Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-25
The Blessed Baby.

The Memphis Aoalanche, in de-
scriblng baby show recently held
in that city, says:
After nurses and babies had all
been collected in the rear Of the
judges stand, the secretary called
them into the arena in the order in
which they had been entered, and
the babies belonging to the twenty
seven ladies were carried into the
ring for the inspection of the bache-
lor Judges. Ranged in front of tho
northern grand stand stood the
nurses, with the little charges in
their arms or in petite carriages. and
the sight was a peculiar one. There
were babies Of all kinds and Of all
ages, that is to say of all months un-
der twelve, for Wheeler, Pickcns g.
Co., in presenting the beautiful lit
tie perambulator, had distinctly bar
gained that it should be presented
ito the finest baby under one year
old on exhibition at the fair" The
blue-eyed blondes were in the ma
jority, although there were many
brunettes, dark-colored and placid.
The boys seemed to be livclicr than
the girls, and laughed and ''crowed"
IN Manner that was delightful to
behold. The mammas tried every
subterfuge to make their babies
smile, laugh and crow, and sundrv
comfits and cakes were called into
requisition. One blue-eyed lad of
about ten months was very attract
i've, and his efforts to swallow
scarlet worsted ball 4 inches in diam
ter excited universal admiration.
The task Of the judges was no ordi-
nary one, but they faced the music
like men, and gazcd the juveniles
nearly out of countcnancc while ex-
amining their points Health,
strength, ''hett" and good looks
were all taken into account, and the
Judges moved silently and steadily
along the line, their every motion
and every word being eagerly watch
ed by nurse, papa and mamma.
Some OF the babies stared at the
portly figure Of Mr.. Hamilton as he
marched at the head of his forces,
and looked rs if they had a Slight
glimmering Of what it was all about,
and they looked up snilingly, |
while others presented sober faces. |
with tears in their eyes and mouths
all a-pout. This was indeed an in
teresting sight, and many broke
through the ropc-guards, and eager
ly rushed into the ring, as if to look
upon a baby was not an everyday
occurrence. After the judges had
carefully scanned the group they re-
tired for consultation, and then or
dered the following babies. accord |
ing to the numbers above, to be sep
arated from the general group: Nos. |
3, 4, 6, 10, 25 and 90, be!onging re-
spectively to Mrs. J. c. johnson.
Mrs. Il W. Ainslie, Mrs. John
Mitchell, Mrs. L. Mcclure, Mrs. c. |
II. Gavin. and Mrs. Joseph Musso.
The Judges took another fond look
Of the fortunate half-dozen and again
retired for consultations They seem
to have nearly all agreed upon the
same baby, for the consultation was
brief, and Dr. Perkins, the Superin-
tendent of the arena, came forward,
took little Mary Ainslio in his arms.
attached to her right arm the blue
ribbon, placed her in the prize baby
carriage. and Col. !. q. Bellentine,
Grand Marshal, gallantly wheeled
the lucky little lady round the arena
amid the huzzas of the assembled
multitude, while the unluckv babies
were carried solemnlv out Of the
ring.
After the prize baby had been
shown all around. it was taken in
front of the grand stand, but the
noise around proved too much for
its nerves, and the Grand Marshal
and his assistant shouted Justify for
the nurse. SO ended the great baby
show of the Fair.