THE WOOING OF THE SMITHS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17231, 24 December 1923, Page 3

THE WOOING OF THE SMITHS.

(Written for the “ Star.") Margaret Dorothy Brown lives opposite, and often visits me when 1 am gardening. Sho usually has a baby with her. Margaret acts as honorary nurse-girl to arty mother who will trust her. and most of them do, for, although Margaret is only ten. yet she has a way with her with babies. To-day the go-cart contained the latest arrival of the Smiths. It is a particularly ugly and expressionless child. Margaret, however, refuses to recognise this. “ Isn’t it a pretty baby?” she asked. I straightened my back, leaned on the hoe, and examined the object of discussion. “ Well,” I said generously, at last, “it may be a particularly healthy baby, or even an intelligent one. but really, you know, hardly—pretty.” Margaret eyed me coldly. “ It is quite a pretty baby." she said. “It takee after Mispus Smith. Missus Smith uster be pretty, and have a lot of young men. She was tue prettiest girl where she worked, and that s whMister Smith fell in love with her—and do you know whv the baby is called John Redcliffs Smith? There’s a story about it—and about Mister Moncriof. and Mister Smiths because they both thought how pretty Missus Smith wa—only, of course, her name wa&u’t Smith then.” Margaret paused, tucked in John Redcliffs Smith, patted his cheek and continued : Missus Smith's name used to be Brown—Miss Ruth Brown—l think Smith’s a lot nicer name than Brawn : don’t you? The reason they called baby John Redcliffs is because it was at a picnic at Redcliffs that Missus Smith promised to marry Mister Smith. It was lucky for Mister Smith that he got her. because she didn’t know whether to marry him or a man what was called Mister Moncrief.” John Redcliffs. in a burst of intelligence. threw bis dummy to the ground. Margaret, like Mrs Smith, was unPlunketised. She replaced the teat in the complaining.opening, and resumed' her story. u Mister Moncrief and Mister Smith went to this picnic with Missus Smith —only she was Miss Brown then. Which is the best to marry—a carpenter or a bank clerk? I think I’d rather marry a doctor, because they get their babies free. Missus Smith says she did not know which one she liked best. On Saturdays and Sundays Mister Smith looked the best, but Mister Monc.reif always wore a white collar on weekdays too. Missus Smith savs bank clerks make a lot more washing, hut carponters get the most money, but then bank men are a lot more., somebody than what carpenters are. Mister Smith is only a carpenter, but he can make a penny go through a glass of water. I bet. you couldn’t do that. Well—Missus Smith didn’t know which one to choose. They were both with her, and being nice to her. and frowning at each other, and then Mister Moncreif he said he'd take her for a row in a boat, and Mister Smith said he’d go too., and Mister Moncreif said what a good rower he was, and Mister Smith said he could row a boat like anything, and then they all went down to the wharf.” Margaret could see 7 was now completely interested, so she decided to rearrange the babv’s position. After quite n time, she surveyed the result approvingly, patted the shawl six times “ When they got down to the wharf, there was a boat there.. >md ns Missus Smith—only she was, of course. Miss Brown—as she was stepping into the boat her foot slipped and—what do vou think?—she fell right into the water. Mister Moncreif he. say. ‘Oh Heavens!’ and dires in with all his clothes on to save her. and Mister Avondale he got a. boat-hook and mi l led her out. and then he pulled out Mister Moncreif. Well. Missus Smith says that she was mad. All tfie water was running through her. and her hair all down, nnd Mister Moncreif was standing there, and he had no hat. and his cob lar was soft, and Missus Smith pa vs he did look funny. She was wild, and she said to liim “ Don't- stand th' 3 ™ ing nerfectlr ridiculous!” And Mister Moncreif trot wild, so that’s how Mister Smith trot her—and that’s whv babv’a name is John RedHiffs —don’t you think it’s a nice name?” —H.T