Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-01
NO. 175.
BABY SYLVESTER.
lCoNTtSUED FROM YESTERDAY. |

fast when l found Mrs. Browns dodgers in
a state of intense excitement over certain
mysterious events of the night before, and
the dreadful revelations of the morning.
1t appeared that the burglars had entered
the block from the scuttles; that, being
suddenly alarmed, they had quilted our
house without committing any depreda-
ton, dropping even the boots they had
collected in the halls; but that desperate
attempt had been made to force the till in
the confectioner's shop on the corner, and
that the glass showcases had been ruth
lessly smashed. A courageous servant in
No. had seen masked burglar, on his
hands and knees, attempting to enter their
scuttle but on her shouting, "away wild
yees.' he instantly fled.
| sat through this recital with cheeks
that burned uncomfortably nor was the
less embarrassed on raising my eyes to
meet Mrs. Browns fixed curiously and
mischlevously on mine. As soon as
could make my escape from the table did
so; and running rapidly up stairs, sought
refuge from any possible inquiry in my
own room. Baby was still asleep in the
corner. 1t would not be safe to remove
him until the dodgers had gone down
town; and was revolving in my mind
the expediency of keeping him until night
veiled his obtrusive eccentricity from the
public eye, when there came a cautious
tap at my door. opened it. Mrs. Brown
slipped in quietly, closed the door softly,
stood with her back against it and her
hand on the knob, and beckoned me mys-
teriously towards her. Then she asked in
low voice: ''Is hair-dye poisonous ?" l
was too coniounded to speak.
80! do you know what mean," she
said. impatiently. "This stuff" She pro-
duced suddenly from behind her bottle
with Greek label-so long as to run two
or three times spirally around 1t from top
to bottom. "He says it isn't dye; its
vegetable preparation, for invigorating-
"Who says ?" | asked, despairingly.
"Why, Mr.. Parker, of course" said
Mrs. Brown, severely, with the air of hav-
ing repeated the name great many times
-"the old gentleman in the room above.
The simple question want to ask" she
continued. with the calm manner of one
who has just convicted another of gross
ambiguity of language, "is only this; II
some of this stuff were put in saucer and
left carelessly on the table, and child,
or baby. or a cat, or any young animal.
should come in the window and drink it
up-a whole aucer-ful-because it had
sweet taste, would it be likely to hurt
the n ?"
cast an anxious look at Baby, sleeping
peacefully in the corner, and very CRATE
full one at Mrs. Brown, and said l didn't
think it would.
"Because," said Mrs. Brown, loftily, as
she opened the door, ''if thought it was
poisonous. remedies might be used in time.
because" she added suddenly. abandon
ing her lofty manner and wildly rushing
to the corner, with a frantic embrace OF
the unconscious Baby, because, if any
nasty stuff should turn its booful hair a
horrid green or naughty pink, it break
its own muzzer's heart, it would!"
But, before could assure Mrs. Brown
of the ineflicency of hairdye as an inter-
nal application, she had darted from the
room.
That night, with the secrecy of default
ers, Baby and l decamped from Mrs.
Browns. Distrusting the too emotional
nature of that noble animal, the horse, l
had recourse to u hand-cart, drawn by
stout Irishman, to convey my charge to
the ferry. Even then, Baby refused 10 60
unless walked by the cart, and at times
rode in it.
Il wish" said Mrs. Brown, as she stood
by the door wrapped in an immense
shawl, and saw us depart. II wish it
looked less solemn-'less like pauper's
funeral"
must admit, that, as | walked by the
cart that night, felt very much as If /
were accompanying the remains of some
humble friend to his last resting place
and that, when was obliged to ride in it,
| never could entirely convince myself
that was not helplessly overcome by liq-
uor, or the victim of an accident, en- route
to the hospital. But, at last we reached
the ferry. On the boat | think no one dis
covered Baby except a drunken man, who
approached me to ask for light for his
cigar. but who suddenly dropped it and
fled in dismay to the gentlemen's cabin,
where his incoherent rawlings were lucki-
taken for the earlier indications of de.
irium tremens.
1t was nearly midnight when l reached
my little cottage on the outskirts of Oak
land and it was with feeling of relief
and security that l entered, locked the
door, aud turned him loose in the hall,
satisfied that henceforward his deprida-
tions would be limited to my own proper
ty. He was very quiet that night, and
after he had tried to mount the hat-rack,
under the mistaken impression that twas
intended for his own gymnastic exercise,
and knocked all the hats off, he went
peaceably to sleep on the rug.
In week, with the exercise afforded
him by the run of large, carefully-board.
ed inclosure, he recovered his health,
strength, spirits, and much OF his former
beauty, His presence was unknown to
my neighbors, although it was noticeable
that horses invariably "shied" in passing
to the windward side of my house, and
that the baker and milkman had great
difficulty in the delivery of their wares
in the morning, and indulged in unseemly
and unnecessary profanity in so doing.
At the end of the week, determined to
invite few friends to see the Baby. and
to that purpose wrote number of formal
invitations. Atter descanting, at some
length. ON the great, expense and danger
attending his capture and training. i of
fered programme of the performances
of the "Intant Phenomenon Of Sierran
Solitudes," drawn up into the highest pro