The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-07-27
Philips First Baby.

| weighed eleven pounds.
He, Philips, bid fair to loose his mind en-.
tirely. He danced and sang,snd fired guns
from the top of his courthouse, whistled
and wrang the heads off all the fowls on the
| place, to make chicken pie for the cele-
| bration.
| This worthy couple had been married ten
years, and this was their first child. People
had laughed at them ten years on account OF
their luck people who were overrun with
children, and whose lives were made miser-
able by the seedlings and spanking they
found it necessary to intlict upon their wretch
| ed little olive plants.
| Now, Mrs. Philips said, she guessed they d
| laugh out the other side. There never had
| been so large n baby born in Smithficld be-
| fore. Mrs. Jones only weighed nine pounds
and had II pug.nose. Mrs. Swayer's was red
haired, and mole on his right toot-a sure
| sign that it would come to bad end-and
| 1t only weighed seven pounds fourteen
ounces She guessed folks had better look
| at home before they laughed
Baby proved to be Tartar. He had a
| temper like n windmill, and seemed deter.
mined to develop his feet and lungs to the
| utmost while he had leisure, for he screamed
and kicked tweniy.three out of twenty four
hours.
But his mother declared he was an angel
! We never come to imagine an angel with
puffy red cheeks, heels elevated in the air,
sucking a sugar teat, and being bounced
about in u pillow cradle to the tune Of "Iigh
diddle dee! but then our Imagination is not
| 50 vivid as it might be.
| From the hour in which he was born, he
| was the autocrat of the household every
| thing had to bow at his nod.
The scullery door creaked: it was taken
| OIL the hinges, and the servant was in the
draft all the time, because she might disturb
| the baby. For the same reason the coffee
| mill was removed into the woodshed, the
washing was done in the barn; all the clocks
| in the house were stopped the dog was
muzzled, and the cat was choked-all from
| the fear Of disturbing the baby.
Mr.. Philips paid Il blacksmith, who was
| located within quarter of a mile, one hun
| dred dollars to move his shop, and Biddy
| was moved to the cockoft Of the woodshed
on account of snoring. The child's diseases
| were legion. 1t was a wonder that it could
draw its breath with so many terrible all
mcnts clinging to it. Mrs. Philips was con
| tinually on the watch for some new demon.
stration.
"Charles" cried she, waking her hus
band from slumber one cold winter night,
sit seems to me the baby don't breathe just
| right
Mr.. Philips sprang up and listened !;
GOOD gracious, he's got the snutiies, amt
he?''
sob, dear, what shall We do if the baby
is going 10 be sick!'
Mr.. Philips got a light, and the anxious
parents brought it to bear on the face Of
their child.
"Oh, heavens ~ cried his mother, "his
face is actually purple he's going to have
LET +lo+
elbow
SIT may be where he's laid on it," re-
marked Mr.. Philips.
Laid on it ell you unfeeling man, yon
unnatural tather And there, it's sucking
its thumb I've known from first it wouldn't
| live; it sucked its thumb so much.'
''Seems to me that I've heard my mother
say that it was q sign of healthy child to
| suck its thumb, but ] wont be certain. Any
way, it is good sign or bad one, forget
| which,
Run, Charles, run for the doctor! It's
going to die know it is! Oh, don't stop
| TO drass-don't t. 1t may die while you are
waiting. Call Granny Bates, and tell her to
bring some catnip, and saffron, and pepper
mint-tell her to bring all the herbs she's
got i! and do hurry, Charles, do! Mercy on
us it, sucking both thumbs ! Run--run!"
! Mr.. Philips caught up the first articles OF
clothing he could lay his hands on, which
proved to be his wiie's embroidered petit
coat, but he was in too much haste and al
together too much excited TO notice dress
particularly. He flung the garment over his
head, and tied it around his waist-slpped
on his shoes and plunged into the keen air.
1.-THE doctor was asleep, and did not care
about turning out, but on being told that it
was case Of life or DEATH he yielded at
once.
Mr. Phillips left him dressing, and sped
to the residence of Granny Bates. The old
lady was wise, but she was very supersti
! tious, and believed in warnings and appari-
| tong. Philips gave q laundering rap at the
door, and directly night,capped head APP
pcared at the upper window.
&" What do you want at this tIne O nj. h !,
and who be you ?" said a cracked voice.
Philips stepped out and stood plainly re-
ycaed by the light Of dim moon.
Good gracious, massy - cried the old
woman, otis got sca!loped peLticoat on.
Land / didn't think they wasted their
time on such yanities as they are y
"Its Il dying!' exclaimed Philips
"comc down quick"
"Not | I! | amt so green as to trust my
body to Il supernatural ghost! - and down
went the. window with IL bang. Philips
pounded at the door until he was tired, and
then made tracks for home.
DR.. Gray had just arrived. Mrs. Philips
| ,voc to ,,o into Ia, ctarioc com &c