Show Daily Short Fiction Story Infants Not Allowed By CATHERINE COOPE Copyright 1915 1916 by the McClure Newspaper News paper S1 Syndicate te Mary ry Anne Anno turned from the tho box 0 office of of- flee fice after securing her seat scat for tho the matinee on the tho following Saturday It was not often oHen that sho she was wall wan so 80 ex extravagant ex- ex tra as to pay E 6 shillings for tor a seat scat In the stalls but Mary Mar Anne Anna preferred pro pre a a. goot good seat scat once a month to a t. t gallery gahier scat once a week Sho She would have left tha foyer and andone gone one out for tho the 1 pleasant 1 Jaunt through the shops shop but for the fact tact that her at attention attention attention at- at was attracted to the poor little woman who stood forlornly holding a aUn atin Un tin tiny Infant in her arms The woman had been arguing quietly with the box office man but to no a avail aall all I 1 ha have vo come all the wa way from Bexhill Bex- Bex hill bill hiliary Mary ary Anne Anno heard her sa say and both m my friends are waiting for or me In inthe tho the gallery I 1 dont don't know Imo what to do There wits WAS positive tragedy In tho the disappointed disappointed dis dis- appointed Und tired face tace I am fOor sorry madame but Infants In arms are arll not allowed In tho the theatre It ItIs Itis Is 18 against the laws of the house There wn was finality In the tho young mans man's voice The woman turned awn away and Mary Iary Anne knew that tears had welled up in inthe tho the womans woman's With her usual impulsiveness Mary Iary Anno Anne approached approach eel the woman and made mado Inquiry The Infant more or less dirty crowed delightedly completely oblivious to the disappointment he had hall caused his mol mother her b by being so 80 youthful I cant can't go In with Mm and Ive I've paid m my wa way In from M My friends rf are up there now They'll be bo wondering what's to me I 1 take tako care of the tho baby while you go up and se sec seo tho pantomime I 1 have tho the whole afternoon free Do let me Mary Annes Anne's heart tugged lo 10 as ns she saw the great eat J joy v shine in the tired little womans woman's eyes I will take care of him and bring brinK him ba bark back k here for you ou Come we will ask the box off office co man mon when Jack and the Beanstalk will wilt be over and I 1 will be back with bOob baby and jou oU will wilt h have he e a lovel lovely afternoon Mary ary Anne had hod gone Kone quickly over ascertained the tho time the p performance performance clo Closed ed and returned to take the tho bab baby The Tho woman oman was wall quite overcome with happiness Tho The sudden and unexpected opening of tho the theatre door before her vision Islon had almost bei be be- roH her of f speech Mar Mary ary Ann Anne silenced i her thanks with a n. smile I had nothIng nothing noth noth- ing clan elso to do this afternoon she cho told her hor realizing with a sigh that the tho glory of ot se seeing the shops hop In ln ne Regent Recent ent street would hav have to b. b be T po O She Sw saw the woman muK through the tho doorway then thenh turned with her charge wondering what h her r Impulsive nature had got her Into thin time Mar Mary Anne lived ld m in In the suburbs suburb her her- self She remembered the huge hUhe op open n tires fires th that t V she e had sec seen In ln the tho Liverpool station when she sho ho had hal come In the morn morn- ing InEt to business Now she Bho pondered shall I just lust go 10 down and elt sit quiet quietly b by ono one of ot those nice fires and let this Infant or shall n I r have a tin tiny look at the shops She h gazed zed S 'S anxiously ly down at the tho face of the v bab baby It was sas e even then showing signs of coming discontentment Aleo Also Mary l Anne Annes arms were going to feel th the unaccustomed burden The Tho shops shop faded and she ho went Want out onto the Strand to get gel a bus si f for rr Liverpool n ool street station sta sta- tion She only felt frit the mammOth th task she sho had undertaken when she ahe he attempted attempt attempt- ed to get on the bus It seemed as If It everyone therein had to assist her and the bab baby to a seat scat Extracting her fare was another trial but she managed finally and the baby seemed me willing to remain quiet while the hu bus hus was sas In mo mo- tion ion Mary Anne arrived In the station illation ant and he beside side tho the warm fire without mishap Sho She had not been comfortably ensconced there for a paltry five minutes before for forthe the Infant showed mo mot most t signs of dissatisfaction with Mary Annes Anne's treatment of him He Ho walled wailed softly at first but developed so 80 loud a a. roar that many persons In the waiting room stared or more truthfully glared at atMar atMar Mar Mary Anne Annc while one or two men non walked disgustedly out of the station The Tho girl Irl was distracted She wished el she sho had hind never wanted to se see seo Jack and antI the Beanstalk She pined for knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- e edge of the caro care of infanta infants and determined deter r- r mined to study up Dr Holt without loss of time Tho The fact that the tho bab baby let slip tho the bottle his mother had hal ln gl Mary ary Anne Anno brought a 1 deep deell Hush flush to the girls girl's cheeks chek A young ounG man who had been surreptitiously h watching Mary Annes Anne's frantic efforts to pacify the baby came canle over and picked d up UI the fallen bottle and presented It to herIs her Is IH H thero there anything I can cnn do for you OU 1 he ho asked and ho seemed so flO likely to know more than she sho did about infants that Mary Anno Anne smiled gratefully There Thero may bo be a n. pin sticking him him him- hll have vo you ou looked 7 said Mar Mary Ian Anne No o I didn't know Just whore to look Great Scott Who Vho dressed your our b h baby by Let me mo h have ve a look Jook J He took tho the baby from Mary Annes Anne's arms e very firmly but gently and Mary Anne heaved hea a sigh of relief Tho The young oung man certainly knew how to handle a aba ba baby No No o doubt you jou OU have havo several of your own she vouched only half halt aloud No not No not guilty I 1 am nm a doctor That Is ii why I 1 had the temerity to offer otter m my assistance ce There Thero seems seema nothing wron wrong with the kiddie kiddle Wouldn't he take his milk 1 Anne wild said with wHit No Mary Mar a Il wistful smile that gent enl nl a n wave trave of peculiar emotion over o th the tho young oung man lie HC didn't seem to want it IU It Maybe you 0 Ja gave ve It to him too hot ested th the th doctor Hot lIot It was stone cold She gazed fearfully t I the b baby Cold malk for an Infant nt You are area a u. tine fins mother the doctor commented But Bul I am not his mother protested Mar Mao Anne with a rush of color to her checks I am taking care of ot him bin for fora or ora little woman who camo caine a poor In to roto ro go 0 to the pantomime and couldn't get fn In with l lh h her baby r. r I dont don't know a a. thing about t babies bl Quito Quite unnecessary Information laughed tho the doctor somehow cry very much relieved that Mar Mary Anne was not the In InfAnts InfAnt's Infants Infant's infants infant's In- In fant's mother lie He had been wondering how so 80 neat and dainty a n girl could take such lIuch wretched care of a n babY ou Instructions h If Now I 1 will give you ho he continued you OU listen liston carefully laughingly glad Clad to see Me the distressed look hook vanishing from Mary Annea Annos eyes oyes Go to the woman who has s charge of tho the waiting room She Sho will Just be making her afternoon tea Ask her to put this thin bottle In the kettle for a few o minutes then bring it back to meI me I think I can n mana manage c that Mary MaryAnne MaryAnne MaryAnne Anne told him with a ash shy smile She Sho marveled that the baby had hut become the doctors doctor's wonderfully wonderful contented In um arms when When she sho returned with the warmed armed bottle botHe o of milk and d the baby eagerly erl put hUt his little hands about It It Mary MaryAnne MaryAnne MaryAnne Anne heaved another sigh o of relief I dont don't suppose th there rl ever was waa a a. myself 8 she said s1 person so silly sUb as and with her wistful smile playing a n alook alook look Of decided admiration 1 In her eyes res who had come to o h her r rca res- for the man I CU cue Dr a waited until the tho bab baby hart had fallen Into a a. sound sleep then I at the clock glanced return the theAnn What time must you OU asked b baby l b h he Mary Anne Ann glanc d at the tho big station Cl clock I should be starting up now she an answered answered an an- Then I 1 must come gack here catch my train for Romford an and d the theatre It f I will VIII take bab baby to wish suggested suggested- the doctor I you OU him his mother would know ho suppose added with a 1 laugh and In his eyes was wan tho the hope hopt that Mary Anne Anno would with him como come It would be bo better for or me to toco togo toro PerhapS Se Said said and blushed softly I ro go co she ask ak If she Ahe enjoyed the pantomime must tho the havo have taken a a. seat scat for tor bemuse because I J saturday matinee mind showing show show- wouldn't I 1 suppose YOU OU for number of your 8 seat at Jor JorI Im ing nia na tho the Saturday Saturday Dr CO Cosgrov asked tents tents- I went toward tho the theatre lively as OB they with ith tho the sleeping baby I t 1 have been Intending to see Jack and the Bean Benn- His guilty expression told Mary Anne that tho the pantomime had never entered his head held before My My Iy seat is No D 14 she said ld quick quickly I She realized that fate had destined to fling her and und the tho young oung doctor onto tho the same path Why hY should sho she try to flaunt fate ate Mary Anne Anno blushed hotly and Dr Cosgrove burst Into hearty heart laughter when the tho little mother of ot the Infant nt came beaming from the theatre Your misses has been an I wish I could give her as as much happiness as she he he has given me today I think you have done more more for for forus us the man said quickly and cast c. a 11 glance ianco at Mary y ar-y Anne Annc She Is la not nol my and misses misses nt at present ho he added went over to tho the box office to see sec If it ho he could secure seat No No D 13 The Tho smile In his eyes as he ho returned to her side lIdo told Mary Anno MIne that ho he had been successful and she nho too smiled |