Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1854-10-21
From the Cincinnati CoiumJjan,
The Baby Convention at Springfield, Ohio.

TIE BABY SHow.-"ShoW" we shall
still persist in calling ii, although we
found that the managers had ignored this
word as derogatory to the institution, and
substituted the more dlgnilied uiIe ol
''convenuon.' Why not! When every
body, even the hens, have a convention.
shouId'n nj Young America aspire To the
same elevation 1t was a greet affair,
though made up OF small mater.a'a--n"'c''
eXhiIara,ing. aud stimulating by force Of
example carrying with it the admirable
preccpt, $50 thou and DO likewise, and, "
we may as well finish the quotation, 1.-The
young men went away exceedingly sor-
rowiuI."
The show originated in this wise:
Messrs. CassiIey, Paisl, and one or two
others Of the managers Of the county fair
started the idea one evening, half in jest
and each subscribed a hundred dollars,
The paper was sent round, and numer-
Gus others, thinking it a first,rate joke, ad-
ded their names. When a pretty good
sum had been footed up the prIses were
ordered from New York, and the subscr-
bcrs in jest paid up in earnest. The
most sanguine did not calculate on the IN
vasion of such a corps of infantry in arms
as the day brought forth, and consequent
ly the preparations for their reception
were not so extensive as they would
have been. The tent wherein the babies
were ''groomed" and ''trolled OUT was
scarcely thirty feet in diameier-the big
tent expected from Buffalo not arriving
until "a day after the fair" SO when
the committee had finished their lnspec-
ton, the babies and their mothers were
ashered into Floral Hall, 10 the accom-
panyng strains Of an excellent brass
banG, which scared the babies some, but
at the same time drowned their crying.
The flowers, vegetables, &C., had been
removed and babies put in their places.
For three hours the rush often thousand
persons TO "look upon those fair counte-
nances" created the most consummate
iam-up that we ever endured. 1t was a
great crowd, but it was a most good
humored and delighted one; for, if one
baby is sunbeam III a house," what
think YOU of the combined influence OF
some two hundred rays f! twas shrewd
" limited that no small share of atrac-
ton was due TO the magnetic forces Of
the molhers most Of them were young
and many of them very beautiful.
One hundred and twenty-seven babies
were enrolled as competitors, while there
were many more who did not enter the
lists. \ friend counted one hundred and
seventy one, and then gave itup. There
was every degree of complexion, eyes,
hair, and dress, with an infinite variety
of development in juvenile propensties.
Some sucked their thumbs, some sucked
candy, and Understanding else; While
not few belllgerenls manifested an cam
est desire To "wool" ore another. But
the most prevalent demonstration was an
almost universal proclivity TO swallow
themselves, beginning with their fists in
the first instance, and going suddenly to
their feet, ''by way of an anchOvy."
The majority OF lhese minors were very
well behaved babies, totally unlike that
ill-bled juvenlity described by Shake
speare as "muIing and Puking in lis
mothers lap," although candor compeIs
US to admit that a few demonstrated their
possession of the same qualities attFIbu-
ted to their ShakesPearan prototype.
We have seen Infant schools and heard
their thin voices rise in concert as they
repeat their little lessons on what we
think was called the Pestalozian system,
out never did we realize AZ infant Babe.
Laughing, crying, growing, and foo''"@'
al ~ Il blast at the same moment, mix
ed in with tie chatter OF the anxious mo-
thers," each impressed with the insane
delusion that her own baby was ''ln, and (.