THE WEIRD BUT THUE STORY OF BABY BLAZE, As told by the Cawilestick.
Buby Blaze was born when she was a very little girl and she had no hair and teeth. She was the most uninteresting object ever seen, yet she created a grent deal of interest. ' From the very first her chief pleasure seemed to be tu sit on the ground and stare into vacancy, as if she gloried in her own mystery. She appeared to have experienced some awful tragedy—for her eyes had an alarmed Took about them, and her mouth drooped at the corners. Yet she never whimpered and cried as other children di "Tam afraid Baby Blaze is no use in this world," said a friend of Baby Blaze's mother, as they stood looking down upon her while she sat gazing into the fire.
"And why?" asked Mes. Baby Blaze.
"She is so mournful-looking," explained the friend, "Oh! that is nothing if she is sweet," returned the fond parent, smoothing the top of Baby Blaze's bald head lovingly.
You have never told me why you called her Baby Blaze," said the friend. Oh! was just because the fire was the Gret thing she ever saw in this house, and in the firelight she seemed to laugh and look happy, and her arms were stretched out to it, and then when I carried her tu the window the daylight appeared to have another effect on her, und I'saw she wasaead baby. She likes the candle flame to so [called her Baby Blaze, hoping it vald assist her iv:
Well, it hasn't anyhow," remarked the candid friend—"nd Baby Blaze's mother without taking offence shook her head in agreement.
must go," went on the friend, putting on her gloves, "I am afraid you'll have to get accustomed to the expression," he added—referring to Baby Blaze—"that is if you are going to keep her—she is quite an exception." Guing to keep her," cried the indignant mother, snatching up her baby from the floor and clasping her in her arms; *T'll never, wever part with b How dare you spank to me like that?"
"Oh! of course, if you are so far gone as that," sneered the friend, but really that, Baby quite monopolies you, Guod And Baby Blaze and her mother were left alone sitting on the for, before Baby Blaze's namesake, rocking teand fro to the tune of a little song while the flames of the fire danced and leaped up and shadows on the moving figures, "Oh! T do wish you wouldn't look so sad, my own dear "darling," murmured Mra, Blaze, "see, I'll show you the pretty candie"—and here I was' brought down from the mantelpiece and stood upon the floor, while my candle was lighted for Baby Blaze's benefit.
Fust then the door opened, Mrs, Blaze twisted round, and then exclaimed "Oh! its you, Dick, come a Blaze."
"Oh!" cried the new-com the old story, T'm off; it's nothing but Baby Blaze now-a-days." And the door slammed. Mrs. Blaze's face flushed angrily, but she did not reciprocate.
Buby Blaze sat sad); "See, darling," coaxed the mother, "T'll show you the bre; there and she kneeled on the fur rug and lifted Baby Blaze close to the grate almost into the bars of the fire-place, but she soon observed the heat was bad for her darling's delicate complexion, and pulled her away again.
"How cruel fam," she ried, "I'll undress you and put you into your own nice white bed." Miss Mabel Winter has come tu see you," announced a maid, entering the room at that moment. "Ask her up here, Ruth," said Mrs. Blaze, and the next moment, a third person found room on the fur rug to admire Baby Blaze.
"Thope you don't mind me putting baby to bed, dear," asked Mrs. Blaze. "'Oh! no, of course not." haven't you seen her before?" proudly questioned the parent.
but I heard about her, and to-day I met Dora Keats, and she told me about her." "Oh!" remarked Mrs. Blaze, she was here just now." Yes! she said she had been." **Was Dick with her?" enquired Mrs. Baby Blaze. think he was," returned Miss Mabel Winter. And Mrs. Baby Blaze looked thoughtful. Isn't she sweat?" she added, turning to the baby.
"Very; do let me hold her.
"Certainly, but she is rather heavy, you see her to better advantage in her nightdress."
Baby Blaze sat up on Miss Winter's lap and looked ahead; she looked better in her night-dress than anything else, the simple white rube with its frillings of lace culted her hairless head and curiously half-open Arooping month, The mother drew Mies Winter's attention "But I can't always keep her in her night-dress," said Mrs, Blaze, laughing.
Oh! should," returned Miss Winter, "tit wouldn't matter a bit; which was rather a curious remark to make on any baby.
The story of her name was then gone through, while the fire light lit up her eyes, and Mrs. Blaze stretched out her tiny hands to the warmth, "She has such pretty fingers."
"Yes, and her toes are perfect; I'll show you."
I was here again brought into use, and Mrs. Blaze held me up while Miss Winter examined each toe on Baby Blaze's feet. She sat perfectly still and did not seem to mind the touch on her toes, that so many children object to. Then we all sat on the floor and continued to admire, till Rath again put in an appearance and said, "Your mother is waiting in the carriage, Miss, and would be glad if you will go aown, as it is cold."
"Oh! of course," cried Miss Winter, mother has such a cold too; good bye, you sweet baby."
"Ti come down to the door," anid Mrs, Blaze, "Baby will be all right, I'll set her here and Baby Blaze was posited upon the floor up against the big guard round the fender, while the two friends left the room, Now it may have been that the house was old and that in.their eagerness to get to the can age, they walked more heavily than {uaual. I know that they it was Baby Blaze that did it, for as soon as the door was closed, I lost my balance, fell over and sank comfortably into Baby Blaze's lap. I had been left. on the floor—it was of my fault, The flame of my candle caught the thin cambric of her one garment, curled up and round, and then darted up into what might have grandfather Blaze caressing lovingly its great grandchild. Baby Blaze accepted this as she did everything else with a resigned quiet grace beyond her years. She may have looked a little disconcerted. I could searcely see through ao much smoke, but I know that the intense heat caused the corners of her mouth to droop still further. Perhaps this was the tragedy one saw in her eyes. Anyhow there was no one near to question her. There was no farther cause to put up with" her sad vacant expression, for it was frst disappearing, or to complain that "it was all Baby Blaze now-a-days." She sat still and in silence, and her arms—as her mother had put them—were stretched out as if appealingly. If she could have thing then, it must have been had overheard; "I am no. use in th world." But no reproach came to her lips like Casablanca, she stuck to her post and The flame feom the little smouldering figure crept up to her tiny frock so recently flung across the guard, then on to the mantel-border, and then up the wall, Thera is nothing so loving in this world og a well started flame, and this all happened in less than three minutes. The door at last burst open, and Mrs, Blaze stood upon the threshold, and there, instead of sweet, and Baby Blaze waiting in her white nightgown ready to greet her mother,—a great light and a hissing noise.
The house was not burned down, though it very nearly was. At 10 o'clock that night, when Mrs. Baby Blaze with red and swollen eyes sat with her mother and father, and her brother Dick in the drawing-room, after all fear. was over, she
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.