Drusilla with a Million

w. It was only natural that she gained confidence in herself. She lost her awe of the servants, and even found courage to speak shortly

he did not read, there was no sewing nor mending for her, and she could not always work in the conservatories among

nt into the pastry room. There she looked in delight at all the shin

ice, and everyt

ef thoughtfully; then, evidently deciding, she gave her head a little toss and with a light laugh left the

t myself. I ain't cooked none fer a good many years, and my fingers is jest

f was s

, Mad

lard. I'm goin' to make doughnuts-fried cakes I used to call 'em, tho' it's more stylish to say doughnuts these days. I don't like them that's bought

on her until she had all the artic

n' round lookin' as if you was goin' to bust every minute. You got to git used t

to make some cookies-the "old-fashioned kind that my mother's sister Jan

cookies and the gingerbread were a test. After they were baked and in a row on the table, s

em fresh fried cakes?' and I'd laugh and say, 'Yes; do try 'em,'

stopped

heir way; why shouldn't I be neighborly in my way? I can't be neighborly jest leavin' a card

and returned with some plates and napkins. She piled a few of her confecti

as my bakin' day. See she gets 'em and they don't stop in the kitchen. And take that plate o' gingerbread to Mis'

d at her but

said. Put 'em in a basket if you can't ca

ma'am,

ou never took cook

Never in the house

ially wants to be disagreeable. If you haven't ever took a neighbor a plate o' cookies

is a-very-very rich man, and they have a cook, a French cook. Why,

ed at him ove

ried cake; so take that plate to him too, and I'll fix another for Mis' Freeman. He ain't never sence he was a boy set his teeth in better fried cake

here was a luncheon party at the Cairns mansion, and when the butler brought in the plate of cookies and t

d you sa

and that she had made them herself. The cookies are for the children to slip in

; then she looked at her husband and her guests. They

ohn," Mrs. Cairns ordered. "

hanks Miss Doane very much for her thoughtfulness in remembering her on her baking day, and

ly looking at the plates before him. He took up one of t

said, "a

in his eye; then, as if noticing the silen

ding over the stove, and I can smell the hot cakes when I come in from school, and hear her say, 'Jimmie, take your hands out of th

hen, as if coming back to the world bes

go into th

sts did not

s. Beaumont, who lived in the first house below her, was ill. "She has a bad cold," Miss Lee told her, "and they are afraid

hand and an old-fashioned sunbonnet on her head. She went out of the gate and down the road un

a moment. The man rather unwillingly took her message, and returning in a few moments conducted Drusilla into a luxurious bedroom, where a very beautiful woman was lying u

ce. "Won't you please sit down? And excuse my appearance

la sat

est thing in the world fer a cold. Jest make a tea of it and drink it hot. It's kind of bitter, but you can put milk and sugar in it if you want to-though, to my notion, that makes it worse. Then git right into bed and cover

but the doctor entered at that

is Miss Doane, my

ook his han

told her to make a good strong cup o' tea of it, and drink it hot, then git into b

ay. This little old lady, with her sunbonnet and her boneset tea, was not

iss Doane was telling me that a hot b

al comfortin'. But I must be goin'. I see you're a lookin' at my bunnet, Mis' Beaumont. It don't look much like what you got on your head, but I work a lot in the garden, and if I don't have somethin' on my head my hair gets all frouzy. A h

d to Mrs.

s teched a little and it makes you feel bad all over. I got some camomile leaves

was

head and burst into a gale of laughter, in which the dignified doctor soon joined. They laughed and lau

tiron"-a peal of laugher-"at my feet-another one at the small of my back-Oh, I sh

d to his professional manner, asking her how sh

like that for years. It's better than all you

he had quieted,

od as anything else. All you need is a little q

ystem needed was a little shaking up

tor ros

Her herbs or her prescriptions seem to have a bett

to-morrow if you are near, tho

hand was on th

eaumont, I'd send for

he hours, time began to hang heavily upon the hands of active Drusilla. If she had been of a higher station in

she continued with her dressing; but again that piercing wail was borne to her ears. She opened her window and then she heard it distinctly-a baby's cry. She listened in amazement. There was no baby on the place except the garden

cry. Go and find out w

hen she returned, with big frightened eyes, followed by t

t you standing there

from the basket, and Drusilla

ke, what's in the

eposited the bas

y, ma'am-a

it is! You wouldn't expect it

at seemed to be protesting in its feeble way against the injustice of the

pore little thing! It's done

ly this morning after the gates was opened. I'l

letter. It'll tell us all about

asses and read the ins

Doane. Well, th

the envelope a

e and rich. My baby has no one but me, and I can't get

'S MO

orehead and used a slang expression tha

o you know

s if he should have a

e, I don't know anyt

t knowing what to do; but, the little wail again rising, she reached down t

she said. "She didn't

and lifted the baby into her arm

must 'a' loved you, little John, even

d, blinked up at Drusilla in a friendly manner, then clutc

ake for, my hair. Bless his little h

interr

do with it,

oked up fro

? The basket?

eant it"-pointi

e right, James; what'll we do with it?" And s

ly out of the usual line of a well trained butler's duties, "I don't know, ma'am. It never happened before whe

d up at him in

what he knows about babies I don't see. I'm sure he never was one h

I tell hi

got a baby unexpected and we

most smi

ews to him carefu

illa scrutinized the

tty--his mother must 'a' made 'em; an

thing as carefully as would a mother

d you get him?" as James enter

aphne. She acted rather-well-rather excited, and s

ll lay this young man down. My arms mu

legs and arms and voice against being again laid upon

"I guess I've found some

s; then his wails commenced again. Drusilla

ngry, Miss Doane,

e that

the bottle and

Go warm some milk a

in every line of his back. Within a few moments a motor w

Miss Doane? Whe

her father, stiff, erect, the correct lawyer trouble

is wails long enough to stare at the n

a dear! How di

tter. "Read that, and then

d the note

imed. "Just like you read about in boo

ave it to the squirming baby, who settled down into the hollow of her arm with a little gurgle of content. The four stood

o do with it, Miss Do

now. That's why I s

police," Mr. Thornton said dr

oked at him

ay? Telephone t

o call and take th

t's the b

ut they will understan

they do

horities, and if the mother cannot be found, they

n. What kind of

m-a home for wai

s opened and looked into Drusilla's face appealingly and the little wail arose again. Drusilla bent over and

hat do you mean? I

n was plain

s, where the proper c

eried Drusilla. "W

plainly trying to find words to explain

hundreds of other babies, all dressed alike, an

an old ladies' home, only backwards. No, I lived in one o' them and I know

ssly at the obstinate face before him, "that

l if she read in the paper that he'd been pu

Mr. Thornton said dryly. "She should not have desert

e, but you do; and the mother hadn't ought to have had the baby in the first place, which she did, and she oughtn't 'a' left it on my stoo

ated that his very sensible advi

and we are wasting time. I must go into

sat up ve

g of the kind! I've deci

elight. "Quoi!" said Jeanne. James did not speak, but he stopped on his way to the telephone and expressed

arms, showing that she was enjoying the little explosive she had dropped in the midst of he

ve I understood you,

p at him with a t

English that I'

express his disapproval. Drusilla watched him, waiting for

e. Jane, go away. James, go downstairs. Now, Mr. Tho

Miss

to do for and worry about, and nothin' to think of; and I'm tired of it. I've done somethin' all my life, and took care of some one. I nussed my mother for most forty years, then I took care of the sick in all our county, and I looked after the old ladies in the home who wasn't able to look after themselves and now I can't jest set. I'm too old to learn new ways, and I got to have something or some one t

d looked down at the sl

od it'll be for me, but I'm a-thinkin' of the baby

uite impossible! A home for such

, I hate the word. I've et charity bread and

ut his hands with an

ible, I tell you,

d Drusilla. "Why, ain'

client, Mr.

he wrote me: 'Spend the mo

rtainly di

pt on some foolish clothes. First thing I know I might die, then it wouldn't be spen

threw up hi

e than I have said," he declared. "

he lawyer was surrender

out what is to

e came to

the gardener's wife until

d over and patt

in business with him. That's what we'll do. She has four already, but ther

ed before being placed with other

ined, stuff and

eft may come from extremely unsanitary surroundings, a

la, looking down at the baby.

Drusilla and not by her father, and when Drusilla looked up from inspecting the baby she

is advice acted upon, and consequently of retaining at least a semblance of autho

and saw a slight movement of the head which seemed to mean, "Say yes." Drusilla looked

be done, though for the life of me I don'

gest Dr. Rat

o old and slow. He'd never get here. Why d

on pursed

He has not the exper

, the baby i

looked keenly at Daphne's f

doctor's better. I don't think old

ery young," remonst

e ain't forgot how the stomach-ache fee

rassed. "I think James had better

coldly, feeling that he had lost ground on every point, "Come, Daphne; we will go. When you have decided u

ll stay a while

ll go with me. Your

imploring gla

ile? I'd like to talk w

tone that caused Daphne to go with him meekly,

the rebellious face of Daphne, and her own face brok

the services of a doctor often." And she accompanied them to the hall with a little light

e eyes and his cheery voice won Drusilla at once. They went to the gardener's cottage and inspected the

"Couldn't be in better condition. He could run a M

the proceedings w

lly examine an ailin' child," she

ne. If he keeps this fit Mrs. Dona

r. Thornton; but he s

the baby and looked at M

hat Mr. Thornton aske

t exactly mention your name, but he sai

sn't recommending me. Didn

was too old to answer a hurry call like this, so we so

young man's face that did not

to change the subject: "Is this a new baby of

usilla; "this

at her, and then

Miss Doane-many happy

But come up to the house and have breakfast with

kfast-room, and over the coffee and the cakes Dru

foolish old woman to say I'll take it. But it won't do you no good. I'm goin' to have my way, and I've foun

tte? Thanks. That breakfast was corking. Now, about the ba

I said-why

the world why

lot of pesky servants that stand around and don't earn their salt, jest a-waitin' on me. I've always wanted babies, but never had a chance to have 'em, and I've jest

lence, and beneath the lines he saw the loneliness of

and think about and it'll bring sunshine into the house. I envy you. Every time I go down to the 'home' where I loo

. Eaton, and though I wasn't treated bad and had all the comforts of four walls and enough t

ey can never get, and if they win out in life it's because they've got something pretty big inside of them which they've had to fight for all by themselves. And any fight is hard when it is made alone without a little tenderness to help over the hard places. Why, when I see the girls all in checked aprons, hair braided in two braids tied with a blue cord, all the boys in

mind already, but you make it easier for m

n find out what you really want to do. You can pay her and

investment of my income, and when I got it through my head what he meant, I learnt that he has to hunt up ways to put out the money that's comin' to me all t

ughed

o keep that one company. But I guess I'll git

you as many as you want. I run across them every day-babies that lose their mothers in the hosp

put up

o pick and choose my family. Now I'll go upstairs and think a little about this one, and what we're goin' to do with him. It's all been rather sudden, you know, and I ain't used to so much e

stood straight and strong before her. She smiled, with the m

ed to have a family doctor. You might look in ev

tter than to drop in and have a chat with you. Think over the baby question, Miss Doane. You'll find it the

long stride down the drive and out of th

the medical profession. I don't blame her;