Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-03-15

MY HUNT AFTER THE BABY.

| had been to the corn-lot in the hope or hnd-
Ing few roasting ears for supper; bat there
we're none ripe enough, SO walked slowly beck
to the house, with my hands under my apron
to save them from sunburn and the moment
l stepped into the sitting-room, Isaw the baby
was missing.
The baby was one that had been left with ia
sister Bell and I--while the dear mafnma
went to see the dear papa, sick in far-away
hospital. 1t was plump, peachy little thing,
nearly year old, named Mande-familiarly
called Madge, and more fr,niliarly Midget
She was full of mischief as she could hold, crcpt
all about tie house, throwing things out OF
doors, or into the FIRE, IS came handiest; thrust
her hands behind her andscfcechcdlihc ahyena.
if any one approached TO interfere With her
operations, and slept about fifteen minutes twice
day.
Her usual time to be crawling around under
foot Was in the early part Of tho icy, .Fhcn the
kitchen-work was in progress in thea .errconr
when the work was all done, and 40 ready fo-
frolic with her baby ship; the htle naisanco
might generally be found sequesterod N cor
ner, hugging bosom full OF matches, or stick
ing postagestamps all over her chubby arms.
But this time had left her asleep. She
must have been asleep, forshe didn't wink, snd
when the little deceiyer was hoaxing me, she
always winked desperately. laid her On :
rug in a cool corner, and leaving the door Open,
walked down to the corn-feld and back again
in about seven minutes, as nearly as could
Judge.
The baby was nissingi There was the print
of her little moist head on the pillow, there was
the little blue hints of shoes, just as she ~
kicked them off in her play. Hurriedly i .nt
through room after room, searching and calling.
Not glimpse of the little white frock, not q
lisp from the prattling tongue.
"Baby baby where are you ?" cried
o dear Mr.. r. B. Aldrich 1t wasn't our baby
you had in mind, was it, when you wrote those
sweet lines
40 where is our dainty, our darling,
The tiaintiest darling Of all,
Little Maudef"
Rushing to the foot of the stairs, 40 Bellr
shouted, have you seen baby2"
"No, haven't; guess not. WhyT
knew by the way Bell spoke that she was
not half awake, but her coolness annoyed me.
"You guess not Well, she's lost; went
to the lot after roasting ears; and when
A fretful exclamation from Bell interrupted
me,
30 dear mel Have you looked In the par
lor I've not doubt but she's there, poking
over my photograph album. Do look, please,
SIS"
Terror overinastered my strong desire to fling
back snappish answer to this aggravating
remark. Down stairs again, threw open the
parlor door, which, having been tightly closed,
had not before tried. All undisturbed and
quiet. How thankful should have been just
then to have found everything topsy-turvy, the
phantom and grass bouquets in ruins, and Bells
album in thesmutty fingers of the little culpdt.
With groan shut the door, and COM
menced the search anew. opened all the
closets and presses that had opened befoe,
looked under bureaus and sofas, shook the iron
ing basket, fshed in theswill barrel. all vain,
vain No baby--no Midget
Then ran out to the currant bushes, where
a few tempting red punches were still hanging.
Bell saw and hailed me from chamber window.
"Isn't that pestiferous infant found yet7'
looked up to see the provoking girl sitting
by the open blind, braiding her tangled hair.
oh, so leisurely.
"You unfeeling creature I cried; "will
you never have done your dreadful hair, and
come and help me find this child?"
"Have you looked in the ash hole, and the
bandboxes, and the big churn ?" answered this
trying sister of mine but saw her eyes open-
ing very wide, and in two minutes more she
was founcing about the kitchen, with her un-
fastened braids hanging about her shoulders in
very original style of WATERFALL"
Her movements were peculiar and character
istic. She shook the door mat, jerked the
pump-handle, examined the bread tray, and
the -four barrel. Then her eyes fell upon The
sink-drain.
"She couldn't have cot in there, now, could
she ?" questioned Bell, with terror in every fea-
ture. "Ihe horrid sewer, YOU kncwi' And
she looked whole chapter of Victor Hugo at
me in one wretched instant.
"Of course not. Througha four inch spout !!
And put the strainer in after herl What
preposterous notionTr And Bell docsnot know
to this day, that not FIVE minutes before she
came down was working the broom handle
down that spout with all my might and main.
Out of doors we weat, examined the OUT
houses and clumps Of elder; looked over the
fence. up street, down street, and finally 10
turned disconsolate to the kitchen.
Midget! Midget you dear, precious little
angel. where are you p moaned Bell, dropping
,,,,on the settee. did not cav " Hump pes