Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-07-06
BASCOMB'S BABY.
AN ADMIRING FRIEND AND AN ENRAP-
TURED MOTHER

She brought 1t over to our house, Mrs.
Bascomb did. 1t was their first-a wee
little red-faeed, red-headed, pug-nosed,
bowling infant. 1t was one of the hot
test days in July, but she had it wrap
ped up in three shawls and bed-quilt,
and was in agony every moment for fear
it would sneeze.
do see his darling, darling little
face p said she to me, as she unwound
him about forty times, and looked to see
which end his feet were on.
[ looked. [ have been the father of
eleven just such bowling little wopsies,
and didn't see anything remarkable
about Bascomb's baby.
"See those eyes-that frmness of
mouth, that temper in his look !' she
went on.
[ saw them.
The little son of a gun began to get
red In the face and beat the air, and his
mother shouted
Hes being murdered by pin !''
She turned him wrong end up, laid
him on his face, then on his back, loos
ened his bands, rubbed the soles of his
feet, and the tears stood in her eyes as
she solemnly remarked
i know he won't live, he's too smart p
The child recovered, and as he Law on
his back across her knees and surveyed
the ceiling, she went on
"Such head Why every one who
sees him says that he is going to be a
Beecher, Greeley, or Bismarck do
you notice that high forehead ?''
[ did. I thought he was all forehead.
as his hair didn't commence to grow un-
til the back of his neck was reached. but
she assured ME that l was mistaken.
Wouldn't just heft him once ?"
/ hefted him.
l told her | never saw child of his
weight weigh so much, and she smiled
like an angel she said that she was
afraid | didn't appreciate children, but
now she knew l did.
"Wouldn't just look at his darling
little feet-his little red feet and cum
ming toes p
Yes, would.
She rolled him over on his face and
unwound his feet, and triumphantly
held him up to my gaze I contemplate
ed the hundreds of little wrinkles run
ming lengthwise and crosswise, the bio
toes and the little toes. and I agreed
with her that so far jas l could Judge
from the feet and the toes and the wr1n.
kles, future of unexampied brilliancy
Lay before that pug-nosed imp.
He began to kick and howl, and she
stood him on end, set him up, laid him
down and trotted him until She bounced
the wind-colic into the middle of next
September.
"Who did he look like ?''
L bent over the scarlet-faced rascal
pushed his nose one side, chucked hin
under the chin. and didn't answer with
out due deliberation. I told her there
was faint resemblance TO George Wash
lngton around the mouth, but the eve.
reminded me of Daniel Webster. Will,
the general features had made me thinl
Of the poet Milton ever since she entered
the house.
That was just her view exactly, onl,
she hadn't said anything about it before
"Dld L think he was too smart q
5 live ?"
: felt of his ears, rubbed his head
put my finger down the back ofhis necl
and l told her that, in my humble opin
ION, he wasn't, though he had had a mar
7 row escape. If his nose had been set
little more to one side, or his ears ha,
| appeared in the place of his ewes, Bas
comb could have purchased a weed 70
his hat without delay. No; the chill
would live there wasn't the least doub
7 about it, and any man or woman VIII
: SAID ne wouldn't grow up to make tn
world thunder with his fame would stea
the wool off lamb in January.
: She felt so happy that she rolled til
: little imp up in his forty-nine bandage,
d shook him to straighten his legs an
a take the kinks out of his neck. and the
a carried him home under her arm. Will
? my wife made me 60 along with an um
l. brelia, Tor fear the sun would peel hi
little nose.