Page:Frank Stockton - Rudder Grange.djvu/249

Rh "No," said I; "we won't take the time for that. I'll hold his legs apart as I carry him in. It's rubbing his feet together that gets them off."

As I passed the kitchen window I saw Pomona at work. She looked at me, dropped something, and I heard a crash. I don't know how much that crash cost me. Jonas rushed in to tell Pomona about it, and in a moment I heard a scream of laughter. At this Euphemia appeared at an upper window, with her hand raised and saying severely: "Hush-h!" But the moment she saw me she disappeared from the window and came downstairs on the run. She met me just as I entered the dining-room.

"What in the world!" she breathlessly exclaimed.

"This," said I, taking Pat into a better position in my arms, "is my baby."

"Your—baby!" said Euphemia. "Where did you get it? What are you going to do with it?"

"I got it in New Dublin," I replied, "and I want it to amuse and occupy me while I am at home. I haven't anything else to do, except things that take me away from you."

"Oh!" said Euphemia.

At this moment little Pat gave his first whimper. Perhaps he felt the searching glance that fell upon him from the lady in the middle of the room.

I immediately began to walk up and down the floor with him and to sing to him. I did not know any infant music, but I felt sure that a soothing tune was the great requisite, and that the words were of small importance. So I started on an old Methodist tune, which I remembered very well, and which was used with the hymn containing the lines,