Year: 1878

and it now looks to him very much as
though large slice of the kingdom of
bliss had cut loose from its moorings
and anchored in his own home.
Mr.. Giddings is father-the father
of bog, and it is his first offense.


There amt a word in the dictionary
big enough to tell how happy Mr.. Gid
dings is-not even if put in capitals as
long as a cane.


The morning after the little stranger
took up its residence under his roof
Mr.. Giddings was changed man. The
sky had brighter glow, the fire burned
better, and it took very little food to
satisfy hunger His heart was so full
of Joy that his wits were crowded out,
and it was several hours before he could
bring himself to believe that it was not
all tantalizing vision, too bright for
earth. He-Thomas Harrison Giddings
"a mere boy in the worlds battle,
blessed with the ownership of the little
cherry y-colored cherub who was at that
moment experimenting with its lungs
in the next apartment! No; it couldn't
be. He was asleep, and would soon
wake up and find it all a dream. He
seemed determined, though, to get the
full benefit of the vision while it lasted,
and every five Or ten minutes would 60
into the chamber of honor, and insist
that the nurse should let him look again
upon the face of the babe, ,and then, after
| chirruping to the youngster for mo-
ment or two without receiving any more
| notice in return than if he had been the
least important person in the world, he
would 90 out into the fresh air, and
walk around more dazed than before.
But presently he was back in the room
again feasting his eyes and building
castles in the air. Looking up suddenly
after watching the child for several
minutes trying to swallow it's chubby
fists, he said to the companion of his
ecstacy:


"Linda, amt it a pretty oneP"


6 Yes, dear, and the very image of
you, too, 1 think" said Mrs G..


" 1t seems to me as though it looks
good deal like Uncle Nate" suggested
Mr.. G., referring to the only wealthy
relative he could claim kin to.


Perhaps it does across the forehead,
but its eyes and nose are yours exactly;
and any one could see that its mouth
and ears are shaped like yours"


Mr.. Giddings felt that his mind was
in too much of bewildering whirl to
attend to his business duties that day,
and so after breakfast he went down to
the store to get excused. No wonder
the people looked at him in the most in
teres.ed perplexity that morning as he
strobe along, lifting his feet as high as
fiour-barrel at every step. Mr.. Giddings
| felt his Importance and made it mani
fest to all who saw him.


On the way down town he stepped in
to barber-shop to get shaved, and or
dered the barber, in voice that we'll
nigh smote him to the earth, to set his
whiskers Victor Emanuel style. Up to
this time Mr.. G's first mustache had
been too timid to withstand the buffet
| ing jeers of cold and unsympathetic
world more than four or five weeks at a
| stretch.


The bootblack was also aroused from
doing in the corner and ordered to give
him such shine as eye had not seen
before. This was new piece of extrav-
agance to Mr.. Giddings, for his salary
was not fat, and his own muscle had
hitherto inspired whatever brilliancy his
boots had known. H.


Mr.. Giddings went to the store and
shook hands with the other clerks until
his arm ached, and for the first time he
found himself able to stand in the pres
ence of the great proprietor without
feeling like poor boy in his first new
coat. He seemed walking on air, and
smiled until his mouth got sore and his
ears felt crooked. But several of the
clerks who had been married so long
that their hearts had petrifed, collected
in one corner of the store and put on
long faces, and cast ominous looks of
mock sympathy upon the joyous parent,
and when he came over to be ccngratu-
lated by them, they all looked as sad as
cold dinner and sighed like the echo
of a blighted life, while one of them re-
marked lin voice as cold and cherries
as the edict of fate


"You needn't smile in this crowd,
young man."


And then they all sighed and shook
their heads, and said it was too bad that
trouble should overhaul him SO early in
life. This threw something of a damper
upon Mr.. g. buoyant spirit; but he got
free of the depressing company as soon
as possible, and hurried back home to
see if the child had grown any. On the
way he stopped to buy high chair and
some other things he thought would be
needed, not forgetting rattle-box and
a gum-ring, and partially closing the
bargain for a baby carriage on weekly
payments. When his purchases were
shown to Mrs. Geasely. the nurse, she
looked at him in pity and said:


Well what fools men Is anuhnW .