Mystery Unsolved

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 91

Mystery Unsolved

The shades of night wcjre falling fast in one of the suburbs of Li\erpool — probably in all the suburbs — when adovvn one of the long thoroughfares came a comfortable-look-ing perumbulator, followed verj closely by a proud young father, who, as may be guessed, was propelling it, while alongside tripped the no less proud young mother acting as guard of honour. All the little party had l been on a visit to grandpa and to auntie, and_ after a very happy time were now nearing their, happy little home. " Here we are, William," said mamma. '" Open the door quick !" Papa was no less eager to unbar the castle gates, and in another moment the whole contents of the "pram," including, of course, the baby, were lifted out bodily by the proud father and deftly conveyed upstairs and quietly placed in baby's little cot.

! "How sweetly he's sleeping," said papa; " I never heard a single sound." "Hush, William," warned mamma; "if we don't make a noise he will not wake till 11 o'clock or half-past. Meanwhile, we'll steal down quietly and have our supper." So they stole down without making the least noise— even the stairs refused to creak — and were soon engaged at their happy evening meal and quietly reviewing the events of an everiing which had fled fa? too quickly. Thus half an hour soon 6ped away m domestic bliss, and half an hour without seeing her baby to a young mother seems half a .year. Then somewhat abruptly came a request from mamma : "William, just run upstairs very softly and see that the baby is all right." William instantly disappeared, and in about 20 seconds called in a subdued voice from the landing above to his wife below: "I say, dear, where did you put our darling?" "In his cot, of course ! How absurd ! Why, you put him there yourself." "Yes, I remember. But he isn't there now!" " Not there 1" she said. " The babe not in his cot! What do you mean?" By this time, however, she had rushed upstairs and saw for herself that the cot was empty ! She was amazed ! So was- William ! They wondered a dozen things in a dozen seconds. Burglars? Surely not! Thie\es? Well, hardly! "Is it possible," said the excited young father, " that the babe fell out on the way home !" "Never!" said mamma, emphatically. '"Why, neither of us ever took our eyes off the pram ! What a dreadful mystery it is! What can we do?" Both at once examined every nook and corner in every room, and then both" simultaneously thought of the perambulator — had they really lifted the baby out? Down they went — alas ! he was not there 1 "How strange, William, that you didn't notice how light the load was when you took it from the pram ! Why, he weighs 20 pounds, and you didn't miss him. It's all your fault! It's awful!"

"It is," said William; " but 20 pounds isn't mi.eh to me, dear, especially , when J it's our own babe, and I never dreamt that anybody would steal him. I can't make it out! I'm puzzled! Can it be that after all he is still at his grandpa's! Is it possible that you forgot him?" " I forget him ! Impossible I The idea ! Can a mother possibly forget her babe?" , " Yes, she can ! So the hymn says ; but I never believed it till now. But whether or no, we'll go back instantly and tell them, what has happened. If they know nothing we must inform the police." They were ready to start in a jiffy, and' getting more and more terrified every instant, when a sudden and urgent ring at, the doorbell, again and again repeated, ian, their feelings to a climax. , The door flew open like a flash, and there — there ! in the arms of its smiling auntie • was ,the lost darling, absolutely safe and sound !

"Where has he been?" asked mamma. "What is the meaning of it! Tell me! Tell me !"

"All I know is," said auntie quietly,' " that the babo was discovered in his grandpa* bed sleeping beautifully. _Wej wero astonished ; but whether he contrived' to set there himself or whether it's one of his grandpa's little tricks I don't know. If it's grandpa's doing he will never satisfy vs — he wi'l never let on !" The excitement soon died down now that all was well one? more, but the fond young parents are Jost in endless amazement when they dweli upon the fact that they carefully; ran home the perambulator without discovering that the darling child had been ab-j ducted, and most carefully stowed away the pillow and the wraps out of the' pram without discovering that their son" and heir was unintentionally and quite blamelessly absent! But all's well that ends well. Still they "are going to keep their eye on grandpa in, future. *

— "By the way, how did you come out with that drink cure you put in your husband's tea?" — "First rate. He hasn't drunk a drop since." — "Of. whisky?" — "No; tea."