Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-12-08

After little while, Mr.. Noddy received
visitors, when every one, especially the la
dies, demanded to see the baby, not that
they cared about beholding him-for,
goodness knows, babies are no uncommon
sight in the city of New York-but be-
cause it is the requirement of conventional
politeness. That is not so bad as it is with
the foolish mothers who think it must be
great privilege to allow stranger to kiss
the baby, and who thrust driveling in
FAINT up to you for this purpose whether
you like it or not-a very disagreeable
proceeding, and one highly to be repre-
hended.
On one occasion, being visited by some
friends, Mrs. Grouse pronounced it the
finest baby she had ever seen, and asked
if it ever cried any, DC. Miss Laura took
him, and dandling him on her knee, call
ed him ''opsey-popsey."
Then Mrs. Wingleton dandled him,
kissed him, and called him the sweetest
little 'fpsey- y-pipsey," and handed him to
Mrs. Grouse, who dandled him and kissed
him, and called him the sweetest little sup
sey mupsey," and finally handed him to
me. l was rather embarrassed. What was
l, confirmed bachelor, to do with a baby,
now one was suddenly thrust upon me -
endeavored to initiate the exercise and
poetry of Mrs. Wingleton, and commenc-
ed dandling him; but he didn't seem to
like it; his head hung over on one side,
and ventured to call him beautiful lit
tie ''rigaby bigaby." Laughter.
didn't know any better. l was pro-
eeeding to kiss him, when, to my relief, he
repelled the advance by spluttering fear
fully and yelling, and would not attempt
to kiss him at that time. What to do
with the baby l did not know. They
were kind enough not to notice my awk-
wardness. The ladies all expatiated on
the sweetness of the child; how much he
resembled the father about the forehead,
and the mother about the eyes and nose,
and his Aunt Cora about the mouth and
cheek. All appealed if this was not so,
and there was charming unanimity that
he was the sweetest, dearest and prettiest
little ducky darling they had ever beheld.
On walking home with Mrs. Wingleton, l
heard Miss Laura express her deliberate
opinion that the baby was nasty little
fright.
| In this horrid sentiment the other sisters
agreed, saying they detested babies, and
were glad the baby had not screamed
more during the period of their VISIT
On human nature or rather feminine ma
ture Laughter.) ForI do not believe
my own sex would have had the skill to
have covered up this little piece of hy-
pocrisy. All! feminine natnre what was
to be gained by this nonsense9 and what
good comes to Mrs. Noddy by reason of
this reception of her childl If nasty
little fright why call him the sweetest lit
tie 'ipsey-pipsey, opsey-popsey, upsey-
mupsey, rigaby-bigaby 2" daughter. -
Perhaps the offense is to small for the re-
cording angel to write it down against
you, but it is meant for all that, and if /
should mention this among your male ac-
quaintances, think it would confirm you
all in the idea of being old maids, and l
think it would serve you right Laugh
lter.) Meanwhile the baby prospered and
grew fat. No wonder, seeing that the lit
tie fellow got all he wanted to eat, and was
not called upon to work for it | will en-
gage to fat myself under similar treatment.
i Another trouble came. Mrs. Kaduggin
had the habit of running her finger into
the child's mouth, and one day she discov-
cred the child had little tootie-which
means tooth. Everybody looked for it,
nobody found it. Several hardy persons
felt for it, but failed to discover it, and not
until four weeks after did the tooth make
its appearance, and then in an entirely OPP
posite direction from the spot mentioned
by Mrs. Kaduggin. Laughter.) AT
length the momentous day of christening
arrived, and when l repaired to the house
at o'clock, ] found the god father and
god mother habited in the hight and
breadth of fashion, with bonnet eigh-
teen inches above the top of her head, and
between the head and this remarkable
machine there were leaves and fruits and
flowers enough to have furnished stall in
Fulton Market Iaughter.)
! Mrs. Noddy seized on me directly and
insisted should come and hear baby speak.
The scamp, however, appeared from the
first prejudiced to talk with any one but
blood relation, aud refused to pronounce
in my presence. At length he made the
sound. Here the speaker illustrated the
noise emitted from the mouth of the young
scamp, which, as the reporter is an old
bachelor, too he can only compare to a
cross between subdued sneeze and snore.
''Did you hear that !" asked the mother,
'Yes, 1 heard it distinctly; don't know
that | could understand it, thought
, "Why," answered the mother, SIT is as
clear as anything in the world; it is plain,
there again"-(another attenuated grunt.)
alt was as plain as could be, MAMA, PAPA. y
Laughter. 'There again." said the
mother; ''that is NURsEY." She under
: stood the language better than did.
Innumerable cards poured in from all
parts of the city, and many friends inquir-
ed after the health of Mrs. Noddy and ba-
} by, to all of which Mrs. Kaduggin re-
piled by simply saying, 1.-The baby was
thriving wonderfully, ,and Mrs. Noddy was,
she was glad to say, as well as could be
expected Nothing is more common OF
, more bold than this expression. How,
thought l, could she know what expect
ed. might expect Mrs. Noddy as ro-
bust as a coal HEAVIER. What information
could ! derive from the announcement,
'Mrs. Noddy as well as could be expect
ed?r Expected by whom? If by Mrs.
Kaduggin, how could | fathom the depth
of that good woman's expectations.
When General Sully, last summer, on