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a creature as this in the house？ Why； he's a regular little Paddy！
If you kept him he'd grow up into a hod…carrier。〃
〃Good！〃 said I。 〃I never thought of that。 What a novel thing it
would be to witness the gradual growth of a hod…carrier！ I'll make
him a little hod； now； to begin with。 He couldn't have a more
suitable toy。〃
〃I was talking in earnest；〃 she said。 〃Take your baby； and please
carry him home as quick as you can； for I am certainly not going to
take care of him。〃
〃Of course not；〃 said I。 〃Now that I see how it's done； I'm going
to do it myself。 Jonas will mix his feed and I will give it to
him。 He looks sleepy now。 Shall I take him upstairs and lay him
on our bed？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 cried Euphemia。 〃You can put him on a quilt on the
floor； until after luncheon； and then you must take him home。〃
I laid the young Milesian on the folded quilt which Euphemia
prepared for him； where he turned up his little pug nose to the
ceiling and went contentedly to sleep。
That afternoon I nailed four legs on a small packing…box and made a
bedstead for him。 This； with a pillow in the bottom of it； was
very comfortable； and instead of taking him home； I borrowed； in
the evening； some baby night…clothes from Pomona； and set about
preparing Pat for the night。
This Euphemia would not allow； but silently taking him from me； she
put him to bed。
〃To…morrow；〃 she said； 〃you must positively take him away。 I wont
stand it。 And in our room； too。〃
〃I didn't talk in that way about the baby you adopted；〃 I said。
To this she made no answer； but went away to attend； as usual； to
Pomona's baby； while its mother washed the dishes。
That night little Pat woke up； several times； and made things
unpleasant by his wails。 On the first two occasions； I got up and
walked him about； singing impromptu lines to the tune of 〃weak and
wounded；〃 but the third time； Euphemia herself arose； and declaring
that that doleful tune was a great deal worse than the baby's
crying； silenced him herself； and arranging his couch more
comfortably； he troubled us no more。
In the morning； when I beheld the little pad of orange fur in the
box； my heart almost misgave me； but as the day wore on； my courage
rose again； and I gave myself up； almost entirely； to my new
charge； composing a vast deal of blank verse； while walking him up
and down the house。
Euphemia scolded and scolded； and said she would put on her hat and
go for the mother。 But I told her the mother was dead； and that
seemed to be an obstacle。 She took a good deal of care of the
child； for she said she would not see an innocent creature
neglected； even if it was an incipient hod…carrier； but she did not
relax in the least in her attention to Pomona's baby。
The next day was about the same； in regard to infantile incident；
but； on the day after； I began to tire of my new charge； and Pat；
on his side； seemed to be tired of me； for he turned from me when I
went to take him up； while he would hold out his hands to Euphemia；
and grin delightedly when she took him。
That morning I drove to the village and spent an hour or two there。
On my return I found Euphemia sitting in our room； with little Pat
on her lap。 I was astonished at the change in the young rascal。
He was dressed； from head to foot； in a suit of clothes belonging
to Pomona's baby； the glowing fuzz on his head was brushed and made
as smooth as possible； while his little muslin sleeves were tied up
with blue ribbon。
I stood speechless at the sight。
〃Don't he look nice？〃 said Euphemia； standing him up on her knees。
〃It shows what good clothes will do。 I'm glad I helped Pomona make
up so many。 He's getting ever so fond of me； ze itty Patsy； watsy！
See how strong he is！ He can almost stand on his legs！ Look how
he laughs！ He's just as cunning as he can be。 And oh！ I was going
to speak about that box。 I wouldn't have him sleep in that old
packing…box。 There are little wicker cradles at the storeI saw
them last weekthey don't cost much； and you could bring one up in
the carriage。 There's the other baby； crying； and I don't know
where Pomona is。 Just you mind him a minute； please！〃 and out she
ran。
I looked out of the window。 The horse still stood harnessed to the
carriage； as I had left him。 I saw Pat's old shawl lying in a
corner。 I seized it； and rolling him in it； new clothes and all； I
hurried down…stairs； climbed into the carriage； hastily disposed
Pat in my lap； and turned the horse。 The demeanor of the youngster
was very different from what it was when I first took him in my lap
to drive away with him。 There was no confiding twinkle in his eye；
no contented munching of his little fists。 He gazed up at me with
wild alarm； and as I drove out of the gate； he burst forth into
such a yell that Lord Edward came bounding around the house to see
what was the matter。 Euphemia suddenly appeared at an upper window
and called out to me； but I did not hear what she said。 I whipped
up the horse and we sped along to New Dublin。 Pat soon stopped
crying； but he looked at me with a tear…stained and reproachful
visage。
The good women of the settlement were surprised to see little Pat
return so soon。
〃An' wasn't he good？〃 said Mrs。 Hogan as she took him from my
hands。
〃Oh； yes！〃 I said。 〃He was as good as he could be。 But I have no
further need of him。〃
I might have been called upon to explain this statement； had not
the whole party of women； who stood around burst into wild
expressions of delight at Pat's beautiful clothes。
〃Oh！ jist look at 'em！〃 cried Mrs。 Duffy。 〃An' see thim leetle
pittycoots； thrimmed wid lace！ Oh； an' it was good in ye； sir； to
give him all thim； an' pay the foive dollars； too。〃
〃An' I'm glad he's back；〃 said the fostering aunt； 〃for I was a
coomin' over to till ye that I've been hearin' from owle Pat； his
dad； an' he's a coomin' back from the moines； and I don't know what
he'd a' said if he'd found his leetle Pat was rinted。 But if ye
iver want to borry him； for a whoile； after owle Pat's gone back；
ye kin have him； rint…free； an' it's much obloiged I am to ye； sir；
fur dressin' him so foine。〃
I made no encouraging remarks as to future transactions in this
line； and drove slowly home。
Euphemia met me at the door。 She had Pomona's baby in her arms。
We walked together into the parlor。
〃And so you have given up the little fellow that you were going to
do so much for？〃 she said。
〃Yes； I have given him up；〃 I answered。
〃It must have been a dreadful trial to you；〃 she continued。
〃Oh； dreadful！〃 I replied。
〃I suppose you thought he would take up so much of your time and
thoughts； that we couldn't be to each other what we used to be；
didn't you？〃 she said。
〃Not exactly；〃 I replied。 〃I only thought that things promised to
be twice as bad as they were before。〃
She made no answer to this； but going to the back door of the
parlor she opened it and called Pomona。 When that young woman
appeared； Euphemia stepped toward her and said： 〃Here； Pomona； take
your baby。〃
They were simple words； but they were spoken in such a way that
they meant a good deal