Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-06

From the New Orleans Picayune.l
Bachelors and babies seem to be natu-
raj enemies. You can never deceive
baby about bachelor; he knows him,
detects him Immediately. We have seen
manageable young ladies waste hours
and hours upon q confirmed bachelor,
throw away graces and fascinating
smiles upon this monster, but baby
never. At the first glance it detects the
bachelor, however much that unfortu-
nate being may strive to disguise his
disgraceful condition, and then I'm masks
him to the whole company. And how
we'll the baby understands how to annoy
and worry the poor unprotected bache-
lor; calls him papa in derision, makes
faces ct him, cries for him and at him,
and concludes by kicking him with dirty
feet on his clean shirt bosom. All this
we recognize as fair and equal war, q
contest that has ragged for centuries.
But we feel 1t our duty to reprobate the
conduct sometimes displayed by these
infants, and to stigmatize as barbarity
and savsgeness an attack we saw made
on an unmarried man the other night
1t was after the picnic of the Clerks
Benevolent Association The car was
crowded with ladies and babies, mul titu-
dinous. These infants, in all the chaste
indecency of childhood, were piled in
heaps in every corner.
A young man, evidently a bac helor,
entered the car and sought for a seat;
finding what be thought an empty place,
he sat himself-at least he commenced
to sit down, when a man grasped him by
the collar, and lady shrieked, My
God, be is sitting on the baby's head"
IL was true; be had almost sat down
on a baby''s head How that youngster
managed to wriggle its head into the po-
sition, an eel only could explain. The
sleepy nurse was paying the greatest at
tention to the baby feet, while the head
was hanging down; in fact, the baby was
upside down.
The child was rescued and handed to
the indignant mother, who would not
rest assured of its safety until she had
felt every portion of its skull. All the
aunts and cousins, sisters aud grand
mothers poured in excited questions, rs
it seriousP Is he much hurt2
Around the whole car that baby was cir
culated to be felt, punched and kissed,
WnllsL every luulkHdnJ ielatiNt Cash
threatening glances on that bachelor,
that seemed to say, You beast, you rep
tile, do you wish to destroy this unofend-
ing infant"
The baby began to see that something
was the matter, and broke out into its
most aggressive roar; in a few minutes
the whole car was filled with q chorus of
shrieks and yells Of defiance. Every
eye dwelt on the offender stared him
fercely until he fairly trembled. Did
he but move, terrified mothers hid their
babies as if he we're an ogre, with de-
signs to eat them. For about fifteen
minutes that young man boldly fought
il out: but be had to give in. About
half a: dozen squares from the fair
grounds be got out 1t was useless for
him to pretend that it was his corner, as
there was not a house in sight. We have
reason to believe that he walked home,
indeed, we know he did.
Doubtless many will say, "Can such
things be2" We answer that they can,
and are of daily occurrence What we
state is q fact, the time was ten clock
Sunday night, and the car one OF the
Dumaine line. The young man is ready
to lend all bis power and money to the
Of the anti baby society.