Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-11-25

81 don't know nothing what to do
with this blessed baby /; what be /
goin' to do anyway
l suggested she should feed it,
but she faced round upon me with
81 ogn.
Feed it why, woman alive, it's
nussin baby; they don't know
how to cat bless yoIr soul md
body it d choke right Off,"
l had TO observe that even chill
dren of that tender age sometimes
had to be subtracted-or depriv-
ed of-''in short of-the maternal
fount !" as Micawber again suggests,
and that had seen teaspoon used
with good success on like emer-
gencies.
"Well, if I amt dumb :" exclaim-
ed she, IL never once thought O.
that. | don't know a sight about
babies. / declare for t, III try :"
managed to get some milk for her,
and assisted at the operation.
Somebody's baby kicked and
screamed vigorously at first, but
the pangs of hunger prevailed, it
became reconciled to the teaspoon,
and that vacuum which nature alb
hors was soon satisfactorily filed,
and baby went off to sleep '.iust as
NATURAL" observed Mrs. Tucker,
complacently'
Now she was at leisure to explore
for the telegram-but no telegram
came, and her perplexity became
extreme.
"Why, what shall I do 2" she
asked society at large, which was
now free to attend to her, our
friend in Mysteries having been
carried off bodily by her husband
into the landlords private parlor.
Society became interested in
Mrs. fuckers question, and as one
after another gathered about her,
heard the thrilling tale, and shook
their doubtful heads, she became
inflicted with their doubts. "She
began to wall and she began to cry"
much like the little woman in
Mother Goose, who was made a
Bloomer of in her sleep by the
wicked Mr.. Stout, peddler.
"What ever shall / do with it
| can't send that blessed child to
the poorhouse, nor the police |
wish could keep it, but | daresn't,
you see." And here she looked
about on the female crowd whose
eyes and ears were all attent
"You see I'm a goin' to Boston to
see my husband, he's a ship cap'en,
he's followed the sea ever since he
was born, so to speak, for he was
born onto sailin' vessel in the Chiny
seas, his father bein a cap'en before
him ; nd so he's always stuck to it.,
md he sails now for Holcomb's folks
down to Boston, out to Chiny, Ja-
pan, and them places, md he's ben
gone two years now. / was a Wis
itin' to his mothers down in York
State 1--WE lived to Portland) when
see in the paper that the Mary
Ann had been spoken by a steamer
bout three days out, so you'd bet
ter believe | scratched round md
got my things together pretty spry,
md started for Boston, and here /
be ; md John he's kinder high-sper-
rited he amt the most composed
that ever was, nd eff he should
come home nd find Inc with this
here baby ="
There was an awful pause. The
female auditory nodded and glared
with portentous comprehension.
Mrs. Tucker was o born orator.
She let the silence speak for her,
then she burst into tears. Good
ness how she did "flutter the
dove-cots in Corioli !'-or, to put it
plain prose, the handkerchiefs in
that parlor. One grim female
spoke out: "More shame to him !"
"Why, no, faint" snapped Mrs.
Tucker; "it's jest as material to a
man to think that sort o. thing as
can he. Hcsy's as good as gold,
but he's a man when all's said md
done apd you've got to take 'em
as you find 'em not 5 you want 'em.
And / don't know and / don't say
as I'd hev him different he's ben
good husband to me, and l wouldn't
vex him for nothin' under the can
opy."
1t was rather difficult position
for Mrs. Tucker. / felt it myself,
but ! invited her to consider my
view of the case q. e., that she
should take the baby to Boston,
and if she didn't hear from or see
it's mother there, she should put it
into the hands of an orphan society.
The good woman's soul overflowed
softly at her eyes her whole moth
erly heart had gone out to this lit
tie one, and she yearned to keep it.
~ don't know how to let it go,
that's fact / set by that child a
lot Already ; seems as if I had kind
er come right into my arms, I've
ben so dredful lonesome for q baby
such long spell back. / b'lieve
Hosey'd like it if we started fair;
but you see about your plan the
hitch is, telegraphed from York
o Holcomb's that l was a-comin,'
md eff the Mary AIMS got in, why
Is sure as guns, he'll be to every
rain to meet me; for he thinks
considerable of me, Hosy does"
sha.ald thinE hn unnld liz he ,