The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-04-30

across the glowing splendOr of the bay
of Naples. Then they were in Ger
many, and about TO settle for life in q
university town but anon had fed
from 1t in haste after long nights
dispute, in the course of which my
learned friend had well nigh come to
blows with the university's most cell
ebrated professor.
At last 1 heard they were again In
London, and, full of enthusiasm,
darted round the corner to welcome
them home. Nobody was with them
but Mrs. Hanway, Winifred's mother.
/ would enter unannOunced and sur
prise the philosopher. i entered un-
announced and was surprised my
self.
Was this the effect of matrimOny
or of foreign travel: Each occupant
of the room was engaged in an exer-
else wholly unconnected, as 1t seemed
with those of the rest. My friends
wife, the lady whom 1 had almost
loved, queen of all grace and comeli-
ness, was appearing and disappear
ing like q flash behind the days
Times showing at the moment Of
disclosure n face flushed with excite
ment, and lustrous coils of hair
tumbled into the widest disorder,
while she accompanied the whole per-
formance with strange and inarticu-
late sounds. Her mother, the same
Mrs. Hanway who was so perfect a
model of dress and carriage that
many of her lady friends were wont
to lament among themselves that she
gave herself such airs, was seated on
the floor, dressed for walking, but
without her bonnet. Yes, she was
certainly drumming on an inverted
tea-tray with the wrong end OF the
poker. And the philosopher? 1t
was perplexing, after three years sep
aratiOn, to meet him thus. The phil
osopher was cantering around the
room on all fOurs, wearing on his
head his own waste paper basket.
Briskly he cantered round, ever and
anon frisking like Il lamb in spring
time, until he reached my feet,
which were rooted to the spot with as
tonishment. He glanced up side
ways, rose with cry to the normal
attitude Of man and gNsped me by
the hand. At the sound of his voice,
his wife, dropping the paper from her
hands, raised them quickly to her
hair and his mOther-in-law, with as
much dignity as the effort would al-
low scrambled on her feet. Then, i'm
an instant, the cause of their eccen-
trio conduct was made clear. ThrOned
on the hearth-rug, and showing by
a gracious smile few of the newest
teeth, sat q fine baby of some fifteen
months. In zone dimpled fist was
tightly clenched the brush which had
so neatly arranged the mothers
braids, while the other was engaged
in pounding the grandmother's best
bonnet into a shapeless mass.
We were all somewhat embarrassed
except the baby. The ladies knew
they were untidy, and L that / was an
intruder. AS for the learned father,
he stood now on one leg and now on
the other, while he shifted the waste
paper basket from hand to hand and
continued to smile almost as perse-
veringly az his amiable offspring.
Yet 1t was he who at last put an end
to our awkward position by express
ing wild desire to have my opinion
of the new curtain In the study.
Rather sheepishly ! said goodbye to
the lady of the house, trying to ex-
press by my eyes that 1 would never
call again unannOunced. l knew
that Mrs. Hanway had not forgiven
me as / humbly took the two fingers
that she offered and I felt like a
brute as the most important member
of the family condescended to leave a
damp spot by the edge Of my left
whisker.
When, however, had been swept
downstairs by my impulsive friend,
and was alone with him in his den,
my courage returned, and with 1t
some indignation, confronted him,
and sternly asked why ] had not
been told he was father? "NOt
been told?" he echoed; "do you
mean to say you do not know about
the baby ?' '"Not so much as that 1t
was" / replied, gloomily. He was
overwhelmed; of course he had sup
posed everybody knew it from the
Queen dOWnwards. Of course fifty
people ought to have told me, who
of course had told me everything else.
At last my curiosity got the better OF
my indignation, and / cut short his
apologies by beginning my ques.
tfons,-"Does the shape of its head
content you?" ! asked. "The shape
of whose what?" cried the philosO-
pher, apparently too surprised fol
grammar. "Of the baby's head, o
COURSE" / replied tartly; 81 merely
wish to know If the child Is likely to
be as intellectual AZ yon hoped
Isn't the hair lovely?" he asked
inconsistently. This was too much
and assuming my severest manner
I delivered myself in this wise: 81
thought, though no doubt l wa
wrong, that the use of baby to yOt
would be partly to- furnish you will
raw material for philosopher, partly
to enable you, by constant Observa
tion, to gain further evidence on sucl
vexed questions as whether the infan
gathers Its ideas of space by feeling
about, whether It Is conscious o
itself, etc. .""Well," he said, laughing
"I don't expect much help from m.
infant in this matter, unless i cal
get inside her and think her thoughts.
"Her thoughts ?" cried I, in amaze
ment; "you don't mean to say it's
girl? Good gracious! you are no
going to educate a female phil0so
pher?" He looked rather vexed
"Of course it's girl" he said. eth
father rof female philosopher"
gasped. "Dear me :" he said, some
what testify; "isn't it enough to b
the father Of noble woman?''
Now, / have often put up with
great deal from my learned friend
and am quite aware that i have bee
spoken of as "Bozzy" behind m
back. But there Is turning poir
even for the worm, and nobody wi
sit forever at the feet which are col
stantly kicking him. / have bee
, snubbed moro than once by tn
, illogical parent, ard, assuming m
, most sarcastic manner, j inquire
with an appearance Of deferenct
"Is II not rather early to speak
your daughter rs noble woman ?"
"Not at ALL" said the philosophe
. had Eopf oloof from tho phtlOo