Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-05-19
TILE CADETS BABY.

THE CADETS BABY.
| am military man-not a private in the
ranks, but an officer these many years have
seen service in Florida, in Mexico, and on the
borders, and bear of honorable scars" few
When | was seventeen. a cadet at West
Point, was on my way home for the first time
within three years. Early in the morning |
took my sea, in the cars from New York to
Boston. | wore my uniform, and II NAV own
up now was not SO unconscious or Indifferent
as | seemed, to the many admiring glances
young ladies bestowed upon it. and the embrv-
onc colonel or general within. Towards the
middle of the forenoon, an Irish woman got in
to the cars. They were crowded. and she. not
having the respect for the military which others
had had, took what was almost the only unoc-
cupied seat, and by my side. am or ,ras
democrat. The woman was well clad and clean,
so kept my place. In her arms she held
child-a young babe of some six or eight
months. 1t was plump, beautiful happy lit
tie thing. | had a very unmanly and uncadet-
ish weakness for both babies and children and
it was so long since had been so near to eth
er, that petted and noticed this little creature
not little.
AT noon the train stopped for fifteen min
utes. Most of the passengers got out. meant
to have the novelty of n six O'Clock dinner in
Boston, so did not stir from nv seat Seeing
that did not, the woman begged to know if |
would hold her baby for few moments while
she got out. / assented. She put the child in
my arms and vanished. The minutes passed
away; one by one the passengers returned ;
presently, when the bell rang, a crowd came
with a rush to resume their places the loco
motive started; were off; and where, o..
horror of horrors, where was that woman p
My hair began to rise, and the sweat to start
from every pore still | waited, hoping that the
woman was trying to get through the other
cars, and would come finally to assume her re-
sponsihility. A quarter of an hour elapsed ;
every body was quietly seated, and still | held
that child. People began to stare, Young ladies'
to litter. | felt myself as red as a lobster
The conductor passed through; ] stopped him.
With shaking finger | pointed to the burden
in my arms, and stammered out something
about the mother having been left behind.
"What the d-l"' he exclaimed, as his eve
fell on the child. "Well, you're in for it, and
no mistake. | saw that woman after she got
out, streaking it like mad, away from the depot,
but thought she had her Young one with her.
You're nicely took in and done for, that's a
fact"
''But what's to be done with this child ?" |
asked.
:u " " '
so."S' po
ny n" oostoh' 'o-hiRn''
.t linen Ehess you II haye 70 carry 1t as Tar
Us n;. 'ntre. men you can take 1t to one OF the
nos oi "s.'ulnS; wnere they a'tehu 10 inns
sG'. ~ BUSINESS ai'a ,eaNe It, FerhapS some
" .neSe i"uies wiz 'eiP you take care oi H. ull
we se, 10 boston, anu the conductor passed
ou' rs ne wen' forward evidently ne toid the
S.o1'; 'or neauS began 10 turn' ana lhen men
"au oo!s ea,te me- saun.e',ng sI N rom the o'her
va.I ;.s 70 Soe ,ne leiow 'lat hau the oaoy lett
VIZ" n''", i'en'! o' Jokes were cracked al MY
eHPensa; ior every now ana men, heard reg
uiar gunaw' ana y, some such phrases as "rrec-
uus I !, s'ee"' e.' 'uen Il go LOOKS iath-
cry e'c,' e'e,
~ was IL, rage. NY blood oo'ied furlously'
oiie uilnu'e wanted .t 10 swear 'ne next 10 KICK
o;"I! pelson anu 'lillg IN .ne car. l suppose
!" ~! Puss'on, sa'e lhe poor h''ie thlhg III
III. "'uS sllP' ior sue uttered quick, Ntile
cry one III my arms so innocent and help
,usI, anu 'a'r, anu wn''G' ahu looked up at ms
wi, Sn" Suen connP'aceht Piacialty' that somehow
'eit my umser a!lnS out IN spite OF me-my
e'.J'' ~ .'.a'' ,asN'ienl ,, TO-
thld n"y t a. We" ,, ou man as such eoh'smp-
@ Io'o n".H", enJusn': was az lhenaoie
S'.en! 70 se' sIuu'eu III .nis way 10 oe sure
@ ~. 'oa' mat my ,aui' anH no.. ths poor htile pus-