Gazette and sentinel., 1860-03-31
THE CADETS BABY.

VIC ldlhS, DUL Gl OAuCCA hHOoO many
years. | have seen service in Florids,
in Mexico, on the borders, and | bear
honorable scars" U few.
When | was just seventeen, acadet a.
West Point, | "a OF my way home for
the first time within three years. Early
in the morning | took my seat in the
cars from New York to Boston. wore
my uniform, and / may own up now
was not 50 unconscious or indifferent
as ] seemed to the many admiring CLAN
ces young ladies bestowed upon it and
the embryonic colonel or general with
in.
Toward the middle Of the forenoon an
lrishwOman got into the cars. They
were crowded, and she, not having the
respect for the military which others
had had, took what was almost the only
unoccupied seat, and sat by my side.
| am, or ,ras, q Democrat. The woman
was we'll clad and clean, 80 | kept my
place. In her arms she held u child-a
young babe Of some six or eight months.
1t was a plump, beautiful, happy little
thing. | had Il very unmanly and uncs-
detish weakness for both babies and
children, and it was so long since | had
been So neal to either that petted and
| noticed this little creature not a little.
At noon the train stopped for five
minutes. Most of the passengers got
out. | meant to have the novelty of u
! six o'clock dinner in Boston, so did not
stir from my seat. Seeing that | did
not, the woman begged to know if |
would hold her baby for a few moments
while she got out. Iassented. 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; we were of; and
where, oh horror of horrors ! tchere was
that woman? 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
responsibility.
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 az
a lobster. The conductor passed through
Il stopped him. With a shaking fin
ger | pointed to the burden in my arms,
and stammcred out something about the
mother having been left behind.
"What the ID " he exclaimed, as
his eye fell on the child. well, you're
in for it, and no mistake | saw that
woman after she got out streaking it
like mad from the depot. but thought
she had her young one with her. You're
nicely took in and done for, that's q
fact"
but what's to be done with this
child p | asked.
Don't know, I'm sure. How far are
you going"
"To Boston tonight"
"Thcn | guess you'll have to carry 1t
as far as there. Then you can take 1t
to one of the hospitals or asylums where
/ they attend to this sort of business, and
leave it. Perhaps som OF these ladies
will help you to take care of it till We
l get to Boston," and the conductor pass
: ed on.
As he went forward, evidently he told
a the story, for heads began to turn, and
$ the men and boys came sauntering IL
t from the other cars to see the fellow
!, that had the baby left with him. Plen
ty of Jokes were cracked at my expense
for every now and then | heard a regu
lar OUTLAW, and some such phrases as
precious green, ell 2" Such q 60 !
Looks fatherly !" etc. etc.
| was in q rage. My blood boiled fu
u riously. One minute | wanted to swear
) the next to kick every person and thing
IL in the car. | suppose in my passion
n gave the poor little thing in my arms
:, grippe, for she uttered a quick, little cry
. She stopped in a moment, and lookeC
at her. She lay in my arms so limo
J. cent. and helpless, and fair, and white
# and looked up at me with such compla
cent placidity, that somehow l felt m.
3 anger dying out in spite Of me-my EN-
~barrassment too.
n al may as well be a nan as such
contemplate sneak" l thought. 81 wa
4 ineffable green to get saddled in thi
way, to be sure, but that's my fault ant
not this poor little pussy's, and may a
we'll brave it through. As for thes'
COMPOUNDED fools, just let EN- laugh
that's all.
= So | settled myself coolly to the car
of my baby. People after a while grew
q accustomed to see her in my arms, ant
most of the afternoon she slept soundly
But oh, how heavy she grew!
seemed to have a leaden weight tug