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H. WBRTHEI
MER wanted a
baby.
MYa. Wnrthel-
(jKpBs)! OTer's asp Ira
1.4' V (oH lions for a
nousenom c e n
ter of attraction
was substantial
ly In the same
direction.
It must bo ad
mitted here, however, that the desires
of the two for tho same object did
rot emanate from the same view
u point; there was nothing marital in
their thought, the son-and-hoir idea
never ocurrlng to either of them.
A dog, a cat and a canary bird had
3iithcrto been 'the objects of Mr. Wer-
Mr. Wcrthelmer was amazed to find
with soft pillows, a chubby-faced,
of golden qurls hanging
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thoimer's amusements when off duty,
hut ihe had grown weary of tho mon
otony of all threo and wanted some
thing human that he oould love, pet
und .perish -.animals did not seem to
nil tho void In bis heart. Moreover,
lie was ji Jolly sort of .a man and felt
the Jieed of Jbonicthing to bubble and
sush over. Ills homo environments
were well, were somewhat frigid.
0ji the .contrary, Mrs. "Werthelmer
was sx, strict disciplinarian on tho
;joore .of duty, dogmatic and unyield
ing in ber tUEposltlon, and opposed
to sentimental displays; even her
smiles when she forgot herself and
Indulged in such worldllness, were
frost-bitten. But she had gathered
the Idea at the Woman's club, during
h protracted and heated discussion on
the subject, that It was tho duty of
every woman to assume tho guard
ianship of at least one embryo
Human being, for the purpose of train
I lng it according to tho standard recog
rized by tho club, in tho right way, of
course, and thus save an Immortal
fcoul from contamination by the wick
edness of the world, which was badly
;n need of making over again. Be
sides that, the lady had noticed the
waning Influence of tho dog, cat and
Mrd to keep Mr. Werthelmer at home
in tho evenings. Hence, Mrs. Wer
thelmer thought a baby in the houso
might accomplish a doublo object, to
wit: A halo and a stay-at-home hus
band. "Let me see," sho said, pausing in
her dusting, "John and I quarreled on
Thanksgiving day, and to make him
understand that he was In the wrong,
I gavo him corned beef and cabbage
for dinner instead of turkey. Then
again, on Christmas day ho was not
as liberal as I thought he should bavo
been, and tho turkey was tough there
weren't any cranberries, and tho only
dessert was bread pudding Instead of
plum accidental,, of course. To make
up with him, I think I will present
him with & baby on New Year's day,
and that will keep him at home for
a year at least. But where shall I
get one?"
Now it so happened that Mr. John
Hopkins bad more children than he
could care for; half a dozen of them
reaching up like the steps of a ladder,
all vigorously healthy and constantly
clamoring for something to eat and
wear. His wages not Increasing with
his family, it was very difficult to got
even bread. To add to his misery,
-J Mrs. Hopkins committed the folly of
presenting him with a seventh, and,
as a, last straw, she up and died in
the midst of its raising, leaving him
forlorn with an eight-monthr-old baby
nd a Btrlng of children too young to
help enro for it. It seemed to him
that the world was cold and unfeeling,
for the neighbors, Instead of offering
any assistance, intimated qulto plain
ly that "poor people who kept on hav
ing children should bo able to pro
vide for them without holding outsid
ers responsible by soliciting help."
In spite of Its unwelcome reception
the seventh Hopkins was really the
finest of tho lot, a bright, healthy and
attractive baby. In his extremity tho
father advertised it for adoption, and
his advertisement was what Mrs. Wor
theimer saw, when In the throes of
her desire to procure one. It waB a
windfall, and as soon as sho set her
eyes upon it sho recognized a fine
brand to bo snatched from tho burn-
sprawling on the floor, surrounded
blue - eyed infant, with little wisps
around a shapely head.
lng, .and adopted It at once, but Mr.
Hopkins was not to deliver tho baby
girl' until an hour or so before tho
husband's home-coming on Now
Year's ever, so as to be a surprise for
him.
When Mr. Werthelmer returned
homo after his day's toll on tho even
ing in question, he was amazed to find
sprawling on tho floor, surrounded
with soft pillows, a chubby-faced,
blue-eyed infant, with little wisps of
golden curls hanging around a shape
ly head. It was bobbing around in a
wobbly fashion, Us tiny hands
stretch-ed out trying to reach a large
gray cat, wisely sitting just, beyond
Its grasp, blinking at the new acquisi
tion in sleepy wonder. Jack, the dog,
was manifesting his approval of the
new arrival by furiously barking and
wagging his stumpy tail, at the same
timo frisking around and upsetting
the cat, drawing her about by tho
tail, and performing other astonishing
feats to entertain the baby.
"Great Caesar!" he exclaimed.
"What's the row anyway? Have you
started a menagerie?"
"This is our baby," exclaimed Mrs.
Werthelmer, relating her experience
and Intentions.
"Well, now we'll have some fun and
life around the bouse," said he, get
ting down on tho floor to investigate
tho now plaything. "She's mighty
pretty, anyway," was his decision. In
a few moments he was mixed up with
baby, dog and cat in such a noisy
revel that his wife, with, an expres
sion of disapproval, came in from the
kitchen, where she bad gone to pre
pare supper.
"John, I didn't know you could mako
etch a fool of yourself. Just look at
your clothes, all lint and dust, and
you are making more noise than the
whole lot put together. Have you no
consideration for the neighbors?"
"Well, what did you get her for, if
you don't want me to play with her?"
And he laughed good-naturedly. "I
can't Just sit and look at her; that
ain't enough."
"I took her," responded his wife Be
verly, "because it is our duty to mako
a home for some child that didn't
have a good one. You'll make such a
fuss over this ono that it will soon be
spoiled, and I want it to grow up
good and sensible. I have my own
Ideas about its training. Come, get
up, supper's ready."
For two weeks Mr. Werthelmer lived
In paradise, and, strange to say, he
never once went out In the evening.
But not so Mrs. Werthelmer, Babies
require a good deal of care and atten
tion; she bad not calculated on this.
and her Idea of duty bocamo very
much modified. In fact, sho com
plained of tho trouble tho baby was
giving her, in addition to which thcro
was a trlflo of Jealousy. Mr. Wor
thelmor devoted all his time to tho In
fant and nono to her. True, sho had
never Invited his caresses, but that
did not make nfty difference; tho baby
had wedged In between them, and sho
was crowded out of her rightful,
though unappropriated place
Tho matter rankled in Mrs. Wor
thoimer's mind, and tho thought of
getting rid of It grew in her heart.
So It was, that one night when Mr.
Werthelmer had hurried homo, ready
for a romp before supper, thero woro
np Bigns of life in tho house; no bark
ing dog, no singing bird, no crowing
baby.
"Whero'a baby?' he inquired of his
stern-faced wife, with a sudden mis
trust in his heart.
"Oh, yes, it always baby, baby,
nothing but baby," answered tlie
woman, petulantly. "I suppose you
wouldn't have cared If I had caught
my death of cold, or worked my fin
gors to tho bono waiting on It, as long
as you could have something to play
with. I made up my mind last night,
j after I had gotten up threo times to
attend to it, that I would not be im
posed upon any longer, so this morn
ing I tool: it to tho Foundling Asylum
and "
"You took that poor child to
an asylum?" stammered Mr. Werthel
mer with sudden anger and a curl of
contempt on his lips. "You took that
llttlo motherless child to a public in
stitution after promising its father
that you would take its mother's
Babies require a good deal of care and
calculated on this, and
very much
place? I thought every woman had
come lovo in her heart, If not for her
husband, then at least for a helpless
babe, but you a nice religion you
have, with all your prating about
Christian duty and charity It Ib des
picable." Mrs. Werthelmer was appalled at
this outburst from her husband who
bad always been kind and gentle, and
his contemptuous look and bitter lan
guage frightened hor. Womanlike,
she began to cry, at which her hus
band softened and looked surprised.
It was tho first time he had ever Been
tears in her eyes. Could it bo possible
that she had a heart?
"Martha, I said more than I should
have; pardon me. Never mind about
the baby, It's only one more disap
pointment and I will live through it"
With that he turned away, but his
wife, whose eyes were opened to tho
full significance of what she had done,
called him back and putting her
hands upon his shoulders looked him
full in the face, with a strange, un
wonted expression in her eyes.
"John, I must tell you the truth
now. It was not heartlessness. It was
because oh, John, do you not under
stand? I was jealous of your love for
tho child. I was afraid you had ceased
to love me. My hardness was all as
ijmod, John. Say you forgive me,
and I will go this moment and get the
child again."
The woman's habitual reserve
melted under the tender caress of her
husband,
"Dear wife, I have always loved
?ou, but It seemed to me that you did
not love me, you were so no, I will
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nqj, say It, becauso I know now that
I was wrong. My heart la big enough
for both you and tho baby, so let us
go after It boforo wo do anything
else." f
But tho baby was not thcro, another
womnn who wanted a baby having
taken it away. It was too lato that
evening to do moro, so procuring tho
address, Mrs. Worthelmor resolved to
start after her baby early In tho
morning It was her baby now, truly.
A vigorous, impatient pull at tho
boll and a young woman with a weak,
childish faco appeared. Thero woro
traces of recent tears, and tho chocks
wero red with much rubbing.
"If this Is Mrs. Harris, permit mo to
enter and stato tho object of m
visit," said Mrs. Werthelmer, with
mnny misgivings.
But when sho had entered, sho
heard a baby's soft gurglo, and suro
enough, there was her baby on tho
bed In an inner room, as Bwoct and as
dimpled as ever, making tho best of
it In her strange quarters. Mrs. Wer
thelmer told her story and begged
Mrs. Harris to let her have tho baby
tack.
"I can never bo happy without It,"
sho confessed, with tears running
down her cheeks.
"Well, now, isn't that funny," said
Mrs. Harris. "I mado up my mind
that I must havo a baby because all
my friends woro poking fun nt mo for
being without ono. So I thought
I would surprise my husband and
havo ono hero somo night ready for
him when ho got home. But, my
gracious, you should havo heard him.
Ho was as mau as a March haro and
wanted to know what I meant by
attention; ryirs. Werthelmer had not
her Idea of duty became
modified.
bringing homo a strango brat, I told
him I wanted something to lovo and
cuddle, and he said, 'Love and cud
dlo? Nonsense 1 Cnn't you lovo and
cuddle me? That's what I married
you for, anywny. You Just take that
brat back whero you found it. I won't
have it around." Ho was so mad that
ho went away this morning without
klsBlng ma good-by, a thing he has
never dono before," and sho wept at
tho terrible recollection. Then rcov
cring herself, she snapped out:
"Take It away. I neyer want to
see another baby."
When Mr. Werthelmer returned
that evening, thero was tho baby In
her accustomed place on the floor,
with the dog performing his old
trfeks, and the bird splitting its
throat with melody, the cat purring
an accompaniment But what was
moro to him, there was his wife who
met him at the door with a loving
caress, something that had not hap
pened since their honeymoon, a long
time before.
"Hurrah for the baby!" ho shouted.
"This is what I call a happy family,"
Mrs. Werthelmer put tho baby in hia
arms.
"It is our New Year'B baby, dear
nusband," she said softly; "my cruel
conduct "
"No moro of that," said Mr. Wer
thelmer, hugging wife and baby to
gether. "Tho past is forgotten, and
wo shall begin tho New Year over
again, but wo must give the baby
an appropriate name. I have it," he
exclaimed after a moment's thought.
"Roxana, that's her name; it means
the 'Dawn of Day,' and that's what
eho has been to us. So, here you are,
Roxann," and ho tossed tho squealing
Infant up in tho air, while- Jack, tho
dog, tried to Jump and catch Us tiny
feot as they dangled Just beyond his
reach.
Christmas In Mantown.
A Mining Comp Story.
"Mantown" had been snowed in for
ty days. It was on tho night boforo a
Christmas tho thing happened which I
nm going to toll you. You will not
And Mantown on tho map of Califor
nia, for tho reason that it mostly
coased to bo before tho map was mado.
When tho Parson, who was an early
riser, throw tho wot flourcack ho had
wiped his hands and face on nt my
head and said: "Tho old lady up
thero's plckln' hor gecso, Tom," nnd
Polaris and I lookod out and saw tho
fenthory white flakes falling, wo
laughed. When it kept on and on till
tho Bnow was nino feot deep tho laugh
was on tho other sido of our moutlu
Tho snow settled and froze, and wo
woro In for It.
Thero was whisky enough and pro
visions enough, so that wo did not
fear dying of thirst nnd hunger, but
wo wero pining for amusement.
Forty days and forty nights slinking
dice and playing poker at the Itcd
Gooso had become monotonous. Tho
Red Gooso was a saloon. Thq way it
got its namo was this which is also
tho beginning of tho end of the thing
that happened. It was all finished,
tho saloon was, and ready for busi
ness, nnd u big smooth signboard
waiting to bo painted, but thcro wasn't
a man thero could paint It. Wo wero
falling into tho way of speaking of it
as "Old Bob's'' when along camo a
dandy-looking young chap
Old Bob asked him If ho could paint
a sign for a saloon, Ho asked what
kind of a sign was wanted. Old Bob
told him ho wanted a flguro of a great
originality and ono that would tell tho
namo without any printed mntter. Ho
always put on airs in his speech when
ho thought ho know moro than tho
other follow did, and tho dandy chap
waa modest-looking, in spite of his
clothes.
Well, tho stranger took tho Job, and
when It was dqno and put up ovbr tho
door and old Boh enma. out to size It
up ho was roaring mad. Ho swore ho
wouldn't pay for It. Tho figures paint
ed on It was a big rod goose. The
painter called all tho town to provo
lhat ho had painted according to order
by nsking each ono separately what it
was, Every one of them said, "Bed
Goose." Ho then asked pointedly if
it was not of "great originality," and
every ono to a man said it was tho
first red gooso thoy had ever seen.
So old Bob had to pay for tho sign
and set up the drinks besides.
It was that night I spoko of tho
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"Well, now, we'll have some fun and life around the house," said he, getting
down on the floor to Investigate the new plaything.
.light before Christmas. The boys
kept a roaring fire in the fireplace and
tried to keep tho cheer going, but It
was too plainly an effort all except
at tho card tables. The most improb
able things always happen without
warning. In at tho door of tho Red
Goose, like a bird blown from the
night, camo a shivering, oldish-looking
roan. His hair was long and a stub
bly beard bid tho under half of his
face. He was lost, he said, and near
ly froze, and had the rheumatism and
wanted to warm at the fire.
We all stood back and let him have
tho fire to himself. Ho strotchod his
long, Blonder Angora In tho warmth
of tho largo blaze, wnnnod his foot
at it and turned hlo back to warm.
His oyos wandered round tho big,
ugly room nnd lit on tbo piano.
Tho man at tho fire Bot his glnnco
so questlonlngly on tho instrument
that Polnrls voluntcored to toll him
that It was a "pyanner," and askod
him if ho could play on tho "critter."
Ho said ho usod to play a llttlo, nnd
began to rub his hands together. In
n mlnuto a dozen volcos woro urging
him to play. Ho Bald ho wna afraid
his flngors woro too stiff. Thoy gavo
him a drink of whisky and Boated
him nt tho piano. Ho rau his fingots
Along tho koys several times and be
gan to piny, Tho man lookod up from
their enrds. Ho played tho ploco
through and part of "Tho Girl l Loft
Uohlnd Mo," nnd stopped to rub his
hands and straighten hia fingers.
Ho throw hia head back and tho
long, wind-blown hair slid down on
his shouldorB. Mb volco roso in vol
ume nnd richness and thrilled ub with
Its vibrant sweetness.
Plank by nlnnk tho hlood-stnlnnrl
3oor Bllpped out; Inch by Inch tho
nmoko-grlmod walla dissolved; tho
bottles and glasses molted away,
Tho thounands of miles of savngo
vlldcrnoss and trackless desort thoy
had conquered to roach this golden
fringe of creation wero not And out
of tho puro whlto moonlight and tho
dlamond-cryBtnlcd snow stolo in the
facea nnd forms nt home, awoot homo.
There wna a grand roll of song and
round, a low, slow wall of melody, a
bnnp, twang nnd silence. i
Tho men waited, each In his attl
tudo of listening, for tho length of a
Lreath, and then ono big, concordant
Flgh broke tho stillness. By onoa and
twos and threes, without a word or a
sign, they went out into tho sllcnco
and tho snow.
This would bo a good placo to stop
tho story, but It did not happen that
"ay nt tho Red Gooso.
Tho first ones in to got tholr morn
ing "dram" found tho proprietor In a
toworlng rage. Ho said ho thought
that old musician a nugget forty
karats fino that had just rolled Itself
Into his handa for a Christmas pros
cnt. Ho had mado him n bod by tho
fire, taking tho grizzly bear akin from
1 Is own bunk to make the floor softer
for him, nnd told him thero was plonty
of wood in tho corner and for him to
just help himself nt tho bar. And
when ho put his head in at' tho parti
tion door nnd callod "Christmas Gift"
to wako tho old chap up to breakfast
he was gone. So was tho grizzly skin
ho Blept on so was tho gold in tho
box on tho wall end of tho bar; four
thousand dollars in gold dust every
ounce of it gone
In Us placo ho had found a piece of
paper with some lead-pencil Bcrlb
bllngs on it, which read:
Excuso my leave-taking unheard,
And tho hour, for my way it is for;
Taking you aa a man of your word,
I have helped myself at the bar,
For your kindness I give this advice;
Never leave your dust lay round
loose,
Never trust either women or Mice
I painted your sign of the goose.
The laugh was on -old Bob. Sa
Francisco Call,
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