The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-09-23

4 could have become of Bertha !? Tn
: cold dew oozed out upon my brow a
l, Tor one instant, contemplated tn
horrible possibility of my being left,
sort of modern Robinson Crusoe. wit
that diabolical little man Friday on IN,
hands. ,.-- .....,.,.-.-..
Nonsense there was no probability
or that. sat down on Bertha's loy
rocking chair, and planting the bab,
firm y on my knee, applied the spop
OF the pitcher to his mouth. ~
4. Would you believe it? he wouldn'
drink drop. He screwed up hi.
mouth as tightly shut as if he never
Intended to open it again, and doubled
himself over backwards with strength
! of will that would have been remarka.
BILE in full-grown man but was simply
marvellous in ten month child. /
persevered and he persevered. 1 pour.
ed the milk over his neck his embroi-
dered dress waist; and his coral anu
lets he would have drowned sooner
than to open his mouth half quarter
Of an inch. Probably of such stuff were
our Revolutionary fathers made; and
this baby had, through some inscru.
table blunder of Dame Nature, come
into the world just a century too late
| l put him back into the cradle, fat
on bis spinal column, and. looked at
him more in sorrow than in anger
"My youngster? I addressed him,
"cry away, cry your lungs outbreak
blood-vessel or two if agreeable. to
you-fracture your tracha / can rot
be held legally responsible for it, thank
Providence - jr..r .-..r Or. ~. .
took up book and sat down by
the cradle. rocking it recklessly back
wards and forwards, regardless of the
screams which still rent the air. I was
not going to waste any more time in
trying to quiet him. Let, him cry !!
This is free country .... .....
"Why Joe what is the matter ?''
1t was Bertha,s voice. I jumped up
as if a cannon ball bad smitten me, and
dashed my book upon the floor.
"Matter, ma'am matter The mat
ter is that I'm going mad ! 1 shall be
fit subject for lunatic asylum in just
about fifteen minutes more !"
But mi sht as well have wasted my
despairing eloqueuce on blank wall !!
She didn't heed nor hear me! She |
was loading that little wretch with car
esses, pity and blanishments. And-I
shouldn't have credited the sudden
turn Of affairs, if 1 hadn't witnessed it
with my own eyes-the baby absolute
ly laughed up in her face, as if to say
'I've given old upkie pretty time of
it ?"
Yes-laughed and crowed, and held
up his hands, and behaved exactly as
if he had never in his small life known
what it was to shed tear! The hyp-
ocrities are not all grown up.
"Has he been good, uncle Joe ?"
/ looked volumes at my sister.
"Bcrtha, if you ever leave me again
in charge of that-that little atrocity,
Ill commit suicide !"
"You needn't speak SO loud," said
my sister in an injured voice II in
tend to have been home before, but
the train was delayed, and-bless its
little heart, did it want to come to its
arms-aud was uncle Joseph
crosser than an old bear, and wasn't it
the sweetest little rosebud that ever
lived yes it, 9.. .. a...-s
1 waited to hear no more, but rush ;
ed precipitately out of the room, con-
Vinced that of all fools, a young
mother was the most hopeless speci {
men /!
That's the last time I've had the heir
'f the family confined to my guardian !
ship. 1 think Bertha's little afraid i
% leave me alone in the room with him
so mote it be !"
Some one sent me a comic valentine 6
his fourteenth of February picture
If hooked nose old bachelor-(my t
lose is fine Romanesque curved) in {
,lue coat and red trowsers, dangling g
he baby upside DOWN. solemnly be q
ieve it was Kate Milton t
l detest comic valentines. 1 abhor t
,abies-and 1 believe in life of old '
That's my platform $
Do you wonder at it?