Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline Part 67

"Is Tessa married?" Felix asked in his slow way. "I hope that he will take good care of her."

Another happening was the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. John Gesner and son.

The baby had been born in Germany and could call his own name before he came home to Blossom Hill.

The name was a surprise to Tessa: "Theodore, because it has such a pretty meaning," Sue told her. "His father wanted John or Lewis, but I insisted; I said that I would throw the baby away if I couldn't name him!"

She petted him and was proud of his rosy face and bright eyes, but confided to Tessa that he was a great deal of trouble, and that she hated that everlasting "mamma, mamma."

"I don't understand _you_, Tessa, you treat your little girl as if she were a princess."

That afternoon Tessa and the baby were alone on one of the balconies at Old Place; baby in her betucked and beruffled white frock and white shoes was taking her first steps alone, and baby's mother was kneeling before her with both arms out-stretched to receive her after the triumph.

Baby's father stood in a window watching them; but for the eyes that, just now, were like the woods in October his face would have been p.r.o.nounced grave; the white threads in his hair were beginning to be noticeable, and before baby would be old enough to drive all around the country with him, his hair would be quite white.

"An earnest man with a purpose in his life," Dunellen said.

"Must you go out again so soon?"

Baby was crowing over her success, and the mother's arms were holding her close.

"There's a poor woman with a little baby that I must see to-night."

"A girl-baby?"

"Yes," smiling down at her, "a girl-baby."

"Poor little girl-baby! _Poor_ little girl-baby!" she said, pressing her lips to baby's hair.

"What were you thinking when the baby ran into your arms just now?"

"I was thinking," holding the beruffled little figure closer, "that it isn't such a hard world, after all, for little girls to grow up in."