Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-06-11
BascOnb'S Baby.

AS OhOuShe IL over 10 our mouse,
Mrs. BascOmb did. 1t was their
first-a wee little red-faced, red
headed, pug-nosed, howling infant.
1t was one of the hottest DAYS in July.
but she had it wrapped up in three
shawls and bed quilt, and was in
agony every moment for fear it would
sneeZe.
"Do see his darling, darling little
facep' she said to me as she unwOund
him about forty times and looked to
see which end his feet were on.
looked. 1 have been the father of
eleven just such bowling little wop-
sizes, and / don't see anything remark
able about Bascomb's baby.
'See those eyes; that firmness of
mouth; that temper in his lookr' she
went on.
saw them.
The little son of gun began to
get red in the face and to beat the
air, and his mother shouted:
Hes being murdered by pinr'
She turned him wrong end up, laid
him on his face, then on his back,
loosened his bands, rubbed the soles
of his feet, and the tears stood in
her eyes as she remarked:
II know he won't live-he's too |
smartr'
The child recovered; and, as he
lay on his back across her knees and
surveyed the ceiling, she went on:
"Such a head! Why, every one
who sees him says that he is going to
be Beecher. Do you notice that
high forehead?'
/ did. l thought he was all fore
head, as his hair didn't commence to
grow until the back of his neck was
reached; but she assured me that /
was mistaken.
"Wouldn't / just heft him oncer
/ hefted him.
l told her that 1 never saw child |
of his weight weigh so much, and
she smiled like an angel. She said
that she was afraid | didn't tappreciate
children, but now she knew l did.
"Wouldn't l just look at his darling
little feet-his little red feet and cum
ming tOesr
Yes, would.
She rolled him over on his face and
unwound his feet, and triumphantly
held them up to my gaze. | cOntem
plated the hundreds of little wrinkles
running lengthwise and crosswise-
the big toes and the little toes, and |
agreed with her that, so far as could
Judge from the feet and the toes and
the wrinkles, future of uneXampled
brilliancy lay before the 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 his wind-colic into the mid
die of September.
--'Whom did he look likeY
l bent over the scarlet faced rascal,
pushed his nose one side, chucked
him under the chin, and didn't ans
wer without due deliberatiOn. l told
her that there was faint resemblance
to George Washington around the
mouth, but the eyes reminded me of
Daniel Webster, while the general
features had made me think of the
poet Milton ever since she entered
the house.
That was just her view exactly \
only she hadn't said anything about
it before.
''Did l think he was toe smart 70
liyeY'
/ felt of his ears, fabbed his head,
put my finger down the back of his
neck. and Itold her that, in my hum
bic opia' wasn't, though he had
: 8sw zsape. If his nose had
peer litsle more to one side, or
BIS nars haa appeared in the place of
A.s eyes, BascOmb could have pur-
chased weed for his hat without de-
lay. No; the child would live. There
wasn't the least doubt of it; and any
man or woman who said he wouldn't
grow up to make the world thunder
with his fame would steal the wool
off lost laWb in January.
She felt so happy that she rolled the
imp up in his forty-nine bandages,
shook him to straighten his legs and
take the kinks out Of his neck, and
then carried him home under her
arm, while my wife made me go along
with an umbrella, for fear the sun
would peel his little nose.-Our Fire
side Friend. ChicGGO.