Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-07-07
THE CADETS BABY.
4 BEAUTIFUL STORY.

am a military Tsn-not a private il
the ranks, but an officer these manv years
I have seen service in Florida, in Mexico
on the borders, and bear Of " honorable
scars" . few.
When l was just seventeen, n cadet a,
West Point, ! was on my way home for
the first time within 'hree years. Early
in the morning took my seat in the ca "a
from New York to Boston. I wore nv
uniform, and may own up no~,) was
not 50 uncor srious or Indifferent As ]
seemed, TO the many adm,ring glances
young Indie. bestowed upon it and the
embryonic colonel or general within -
Toward the middle Of the forenoon an
Irish woman got into the cars They were
crowded, and she. not having The res pcct
for the military which others had. took
what was almost the only nnoccupied seat.
ard by nv side. am. or was democrat.
The woman was we'll clni and clean, so
kent my place. In her arms she held a
chil'-s young babe Of some six or eight
months 1t was plump, beautiful. hap,
pv little thing. ] had a very unmanlv
and nncade,ish weakness fur babies and
children, and it was 80 long since had
been 80 near I" either that I petted and
noticed the li'le creature no, a little.
At noon the train stopped for fifteen
minutes. Most Of the passengers got ont.
! meant to have the novelty Of six
o'clock dinner in B ,s'on, 40 I did no, stir
from my seat. Seeing that I did not. the
woman begged TO know II I would hold
her baby for few moments while she 70,
ont. ! assented. She put tho child in
my arms and vanished. The minutes
passed away. one by one the passengers
retu' ned ; presently, when the bell rung a
crowd came with . rush to resume their
places; the locomotive started we were
off; and where. Oh, horror Of horrors
rhere was that woman7 Ny hair began
to rise. and the swea, 10 start from every
pore, still | waited. hoping that the woman
was trying 10 get through the other cars.
and would come finally to resume her res.
r"nsili'ity. A quarter Of an hour elapsed.
every body was quietly seated. and still
held that child. People began t" stare.
young ladies to litter. f-lt myself as red
MS lobster. The conductor passed ,hro'
Il stopped him. With a shaking finger
l pointed to the burden in my arms. and
sismmered out something about the
mother having been loft behind.
What the IL he exclaimed, as his
'ys fell on the child. "Well, you're in
for il, and II" mistake. | saw thar woman
after she got out .treaking il like mad.
away from the depot. but l thought She
had her young one with her. You're
nicely took in and done for, that's fact
But what to be done with this child ?"
asked.
Don't know, I'm sure. How far are
you goiug7"
TO Boston, tonight
"Then uess you II have to carry it as
far as there. Then you can take i, tu one
OF the hospitals Or asylums where they
attend to this sort of business, and leave
:. Perhaps some Of these ladics will
hep you take care Of it till we get to Bos
iton,' and tie conductor passed on. As
he went forward, e vidently he told the
story, for heads began to urn, and then
men and b'ys came snun,erins in from
the other cars to see the fellow that had
the baby left with him. Plenty of jok es
were cracked nt my expense, for every
now and then l heard regular guffaw,
and some such phrases as "Precious green
eh p Such q go!' Looks fatherly I"
&c. &c.
! was in rage. Nv blood boiled furi-
oualy. One minute wanted to sven, the
next to kick every person and thing in the
car. l suppose in my passion | gave the
poor little thing in my arm. a grip, for
she uttered quick, little cry. She stop.
ped in moment, and looked at her
She lay in my arms so innocent anl help
less, and fair aud white, and looked up at
me with such complacent placiiiy, that
somehow l felt my anger giving gu, in
spite OF me-my embarrassment tho.
II may as well be man as such a con.
temrtib'e SNEAK thought. II vas an
ineff.ble ereenry 10 get sadiled in this
way, 10 be sure, but that's my fanlt, and
not this poor little pussy's. aud may as
we'll brave it through. As for these con-
founded fools, just let EN- laugh. that 4
alI."
So ! settled myself coolly To the care Of
NY baby People after awhile grew ac-
cu:t"med to seeing her in my arms, and
most Of the afternoon she slept soundly
But oh, how heavy shc grew. seemed to
have lenden weight ,ugging heavier and
heavier upon me. How on earth do women
lug about children day after day, in ,h1
way they do? For me, I'm certain, I'd
rather NOW. though ! never tried it.
| However, to my story. Toward nigh,
ny baby walked, and walked fre,ful and
hungry, suppose. She began to cry.-
People began 10 look again, curious to Sc.
what master nurse would do tried ever,
possible means TO pacify the child, N,
watch. my eagle buttons. held I, up to III.
window. | dandled il, | nearly turned i
upside down, no use. Baby properly des
ised my miserable efforts to make il for