Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-07-03

remaining occupants of the depot were
Mr.. Verley, lame old man who sold
peanuts and apples, and decent col
ored woman with bright Madras tur-
ban on her head, who took care of the
building. Verley, after a perplexed
hesitation addressed himself to the col
ored woman, who was busy polishing
the windows with piece of crumpled
newspaper.
"Ahem! [ was to meet my niece
here, and I don't see her."
"Your niece, sir; what is her name?''
"Verley."
go! yes, sir; she has been here these
two hours, bless her dear heart, she is
asleep now."
"Asleepw grasped Mr.. Verley, but
the stewardess answered him by burst
ing into the inner apartment and bring
ing out what appeared to be a compact
bundle with pink face at one end and
a mass of trailing embroidery at the
other.
Joseph Verley recoiled as far as the
angle of the door would permit him.
"Why-it's baby"
'sTo be sure it u.s." said the woman,
"and as fine little girl as I ever saw,
bless her sweet blue eyes,"
"But isn't there % nurse or some
such person here, who could take care
of her?"
'sThere was nurse brought her on,
sir-a queer looking thing, with yell
low skin and hair black as night and
gold hoops in her ears, but she. talked
something about the next steamer
couldn't understand her lingo, sir
and went right back to New York by
the o'clock train.''
Joseph Verley looked aghast, star
ing at the rosy baby as it lay in the
woman's arms, and wondering which
of his lucky stars he could call on to
aid him in this unlocked for emergen-
cy. A full grown niece would have
been bad enough-but baby!
$50 this is my niece" he muttered.
And what am going to do with her ?''
He turned suddenly to the woman.
"What time does the next train leave
for Wilfeld %
''In an hour, sir.''
"Would you be kind enough to take
care of the child till then? I Isuppose
I must take it home with me, for I
can't very we'll drown it or throw it
under the car wheels"
"Sir!" calculated the astonished stew
ardess.
But Mr.. Verley turned on his heels
and strobe out Of the depot, scarcely
able at first to comprehend the disas-
ter that had befallen him.
The train was at the depot when he
returned, and the woman awaited him
with the sleeping infant in her arms.
"Asleep, eh?" commenced Mr.. Ver-
ley.
"Well, that's luck"
"Where's the nurse, sir?" enquired
the woman.
"The nursel What nurse?"
"Why, I supposed you went away to
get nurse!"
'Never once thought of itv' ejacu-
lated Joseph, madly shifting his fore
head.
''Here, give the thing to me, quick,
the train is moving"
He had hardly time to spring on
board, as the locomotive, gave an un-
earthly shrek, while the baby follow
ed suit vigorously.
He staggered to his seat, holding the
umbrella and child in one hand, while
in the other his valise swung backward
and forward.
''There, there, bless it's little heart !"
he exclaimed, initiating the colored
woman we won't cry, so we WON'T
But the baby evidently had an opin-
ion of her own upon the subject, and
would cry in spite of various blandish-
ments practiced by the bewildered I'M
Gle, such as shaking the umbrella,
swinging his watch and dancing it on
both knees.
People began to look around re-
proachfully, young men shrugged their
shoulders and young ladies giggled.
"Hush! hush! there's a darling" /"
whispered Mr.. Verley.
But still the baby went, and walled
and gnashed its gums, for of teeth it
had but two. Mr.. Verley began to
look around the car in search of some
matrimonial dame of whom he could
seek counsel, but in vain. There were
only three ladies in the car, and they
we're young, with round hats and dim
pied cheeks.
l. L I