Decorah Public Opinion

He put out his hand to her: deftly she smoothed his pillow, asking quick questions as to doctor's orders and showing the bewildered father how to follow them, all the time talking in soothing, comforting little sentences to the child. "We're good pals, aren't we, Tommy? And we're going to have some awfully good times together aren't we? And will you make a bargain with me? When my little Peterkins was sick he did just what I wanted him to do. Will you do that, darling? If you will you may call me Aunt Grace, just as he does. Will you dearest?"

"Rather call you mother," whispered the child hoarsely.

The color flooded Miss Woodburn's face, but with a little life hanging in the balance there was no time to hesitate. "All right, little man, it's a bargain and you'll take the bad medicine just as if it were good."

Patiently she worked, sending the grateful father flying on errands, or telephoning the doctor to ask for fuller directions. No man has any conception of a woman's resourcefulness till he sees her trying to save the life of some one dangerously ill. Mr. Thomas Birney watched, fascinated, the movements of this highly competent young woman who seemed never to give him a thought except to order him about.

Noon came--the afternoon was almost spent before the child was sleeping calmly in her arms, the crisis passed.

"We've won!" she announced to the father, "and if you will get me a glass of hot milk I will be very grateful."

"I'm ashamed not to have thought of that myself," he told her remorsefully as he hurried to obey. When he returned she tried to dispatch him to get himself something to eat.

"I'd rather not," he assured her; "I do not think I could eat. I only want to make you understand how much I appreciate what you have done for me and Tommy-Trot. We'll be your devoted slaves from now on and Tommy's father will run him a close race, Miss Woodburn."

It was mighty fortunate that I remembered that I had promised to stop for him," she said quietly. "But I think now that you had better get your dinner at once and then I will run home for mine when you return." Her tone brooked no argument, although Mr. Birney much preferred to look at the picture of her holding his sleeping child than to eat.

Shortly after Miss Woodburn had her dinner Mr. Birney, in distress, telephoned that Tommy had awakened and was crying hysterically for her. Would she come and stay a little while and get him to take one more dose of medicine? Hastily putting on her wraps, Miss Woodburn started for the Birneys', taking with her an old nurse who she knew would stay with Tommy for the night.

"You promised me!" he wailed. "You shan't go back to Peter; I'll wash him!"

Abashed, but smiling, Miss Woodburn soothed the child, who clung to her till she assured him over and over again that she would return in the morning, and Mrs. Brown would stay till she came back. When Tommy-Trot was finally quieted for the night, Mr. Birney insisted on taking Miss Woodburn home, and it seems that most of the time was spent in telling her about his family and his prospects, as though he felt it necessary that she should be thoroughly acquainted with his biography. Next day he made the acquaintance of her father and repeated the story and much more about himself and Tommy-Trot. And as Tommy soon learned the way to the Woodburns' also the neighbors are wondering whose courtship is the most ardent, Mr. Birney's or Tommy-Trot's.

But certain it is that Miss Grace Woodburn is to be the New Year lady in the Birney home.

(Copyright, 1919, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.).