“'Sh-h!” says she, “make no noise, and control your feelin's, and you can come in for a quarter of a second and see your daughter.”
I was so proud I had cold chills, and I walked like a clothes-horse on castors.
I looked for Marthy first, and I see she was a-sleepin' beautiful, and then Mrs. Murphy pulled down the covers and showed me Edith L.
I took her all in at a glance, and I formed my own opinion right there. I was like a rubber balloon when you stick a pin in it, but I didn't collapse with a bang, I just caved in gradual. I went out of the room, and out of the house, and sat down on the porch-step and blubbered. They never missed me.
When I think back on that day it makes me laugh, but I was sure a rank amateur in the baby business, and I didn't know no better then. Right now I'd put up every cent I've got that you couldn't find a finer girl in the state than what Edith L. is, and I've learned since that she was what you might call an A-1 baby right from the start, but it didn't look that way to me. She was the first of that age I'd ever been introduced to, and she looked different than what I'd fig-gered on. I'd seen plenty of brand new colts, and they run largely to legs, but you'd know them for horse-critters right off; and I 've seen brand-new puppies, and their eyes ain't open, but you'd know them immediate for dogs; but that kid didn't look any more like what I'd calculated Edith L. would look like, than a cucumber looks like a water-melon. My heart was plumb broke. I was scairt when I thought what would happen to Marthy when she saw that wrinkled, red little thing.
I knew we'd have to keep it, but I didn't see how we could bear the shame. I made up my mind in a minute that we'd sell off the place and move up into the mountains—just me and Marthy and the girl. I didn't think of her as Edith L. any more. It wouldn't do to insult mother by givin' her name to that baby.
I figgered it all out how I'd act better to Marthy than ever, to make up for the trial that girl would be, and how I'd do all in man's power to keep the girl from knowin' how handicapped she was by her looks.