Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-03-13

With cheeks all crimson, took her seat,
While Tom, sly fellow tried in vain
The maiden's soft blue eye to meet.
But when the recess hour had come,
Tom begged walk with coaxing tone,
And meath the trees Bess said again
The lesson Oer-F0R HIM ALONE.
PHILLIPS FIRST BAhY.
1 Mrs. Phillips was On the very pin.
nacle of felicity. She was the mother
of boy which weighed eleven pounds
/ Mr.. Phillips bid fair to lose his mind
entirely. He danced aud snng and
fired guns from the top of the house
whistled Yankee Doodle while eating
his breakfast, and wrung the neck:
Of all the fowls on the place to make a
chicken pie for the celebration.
1 This worthy couple had been mar.
ried ten years, and this was their first
child. People had laughed at them
for this lilck-people who were over
run with children and whose lives
were made miserable by the seedlings
and spankings which they found ii
necessary to infict upon their wretch
ed little olive plants.
/ Now, Mrs. Phillips said she guessed
they'd laugh out of the other side
There had never been SO large baby
born in Smithfield before. Mrs. Jones
/ only weighed nine pounds, and had q
/ pug nose. Mrs. Sawyer's was red
haired, and had q mole on its right
foot--a sure sign that it would come to
a bad end-and it only weighed seven
pounds and fourteen ounces. She
guessed folks had better look at home
before they laughed.
Baby proved to be Tartar. He had
. temper like Windmill, and seemed
determined to develop his feet and
lungs to his utmost while he had leis-
ure; for he had screamed and kicked
twenty-three hours out OF the twenty
four.
But his mother declared he was an
angel. We never could imagine an
angel with puffy red cheeks, heels ele-
vated In the air, sucking sugar teats,
and being bounced about in willow
cradle to the tune of "High diddle-
dee, but then our imagination Is not
by any means so vivid as II might be.
From the hour in which the baby
was born, he was the autocrat OF the
household; everything had to bow TO
his nod.
The scullery door creaked; it was
taken off its hinges, and the servant
was in the draft all the time, because
the creak might disturb the baby. For
the same reason the coffee mill was
moved into the wood -shcd; the dishes
must be washed out doOrs--the clatter
Of the plates made the baby scream
the washing was done in the barn
the dog was muzzled, and the cat
chocked--all from fear of disturbing
the baby.
Mr.. Phillips gave the blacksmith,
who was located within a quarter of
a mile. &l00 to move his shop: and
Biddy was moved to the cockloft oil
the wood shed on account of her snor-
ling.
The child's diseases were legion
1t was q wonder that it could draw It's
breath with so many ailments clinging
to it. Mrs. Phillips was continually i
on the watch for some new demonstra.
ton.
"Charlesl' cried she, waking her
husband from slumber, one cold win
ter night, "it seems to me the baby
don't breathe just right"
Mr.. Phillips sprang mp and listened
"Good gracious; he's got the sniffles,
ain t be p
"Ob, dear. what shall we do ii the
baby Is going TO be sick -
Mr. Phillips got . light, and the anx-
iOns parent brought it to bear on the
face Of their child.
oh, heavens!s cried his mother
"his face is actually purple he's going
to have the scarlet fever. See that red
spot OH his elbow
"It may be where he's laid on it |!
remarked Mr.. r. ,.
Laid on il? oh, you unfeeling man
you unnatural father! And there its
sucking its thumb. I've known from
| the first it wouldn't live, it sucks it.
thumb 80 much"
aSeems to me I've heard my mother
say it was the sign of a healthy child
to suck It's thumb, but wont be Ger
tain. Any way its a good sign or /
bad one--I forget which,.
"Run, Charlcsl rum for Doctor
its going to die--I know it is. Oh
don't stop to dress--don't, it may di,
while you're waiting. Call for Cram,
Bates, and tell her to bring some cat
nip and saffron, and rue and pepper
mint-tcll her to bring all the herb,
she's got. and do hurry, Charles, do
Mercy on us !. its sucking both thumbs
Run-run
Mr.. Phillips caught up the first arti
Gle of clothing he could lay his hand
on, which proved to be an embroidere.
! pettic0at Of his wife's, but he was ii
too much haste, and altogether TOT
much excited to notice dress particu
larly. He flung the garment over hi
head aud tied It around his waist
] slipped on his shoes, and then plunge,
{ out into the keen open air. The docto
was asleep and did not care abou
turning out, but on being told it was
case OF life and death he yielded a
once.
Mr.. Phillips left him dressing, an
sped to the residence of Granny Bate:
! The old lady was wise, but she wa
, dreadfully superstitiOus, and believe
, religiOnsly in warnings ana appari
, tions. Phillips gave laundering RAJ
at the door, and directly night-cap
, lped head appeared at an upper win
dow.
/ t54g4 " vNSt Nv yVA Aut ~ AAils lIlkiC Y
night, and WHO be yep said cracke
voice.
Phillips stepped out and stood plain
! ly revealed by the light of dir
moon.
S.Good gracions, massys'' cried til
, old woman, ats M apparatus from III
t'other world And its got scollope
petticoat on! Land! I didn't thin
they wasted time on such varieties i
that are"
ats q dying.' exclaimed Phillip,
lsCome down, quick
Mot 1 ain.t so green as to trust m
\ old body with a supernatural ghost,
aud down went the window with
1 bang. Phillips pounded at the doc
until he was tired, aud then made o
. for home.
i DIR. Gray had just arrived. and Mr.
Phillips was preparing to go into hyy
terics, Is soon rs she should hear hi
vi