The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-01-29

"Tve hidden something for twel
Of you. Well get out of this some
how When she stopped sobbing and
was leaning against me, resting her
hair against my cheek, asked her
who it was, if knew the man.
"Then she told me.
''It was as if gun had gone of"
Emma went on. "My throat was
thick and my head hurt. But had
to keep holding tight to her. telling
her it was all right, that we'd get
through-we'd get through somehow.
Had she told anyone? No, nobody
nobody. She carried that secret for
five months.
''To think, Cherry of the Welcome
that they were getting ready for the
Marshbanks baby, and Of the way
the world would treat my Lottie's
unwanted little scrap, seemed to
work like some terrible intoxicating
poison in me. put her to bed;
she'd stayed at the house often
enough; there was no comment by
anyone; and if Fred Marshbanks
ever had thought of her, he had
probably put it all out of his mind,
as moments foolish mistake
months before.
"Lottie went off to sleep, and the
next morning she was her quiet lit
tie self. I began to think if / could
possibly keep Lottie safe up there,
on the third floor of big house.
Where else would she be so hidden
and so safe? / said to the Filipino
servant Bonifacio that my sister
would be with me good deal. It
was none of his business; he didn't
care. Lottie could come and go in
the quiet hours of the day, and in
the evenings.
81 dent remember that we talked
of it much. Weeks went by. Lottie
expected her baby in January.
january" Cherry interrupted.
''But we were both born in Novem-
Der, Amy and II"
Eyes, but one of you came two
months too early" Emma went on
with the story. II was going to
Fred, and if necessary bring in his
brother, for the judge had moved out
here then, and have them acknowl-
edge his child. But it all came out
differently. :.
"When / came upstairs one wet
November afternoon l found her in
bed. Her trouble had come upon
her two months too soon. / slipped
down and telephoned old Doctor
Povlitski. He had been friend Of
mine and / knew he would keep our
secret.
1.-THE old Madame was out, Fred
wasn't home, and Fred's wife was
doing in her room. The doctor
came in quietly the side way - /
looked out for that-but fifteen min
utes before he arrived Lottie's lit
tie girl, very tiny, but healthy
enough, was born. There was moth
ing for him to do; he went away,
and left her to me. And then had
some thinking to do again. for there
isn't any hiding new baby long"
-Four nights later" Emma con-
tinued, 1--WE heard good deal of
laughing and calling downstairs so
made some errand to 60 down to
Mrs. Fred's room, and then came
up and reported to Lottie. Mrs.
Freds father had arrived, and had
brought the baby everything-his
pram and chair and crib, his silver
bowl and plate, and they'd been
opening them up and making a
great fuss.
"Well, old Mr.. Wellington went
away, and the Madame went to her
room, and things settled down. AS
soon as she could be moved / was
going to get Lottie to boarding
house knew of. So was breathing
easier.
II settled Lottie and the baby off
for the night, and went to my room.
This was maybe eleven o'clock. /
was undressed, and just getting into
bed when heard the baby cry and
went into Lottie's room.
''Her bed was tumbled and she
was gone. I ran to the stairhead
and saw lights in the hallway below
and Lottie crossing it. Then heard
Lottie's voice in Mrs. Fred's room,
and then Fred shouting. don't
know how ! got down there. Mrs.
Fred had stumbled back toward her
bed and was staring at Lottie. There
was q terrible silence when / got
there, and then Amelia said in q
whisper. You lie!s
~ don't lie,' Lottie said. She
was SO weak she was leaning
against chair and her voice was
hoarse and weak too. ASK himl'
she said. Sand it's not fair. it's
not fair that your child win have
everything-wealth and position and