Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-04-14

day. and don't see her."
"Your niece, sirY what is her nameT
"verley."
ooh YES sir; she has been here these
two hours, bless her dear heart; she Is
asleep now"
| "Asleepr' gasped Mr.. Verley; but the
stewardess only answered him by bustling
| into the inner apartment and bringing out
what appeared to be a compact bundle
| with pink face at one end of 1t, and q
mass of long trailing embroidery at the
other.
Joseph Verley recolled as far as the an
| gle of the wall would permit him.
! "Why-its babyr'
"To be sure II Is sir" said the woman
and as fine a little 81 ri as ever 1 saw bless
her sweet blue eyes,"
"But isn't there a nurse or some such
| person here, who would take charge Of
herr"
"There was a nurse brought her on, Sir,
queer foreign looking thing, with yell
| low skin and hair as black as night, and
gold hoops in her ears but she talked and
talked, something about the next steamer
I couldn't understand her lingo, strand
went right back to New York on the two
o'clock train"
Joseph Verley stood aghast, staring at
the rosy baby as 1t lay growing in the wo-
mans arms, and wondering which of his
lucky stars he should call on to aid him
in this unlocked for emergency. A full
grown young lady niece would have been
bad enough-but a baby!
$50 this is my niece" he muttered.
"And what am going to do with herr"
He turned suddenly to the woman.
"What time does the next train for Win
field leave3'
"In an hour, sir"
"Would you be kind enough to take care
of the child till thenf suppose I must
take it home with me for l can't very
well drown it, or throw 1t under the car
Wheels
"Sir," calculated the astonished steward
| ess.
But Mr.. Verley turned on his heels and
strobe out of the depot, scarcely able at
first to comprehend the disaster that had
befallen him.
The train was at the depot when he re-
turned, and the woman awaited him with
the sleeping infant in her arms.
"Asleep, ?" commented Mr.. Verley.
"Well that's lucky"
"Where's the nurse, sir9" inquired the
woman.
1.-The nurse? What nurse?"
"Why, I suppose you went to get a
sci"
ny, 10 n,o
Joseph madly shifting his forehead. "Here
give the thing to me quick, the train is
moving
He had hardly time to spring on board,
as the locomotive gave an unearthly shrek,
while the baby followed suit vigorously.
He staggered to his seat, holding the UNI
| brella and the child in one hand, while in
the other his valise swung backward and
! forward.
, "There there bless its little hear" |" he
exclaimed, Initiating the colored woman.
ave won't cry-sO we won't"
But the baby evidently had mind of
her own on the subject, and would cry in
spite of the various Establishments prac-
ticed by the bewildered uncle-such as
shaking the umbrella handle, swinging his
watch, and trotting both knees.
People began to look around, reproach-
fully; young men shrugged their shoul-
ders and young ladies giggled.
"Hush hush there's darling?" whis-
pered Mr.. Verley.
But still the baby wept and walled, and
gnashed its gums, for of teeth it had but
two. Mr.. Verley began to look around in
the car in search of some matronly dame
of whom he could seek counsel but in vain.
There were only three ladies in the car,
and they were young, with round hats and
dimpled cheeks.
"They don't know any thing about it."
groaned Mr.. Verley, in anguish of spirit.
"Oh why didn't have common sense
enough to go and get nurse? 1 suppose
there is no danger of baby bursting its
lungs; but l should think if there was
such contingency, this baby was in fair
way of meeting it. Well, roar away, nv
young friend; I can stand it as long as YOU
can"
Vain boast, as futile as vain, as Mr.. Yer
ley very soon discovered. The baby not
only cried, but it screamed it kicked. II
doubled itself in more ways than contor-
tlonists I"iiuest dreams could Imagine,
anu became apparently irantic with pas
SION. Inc persp'ra'ioh oroke out In huge
peaus on Joseph 5 brow ms iace flushed,
ana sun the cars numbered on
Wv mats TO become OF meY' he ponder
ed, holding desperately on to the strug-
gling infant by the sash that encircled Its
little waist, and watching its purple face
with species of detestation. ~ dom
wonder Harold died. shall did in n ,voou
70 ,,I. ,hi,,r, ,ooa .,,d a. aoo,.,a " " ~" ~
this thins goes Oh. ana IL seems 30 ca
~ for Barbara Smith to take care Of hei
little brothers and sisters. If Barbara was
bere--r
a.. vo.,o ,,,os .,o ,.,.
Ana Nerley pulled the BABY up into