Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-06-22
MISC T. l. l. A n Y.
THE CADETS BABY.


scars n few.
When was seventeen. q cadet at West
Point. | was on my way home for the dr',
time within three years. Early in the
morning I took my sea, in the cars from
New York TO Boston. lwore nv uniIor IN.
and Il may own up now was not 80 nm
cou,ciou, or Indifferent as | seemed. to the
many admlrins glances young ladies' be.
slowed upon IL, and th. embryonic colonel
or general within. Toward. the middle Of
the forenoon, an Irish woman rot into the
cars. They were crowded and she, no,
having the respect for the military which
Others had bad, took what was almost the
oply unoccupied seat, ani by my side. |
am or ,sd' democrat. The woman wa.
we'll clad and clean, 80 kept my place.
In her arm, she held a child young bate
OF some six or eight months. !, was a
plump. beautiful, happy little thing. I
had a very unmanly and uncadeli'h weak.
nes. for both babies aud children, snl It
was 80 long since had been 30 near 10 eth
er, tha, | pc,ted and noticed thi, little
creature not little.
At noon. tho train stepped for filtOsn
minutes. Most OF the passengers 20, oui.
meant 70 have the novelty Ol siI o'clock
dinner in Boston. 90 di not ,,ir fran my
seat. Seeing that did not, the woman
begged 10 know II | would hold her baby
for few moment, while .ho 90, out. as.
scntei. She put the child in my arms and
vanished. The minutes passed away, one
by one the passenger, returned presently
when the bell rang. crowd came with
rush to resume their places the locomotive
started we wsr. OF. and where, o tor.
rors; where was that woman? Ny haIr
ts.an o. r.,c. and the sweat 10 start from
every pore s,ill waited, hoping that the
woman was trying to sc, through tho other
cars, and would come hnall, 10 assume h.r
responsibility. A quarter OF an bour clap
s,i every body was quietly seated and
still | held tha, child. People began TO
stare, young ladies TO litter. felt myself
a. rel a. lobster. Tls conductor passod
through stopped him. With a soaking
finger pointed TO tho burden IN my arms,
and ,nmm.red out something abou, the
mother having Lccn lot. behind.
"wha, the d-li" hc exclaimed. as hi.
eve fell on the child Well, you're in
for It. AMI no mistake. .aw that woman
alsr she got out, .trcakins 1t liko mad,
away from the depot, but Though, she
had her young %. with her. You're nice
ly took in and done for, that. a fact"
"But what. To be done with this child
asked.
"D5n', know, I'm sure. How hr are
you soins'"
"ro Boston tonight"
Then gues, you'll have to carry I, as
Tar as there. Then you can take j, to one
Of the hospital, or a,ylum', where they at.
tend to thi, sort Of business, and leave il.
Perhaps some OF thes, lAdie. will help you
10 take care Of 1t ill We es, to Boston, and
the conductor pas.ci on. As he wen, for.
ward, evidently he told the story, for heads
bcsan TO turn, aud then men aud boy, came
saunterins in from the other ears, ~ See the
fellow who had the baby lsft with him.
Plenty Of Jokes were cracked a, nv expense,
for every now and then, heard a regular
guGiw, aud some such phrases as " Pre-
cious green, eh Such a go" Looks
ia,hcrly =" etc, etc.
Iras in rage. Ny blood boiled iuri.
ou.lJ. one minute wanted TO swear, the
next to kick every person and thing In the
car. l'upposc IN my passion, gave the
poor little thing in my arms grip, for she
altered quick. little cry She lay in my
arms 50 innocent, and helpless aud fair ,..and
white, and looked up a, me with such CON.
placent placility, that somehow ! felt my
anger dyln: out IN spite Of me-my enbar-
rasm,nt too.
IL may as we'll be a man as such n con-
tcmptible sneak" | thought | was an
inciIable grecney TO get 'addled in this way
to be sure. but that's NY Iault and not this
poor little rus.y's, and may as well brave
i, through. A for these eOufoundsd fools,
just let them laugh, that's all"
So | settled myself coolly to the care Of
nv bady. People after while grew accu.-
toned to see her in my arms, and most Of
the afternoon, she slept soundly. But o,
how heavy she grew! seemed to have
lead.n weigh, ,usging heavier and heavier
upon me. How on earth DO women log
about children day after day, in tie way
they do? For me, I'm certain Id rather
NOW, though never tried il.
However. to my story. Toward night,
my baby walked; and walked fretrul, and
hungry I suppose. She began to cry; a
long, dsspairing, entirely uncomPronising
cry. People began to look again to see
rha, master nurse would do. tried ev.
cry possible means 10 pacify the child my
watch, my eagle buttons, held itup to the
window, | daudled it, nearly turned 1t
upside down no use. Baby properly de-
spi.ed my miserable efforts to make 1t for
&c, its needed and righ,ful consolation, and
cried louder and louder till at last ] SEEM
ed TO hold nothing in my arms but an i'm.
msnse squall. a man could stand it no
longer, let alone cadet, and | rose desper-
a,ely from my seat, determined to apeal to
.ome lady or woman for sssistancs. As