Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-04-16

paved the air, it grew purple in the
face. Ashes of King Herod and all
the Egyptians! what was man to
do?
In vain l executed a war dance
around its cradle, in vain / rang the
dinner bell, and jingied the china or
naments, and waved the feather
duster, and swung my gold repeater,
and bawled nursery ballads at the
top of my lungs. Talk about per-
severance. Robert Bruce's spider
was nothing to that atrocious little
lump of mortality.
There's nothing for it but to
capitulate,' said l to myself, as
jammed my hat on my head, vicious
ly thrust my arms into my over
coat, and seized the baby out of its
cradle.
Leave it absolutely alone 1 dared
not, and the nearest grocery where
milk was .procurable lay full three
blocks of, Thus, in a sort of stony
dispair Iissued forth from the house
carrying my prosecutor like a bundle
under one arm.
l thought he would stop crying
when he got into the open air, but
not he; oxygen only seemed to in
crease the shrill power of his villain
Gus little pipes! People turned to
stare at me, as if / were an escaped
lunatic, or an abductor of infant in
noeence. Women looked indignant
ly at the baby. Blue worsted socks
and little pink legs kicking blindly
from beneath my arms. Children
ran after me, dogs barked, but kept
doggedly on my way, walking into
the grocery, with resolution second
only to that of the Roman fellow who
jumped into a crater, nobody knows
how many hundred years ago.
ga pint of milk, if you please"
"Milk sir? Have you brought any
thing to put it in?'
l thought of my tobacco box, my
pocket handkerchief, the corner OF
my hat, all of these impracticable
places for the deposit of the lacteal
fluid.
81 never thought of thatr' said,
righting the baby, who came head
uppermost with very crimson coun-
tenance, and eyes looking detiantly
into mine; eyes that said as if they
had spoken in so many syllables, 81
,UO's't stop crying. I'll die first"
The storekeeper looked on sympa-
thetically-
81 could sell you nice little
pitcher, sir, if"
''The very idea," interrupted
ga pitcher of milk! and please take
the change out of this porte monnaie,
for if 1 had three pair of hands l
couldn't more than hold this kicking
little demon with 'emn'
"Well SIR" said the storekeeper,
she does seem rare 'un for usin' his
legs, let alone his lungs. Yes, sir,
thank Zee, sirn,
NOW, 1 nave always sinUo roru a.
up as grudgs against human nature
that that unprincipled grocery man
took five dollar bill out Of my porte
monnaie, knowing that l should not
discover it, until too late to rectify
the error!
Il wouldn't have treated Turk
so!)
l tsok up the pitcher of milk with
my right hand, still balancing the
baby skilIfully against my left arm
and side, and started triumphantly
for home.
sNow, I'll settle your business,
my fine young friendp' 1 thought.
'Is it possible that / was ever such
an incorrigible nuisance as this?"
But my triumph was speedily re-
duced to the lowest pitch of humili-
ationl
"Dear me, Mr. Beverly, is it posi-
bic that this is you?"
1t was Kate Milton's self, radiant
in spring bonnet, lilac silk walking.
dress, close -fringed parasol, and the
daintiest of lilac kid gloves! Kate
Milton, with an air of astonishment
that served to make her one degree
prettier than ever!
My first instinct was to turn and
fee ignominiousIy, my second was
to drop my nephew and his milk into
the gutter and resolutely deny all
connection with them; my third
prompted me resolutely to stand my
ground.
"Yes, it is /, Miss Milton-a--a
fine day!"
every fine.'
Kate eyed nae obviously, and ne
wonder. One sock, curling anG
twisting as if serpent were inside
of it instead Of q baby's foot, ap
peared beneath my coat-skirts
fianked by about quarter of yarC
of Swiss embroidery and tucks, wo
fully crumpled by the fiery ordea
. through which we had both passed
the milk (confound it) had rur
down the full length of my pearl
colored pantaloons, and my hat, ben
and bruised, was thrust rakishly Oh
the side of my head. / was gioveless
flushed and dishevelled and, take me
'sfor all in all,'' must have appeared
considerably like pick-pocket, o
, an old clothes-man out for walk!
, passed on, followed by the soun'
of faint subdued laughter soun'
: that stung me to the quick.
, So Kate and her companions wer
laughing at me; this was, indeed, tn
: unkindest cut of all. / resolved
: never to dance the German with Kat
! Milton again!
! The house was quiet and deserted
as returned and inserted my nigh
kew in the little circular lock. Wha
could have become of Bertha? Th
cold dew oozed out upon my bro'
as l, for one instant, contemplate
the horrible possibility Of my benz
left, a sort of modern Robinson Cru
4 soc. with that diabolical little ma
: -, ,.,x, bando