy
to look after! I wonder if you've the
least conception of how / felt that
night when you woke me to say that
things were imminent and I found
the ship rocking like a cradle and
the only doctor on board too sick
with fever to lift his head off the
pillow. IL was sick myself, Nora,
sick with fear, mean, remember
ing what you went through before.
You don't know me if you think I'd
let you take a chance like that
again. You don't"
''Oh, comet" broke in Nora, smil-
ing little. Zone would think I'd
accused you of neglect! And didn't
need doctor with that marvellous
Norwegian nurse you dug up from
among the passengers and my ca
pable husband, who took her orders
like soldier. It's you who's the
wonder of the family, Don. You
never let me see that you were
nervous-not for a minute. I re-
member thinking: Don wouldn't be
so calm if things weren't going
right; but I was frightened just
the same, terribly frightened, espe-
cially when the storm was at its
height and my vivid imagination
pictured the ship just ready to 60
down. And If everything hadn't
been normal this time-Well, let's
forget that possibility. Let's get
back to the barn."
''Pony?" questioned James Lam
bert Mason with what appeared to
his admiring father as rare intelli-
gence.
"You hear that, Nora?" he asked
grirnly. "Why, even the kiddie UNI
derstands that barns intended to
shelter only CATTLE"
Nora laughed.
''Since when have ponies been
considered cattle, darling?"
ooh, you may laugh" said Don,
and his wife knew instantly that
something hurt him, "but when I
remember all you gave up for-for
me, Nora, the thought of your liv-
ing in a stable"
'sThe Christ Child was born in a
stable, Daddy"
They both turned, startled, not
having heard the approaching feet
Of their elder son. He stood behind
them, his scarlet bathing suit
patch Of gorgeous color against the
dunes, his big, brown eyes regard
ing his parents soberly.
$50 He was" said Don, and
pulled the scarlet figure down on his
knee. Across the child's dark head
his eyes met Morals. This serious
first-born of theirs, whose five short
years had been spent almost en-
tirely among elders, possessed an
uncanny way Of getting at the heart
of things. Sometimes it awed them,
as it did now.
"Cows?" questioned the baby,
and sat down again, this time on
Nora.
fTO BE CONTINUED