Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-04-11

looking hurriedly about; "but he may
have crept into the backyard" So
with Biddy at her heels she stepped
into the paved court, and closely
searched every corner, but no baby was
there.
Ruh-a-dub, dubI Rat-a-tat-tat |"
sounded Johnny's drum, until his moth
er was forced to catch the drum-sticks
out of his hands before she could make
her voice heard.
"Johnny, have you seen your little
brother?"
No, Johnny had not seen him, and
the alarmed mother rushed up to the
play-room, hoping that Mollie or Flora
had taken him away.
"Why, no, mamma" said Flora.
"The wedding festivities are just over,
and the newly married couple are about
to start on trip to Europe, and we
haven't had time to think of baby
The now thoroughly alarmed mother
instantly commenced most vigorous
search of the whole house. Biddy was
in despair and in tears. Her mistress
had called her careless girl, and her
reputation was lost unless the baby were
found. So she peered into the most I'M
heard-of places, evidently thinking to
find the child laid away on one of the
her from behind the sugar-jar, or hid
den in the depths of the coal-scuttle.
"Murtheri bad luck to me for for
getful gurlI o, whirTal whirral me
heart is broke. Whatever shall 1 do,
and the poor darlint lost and gomez
Och honeI Hear the poor mither call
ing the swate babel Biddy Murphy, ye
desarve to do penance for a week for
bringing sore trouble to thin as has
been kind to yezW
Again and again was the house search
ed "from turret to foundation stone,"
or rather from garrett to cellar; but no
baby rewarded the search. Evidently
he was not on the premises. Arguing
that child who could not walk must
have been carried away, Mrs. Holmes
was forced to the conviction that some
one had entered the kitchen while Bid
dy's back was turned, and made off
with the unconscious babe; and being
a spirited little woman, after the first
natural ebullition of maternal feeling
she speedily rose to the occasion and
sent Biddy off after the chief of police.
Biddy, in her zeal to repair her negli-
gence, ran half a mile at her best rate
of speed, and had hardly sufficient
breath remaining to enable her to tell
her story; but she managed to make
the man understand what was wanted
of him, and he Immediately accompa-
MED her back to her mistress.
When the case was fully stated to him
he looked grave, walked all about the
kitchen, glanced keenly at the pile of
tinware Biddy had placed at the child's
disposal, paced slowly about the back
yard, and gave Johnny sneglected drum
a kick, questioned Biddy sternly, and
looked all the while as non-committal
as you can possibly imagine. The fact
was, the sharp man was at his wits end.
Mrs. Holmes awaited his decision, the
three remaining children clinging to
her skirts, their white, scared faces
| showing that they realized what had
happened.
After looking the ground over for the
third or fourth time, the chief returned
| to the weeping Biddy. My girl, you
| saw there was no one here between the
| time your mistress left the baby in your
charge and the moment she called you
to bring him to her?'
"Not livin' soul, sir. May the bliss
! ed saints niver hear me prayers If lts 9
| lie I'm tellin' yer honor No Iivin
soul, barin' the laundry man, who drove
up to the area gate after the basket o.
clothes for the washin' that L carried
out to him myself"
"Ahp' said the chief with brisk air
$50 YOU sent off basket of soileo
clothes? What laundry do you patron
ize, Mrs. Holmes" 2"
| She gave him the street and number
81 think Fll run over and take {
| look at the establishment; meanwhile
make yourself as comfortable as may be
under the circumstances. [ think
have a clue to the person who carried
off your child"
Mrs. Holmes begged him to use hi
utmost exertion, declaring she shoulc
never know happy moment II her oar
ling was not found.
EI don't see what idea he has in hi
head" she said to Biddy, after the mai
had politely bowed himself out. "Onl1
think of his posting away over to thu
laundry when my poor child may be IL
the hands of some cruel person who i
bearing it farther and farther away
And Mrs. Holmes burst into tears, snt
Johnny and Mollie and Flora initiated
her, and Biddy went down upon he
knees and called upon all the saints il
the calendar to lend their aid in thi
time of trouble.
An hour passed. 1t was hard waiting
Mrs. Holmes had grown very nervous
| Lne cnllurouj eooAuS AOA N j
retired to a distant corner and spok
only in whispers. Biddy groaned an
crossed herself at intervals, and vowe
all sorts of penances, provided the bah
might be found, when a quick pull 9
the street door-bell thrilled them all
and when, with trembling hands, Bidd
had unfastened the door, who shoul
appear but the chief of police, and wins
J should he have in his arms but th
stolen baby!
o, such shout of joy as wentup frol
, that mothers heartl
The chief explained that the momeI
! he heard of clothes having gone to tn
! laundry just previous to the disappea
! ance of the child, the idea struck hi
that baby had gone too. And SUI
2 enough, the little fellow had bet
= found, nicely curled up among Il
clothes, fast asleep and apparently
+; well content as if tucked in his pret
crib at home.
. The dear little chick-a-biddie I
little knew how much anxiety he h
, cost his friends.
So the question of "who stole t
Il baby? ?'' was answered.