Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-08-05
WHAT MADE THE BABY CRY.

WHAT MADE THE BABY CRY.
| Whence comes the gibberish which is almos,
| invariably used by mothers and nurses to in.
fants? Take, for example, the following, which
will answer the two-fold purpose Of illustrating
my idea, and exhibiting ono of the peeuliaritic;
of the age.
| A few days ago, called to spend an hour in
the afternoon with Mr.. Slang, whose wife is the
mother of child about eight months old.
While was there, the child in the nurses
arms in an adjoining room, began to cry.
You Rose" said Mrs. Slang, "quet that
child" Rose walked with il, and sang to it
\ but it did not hush.
You Rose, if you do not quiet that child
lay make you"
| 81 is tried, ma am" said Rose, can he
wouldn't get hushed." (Child cries iouder)
Fetch him to me, you good for nothing hussy
| you. What's the matter with him % reaching
! out her arms to receive him
| 81 dun know, ma'am -
Nhei-nhun -nho- mia ami" knocking
| and grinning at Rose) -.
AS Rose delivered the child, she gave visible
signs of lodging just the child left her arms;
and, that she might not be disappointed, Mrs
Slang gave her box, in which there seemed to
be no anger mixed at all, and which Rose re.
| ceiyed as a matter Of course, without even
changing countenance under il.
"Da dem" said Mrs. Slang; " come elong G
muddy (mother.) Did nassy Yosey (Rose) pague
muddy thweety chilluns?" (children)-pressing
| the child TO her bosom, and rocking it backward
and forward tenderly. muddy will whippy
ole nassy Yosey. All. you old, uggy Yosey,i' i'
knocking ut Rose playfully.) "Da den, muddy
did whippy bad Yosey." tChild continues
crying) .
| why, what on earth ails the child? Rose,
| you've hurt this child somehow or other.''
mo, ma'm, cla' didn't; was Just sittin'
down dar in de rockin' chair, close long side o.
Miss Nancy's bureau, an want doin nothin'
I all to him, jis playin wild him, an he lis be.
| gin to cry heSclf, when nobody want doin'
| nothin' t all to him, and nobody want dar,
nuther, sept me an him, an 1 was'-
"Nhing-nhing-nhin and expect you hit
his head against the bureau"
g Let muddy see where olc bad Yosey knock
| heady gin de bureaus. Muddy will see, -
taking Off the child's cap. and finding nothing.
| (Child cries on.)
"Muddy's baby was hungry, dat was what
ails muddy's darlin' sweety one. Was eho hon.
cry, an nobody would givy little darlin' any
| sing I all for eaty,' CoOSing her frock bosom
No, nobody would gim thweety one any sings
for cat t ALL" (Ofers the breast to tho child,
who rejects, rolls over, kicks and screams worse
| than every
Hush, you little brat. believe it's nothing
IN the world but crossness. Hush" Shaking it. !
Hush, tell you" (Child continues to cry J
| -" Why, surely pin must stick the child.
Yes, was bad pin did ticky chi!luns Let
muddy see where de uggy pin did ticky dear
drettOus creter." (examiniDg) "Why, no, it
isn't pin. Why what can be the matter with
the child9 1t must have the collie, surely.
Hose, so bring me the paregoric of the mantle
| piece. Yes, muddy's babby did hab tolic
Dat was what did all muddy's prettous darby
baby" pressing it to her bosom and rocking
it. Child cries on.)
! oKoSe brought tho paregOric, handed it,
lodged, and got her expectations realized as
before.
Now go bring me the sugar, and some wa
| ter"
Rose brought them, and delivered both with
| out the customary reward for at that instant
the child, being laid perfectly still on the lar,
hushed.
The paregoric was administered. and the
child received il with only whimper now and
then. As soon as it received the medicine, the
| mother raised ii up and il began TO cry.
Why, Lord help my soul, what's the matter
| with the child? What have you done TO him.
you little hussy?" (rising and walking towards
| Rose)
"Cla', misses, aint dono moth n It all; was
| jis sittin' down da by Miss Nancy's bu-''
| You lie, you slut" (hitting her passing
slap,) Z" know you've hurt him. Hush, my
baby, = Singing the Coquet,) "d don't you cry.
| your sweetheart will come by m by; da de DUN
dunn dunn day, ia dc dun diddle DUN day -
| Child cries on
| lord help my soul and body, what can be
the matter with my baby" (tears coming in
her own eyes.) Something is the matter with
II, know it is,' Qaying the child on her lap,
and feeling its arms, to see whether it iinched
at the touch Of any particular part.) But the
child cried less while she was feeling it than
before.
Yes, dat was it; wanted litty arms yubb'd.
Mud will yub its sweet little arms" (Child
| begins again.)
What upon earth can make my baby cry
| 50 :" rising and walking to the window (Stops
\ at the window, and the child hushes)
:" Yes, dat was it; did want to look out g
windys See the petty chickens. O-o-o-h .
look at the beauty, rooster! Yonder's old
chips. Yes, ole aunt Betty pickin' up chips
TO- bake bicky (biscuiD fo' good chilluns
Good aunt Betty TO- make bicky fo' sweet ba.
| by's supper" (Child begins again)
| =" Hoo-o-o, see dc windy" knocking on the
window. Child scrcams.)
you, Rose, what have you done to this
child? You little hussy you If you don't tell
me how you hurt him III whip you as long as
| / can find you"
Missis, 'cla' / never done nothin' t all &c
him, was jis sett'n' down da by Miss Nan.
cy's bu-''
If you say Miss Nancy's bureau to me
again I'll stuff Miss Nancy's bureau down
your throat, you little lying slut. I'm just as
sure you hurt him as if I'd seen you. How did
you hurt him ?''
| Here Rose was reduced 10 q non pLUs for
npon the peril of having bureau stuffed dow1
her throat she dare not repeat the oft-told tale
and she knew no other. She therefore stood
| mute.
Julia" said Mr.. Slang bring the child tc
me, and let me see If can discover the cause o.
his crying"
Dir. Slang took the child, and commenced
careful examination Of ii. He removed its cap
and beginning at the crown of its head, he OK
tended the search slowly and cautiously down
ward, accompanying the eye with the touch o.
the finger. He had not proceeded far in thi
way before he discovered in the right ear Of the
child small feather, the cause, of course, Of al
ITS wailiny. The cause removed, the child soor
changed It's tears 10 smiles, greatly to tho dc.
light Of all, and 10 noEe moro than to Rose.
WHAT NEXT AT Senaca Falls, ". Y. a clergy.