Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-14
rHE BABY CONVENTION AT SPRINGFIELD, ONO.

) IgHE BABY CONVENTION AT SPRINGFIELD, ONO
FROM THE CINCINNATI COLUMBIAN" OF SATURDAY
The BABY Snow" Show" shall still persist in call
although found that the managers had ignored THU
rd derogstory to the institution, and substituted thu
more digniHed title of convention. Why not Wher
everybody even the hens, have convention, should'n
Young America aspire to the elevation? 1t was
geat affair, though made up of small materials-nove
celebrating. and stimulating by force of example; carry
nt with 1t the admirable precept thou and do like
wbe, and" we may well finish the quotation, " the
yong men went away exceeding sOrrowfuL"
The show originated in this wise Messrs. CAssLEY,
PAST and two others Of the of the
t air started the idea evening" half JEST each
subscribed hundred dollars The paper sent round
AMI numerous others, thinking it rstrate joke added
thur names When pretty good sum had been footed up
the prizes ordered from New York. and the subscr
bes In jest paid up in earnest The most sanguine did
the invasion Of such corps Of infantry
trims as the day brought FORTH and consequently the
preparations for their reception not extensive
the would have BEEN The tent wherein the babies
gpomed and "trotted out scarcely thirty feet
In dameter-the big tent expected from Buffalo not
arrng until just day after the fair" So when the
committee had finished their inspection the babies and
Their mothers ushered into Floral Hall, to the &C
com'auying strains Of excellent brass band which
scard the babies some but at the time drowned
theii cry;Ag
/ Tie flowers, vegetables, sc. had been removed and
babps put in their places For three hours the rush Of
ten thousand persons ssook upon those fair counte
names created the most jam up that ever
endured. 1t great crowd, but ii most good
hundred and delighted one; for, if one baby is " sun
bean in house, what think you of the combined infu
ence of some two hundred rayss 1t shrewdy limited
that small share of attraction due the magnetic
forces OF the mothers; most Of them young and
many of them very beautiful
One hundred and twcnty-srvon babies were enrolled as
competitors, while there many who did not
the lists friend counted hundred and seven
yone and then gave it up. There every degree of
complexion eyes, hair, and Dress with an infinite variety
OF development in juvenile propensities Some sucked
their thumbs sucked candy, and otherssomethiag
else while not few belligerens manifested earnest
desire to swooP another. But the most prevalent
demonstration almost universal procivy to swal-
low themselves beginning with their fists in the first in
stance and going suddenly to their feet by way Of on
anchoyy The majority Of these minors very well
behaved babies totally unlike that ilbred juvenhty de-
scribed by Shakespeare "muing and puking in its
mothers lap although candor compels to admit that
few demonstrated their possession of the qualities
attributed to their Shakspearian prototype.
We have infant schools and heard their thin voices
rise in concert they repeated their little lessons on
what we think called the Pestalozian system, but
never before did we realize an infant Babel Laughing,
crying, growing end toog all in full blast at the same
moment mixed in with the chatter Of the "anxious
TIERS each impressed with the insane deusion that her
own baby in and not out =; the caressing words
and endearing phrases enunciaed in the lngua franco
which pathological babies supposed to understand,
joined the deeper voices Of the crowds of masculine
admirers, altogether made up of lively confusion
often encountered Every body called every cody
else to move along and nobody stirred peg TILL the
outside pressure getting very strong the whole crowd
would break ahead like for few feet, and come
to another stand-sti However the pursuit of know
ledge under difficulties is to be rewarded and we
enjoyed the babies faces the more for the trouble they
cost US.
Several letters had been received from Mrs Cn1rrEN-
DEN, Mrs. SwissHELM and others Theleter from FANNY
FERN which give read several times the great
delight of the successive audiences:
"MR ISAAC PAsr-SR: In thanking you for the compile
ment BY constituting Of the committee
to award the premiums ut the convention, would also
deep regret that my present engagements will not
admit of my leaving New York Nothing would delight
than visit your beautiful city, which have long
wished to and the added temptation hold out in the
shape Of babies is almost irresistible. God bless their little
sweetnesses But how could choose-I who love every
thing in the shape of child, who believe that they all
that left Eden who into their
without feeling such devout Catholic must have when
he himself before the image of the Virgin Maryhow
could choose should from black eyes blue from
blue gray from gray hazel should be led captive by
simple, fascinated by rnget enchanted by check
as bee in twenty acre lot Of full blown
Please accept best wishes for the your novel;
beautiful and admirable enterprise. May the anathema Of
disappointed mother haunt the sleeping the waking
hours of the awarding committee May God bless you and
prosper your enterprise! Yours, very truly,
1t was announced by Mr. CAssILEY that year every
provision would be made and prizes paid in gold
The following memorandum of the awards was handed
by of the committee. 1t will be observed that
of the differs from that published in other
papers
First prize splendid service of silver plate including
large salver, to the daughter of VIM AnoNIMUs of
Vienna, Clark county, aged ten months
Second prize, service of silver plate, to the of
VIM. Mcdowell of Fulton, Hamilton county, Ohio aged
thirteen months.
Third prize service Of silver to the daughter Of Mr.
A. CANON, Of Philadelphia
These the regular prizes for the finest children
fourth gratuity, group in Parian marble Of Christ
blessing little children given to the little daughter
Of Mr. Henry HowE of Cincinnati, the preies child
at the fara sentiment in which every body concurred
THE BABY SHOW.