New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-28


attitude of man, and grasped mo by tn
hand. at the sound OF his voice, his wife
Dropping the paper from her hands. raise
them quickly to her hair; and his mother
inlaw, with as much dignity as the ettOr
would allow, scrambled on her feet. Then
| in an instant the cause of their eccentri
conduct was made clear. ThroEed on tn
| hearthcug, and showing by a graclou
smile few of the newest teeth, sat a I'm
baby of some fifteen montha. Ia ont
Liilpled fist was tightly clenched the brusi
| which had so neatly arranged the mothers
| braids; while thu other was engaged IN
| pounding tho graadMother's best bonnie
mo a shapeiess mass.
| We were al somewhat embarrassed eX
cepc the baby. Tue ladies knew they were
un5,dy aud that l was an intruder. As
tor the learned father, he stood now on one
leg and now on the other, while he shifted
tho waste paper basket from hand to hand
and continued to smile almost perseyer
;ngly as his amiable offspring. Yet it was
he who at last put an END TO our awkward
| position by expressing wild desire TO have
| my opinion OF the new curtain in his study.
Rather sheepishly l said good by to the
lady OF the house, trying to express by my
| eyes that | would never cali again unan-
| nounced. I knew that Mrs Hanway had
| not forgiven the as | humby took the two
| fingers that she offered; and l felt Ike a
bgute as the most important member Of the
| family condescended to leave damp spot
| by the edge Of my left whsker.
| When. however, l had been swept down
| stairs by my impulsive friend, and was
| alone with him in his den, my courage
| returned, and with it some Indignation.
confronted him, and STORMY askeu why
| had not been told he was father! ''Not
| heen toid,' echoed he "do you mean to say
| thar you did not know about the baby"
Not so much as that it vas 1 replied.
gloom.iy. He was overwhelmed; of course.
ne had supposed that everybody knew it
from the Queen downwards. Of course
fifty people ought to have told me, who of
course had told me every thing else. At
last my curiosity got the better OF my in
dignation, and l cut short his apologies
BY beginning my Guestions,-"Does the
shape OF Its head content your l asked.
''The shape OF whose WHAT cried the
philosopher, apparently too Surprised for
grammar. ''Of the baby's head, Of course
l replied tartiy; II merely wish to know
if the child IS likely to be as intel-
lectuai as you hoped..'' Isn't the hair
lovely2' he asked inconsequently. This
was too much, and, assuming my severest
manner, l delivered myself in this wise:
'.ithought, though no doubt l was wrong,
that the use OF baby to you would be
partly to furnish you with a raw material
Aor OAliosCpAcr' pdHIy 10 euaDie you. Oy
constant observation, to gain further evil
dence bearing On such vexed questions as
whether the infant gathers It's ideas Of
space by feeling about, whether it is con-
scious of itself, etc" Well he said,
laughing. II don't expect much help from
my infant in these matters, unless can get
inside her and think her thoughts. "Her
thoughts?' cried 1, in Amusement; lyon
don't mean to say it's girl: Good gra-
cious! you are not going to educate a female
philosopher" "Ofcourse it's girl" he said.
The father of female philosopher" |
gasped. "Dear mel" he said somewhat
testify; isn't it enough to be father OF
noble woman" .
Now, 1 have often put up with 6 great
deal from my learned friend. and am qnite
aware that have been spoken Of as ''Bozzy'
behind my back. But there is a turning
point even for the worm and nobody will
sit forever ct the feet which are constantly
kicking him. l had been snubbed more
than once by this illogical parent, and. AS
sulnlng my most SARCASTIC manner, ! in |
qu!red, with an appearance OF Difference, |
lis is not rather early to speak OF your |
daughter as noble woman"
Net at ALL said the philosopher.
l had kept aloof from the philosopher for |
some weeks, nursing my wrath, like Achilles |
[ said to myseli-cross as BEAR over
heard my landlady say in the passage
when l received hasry note begging me to
come to him at once. | fancied myself |
summoned to council of chiefs: SO, having
donned my shining armor, left my tent
with fitting dignity and descended with a
clang into the plain. Yet | could not but
through the crack OF the parlor door pur-
posely left ajar, and of the hasty tapping of
loose slippers which told the startled |
slavey's flight into the abyss below.
An unusual silence held. my friends
house that morning. The door was opened,
before had time TO ring, BY "a melancholy
tootnan, who, walking before me with the
1shered me into the study. 1t was my lot
% be again rooted to the spot with amaze
nent. by the book case, IN a shaded cor-
lec OF the room, with his head bowed low
lpon his hands, knelt the philosopher.
here was long step from the seige OF Troy,
rom the simple wrath OF a child!ike hero
o tie most complex embarrassment OF an
leir OF all the ages. What should do 4!
The dismal mental had He'd to the shades |
without a word, without even a glance into
he room. If | reiterated, left my friend
lnaided, and remained ignorant of the L
ause OF his strange conduct. If advanced, |
was again the intruder on scene not pre-
Jared tor my inspection. In an agony of
hesitation l fell to brushing nv hat with
ny elbow; but not finding the expected re.
ief in the occupation, was about to desist. |
when my hat decided what my head could
ot, by falling with crack on the floor
The effect was electrical. Without one |
lance at the intruder, the philosopher
la6e grab at the nearest book shelf, |
ragged out q volume which mad not been |
ouched for a half a century, and hunted
or nothing IN its pages with frantic eager
ess. He was still at it when | stood over
and t0A xr-;tE a. =. |
be book upside down then with the poor
st imitation OF surprise which l have ever
cen he rose and grasped my hand. :'You
Dund me on the track of something he |
aid, was looking. it out in-in'--
Here it occurred to him that he did rot
now the name of the venerable tome which |
9 had so rudely disturbed; and with a |
eightened color and sudden change of
tanner he turned quickly to me and said, |
my child is ILL.," felt positively guilty. | |
ad been angry with that baby for making
~ wise friend foolish, for not being a bow.
'r being called a "noble woman" Was it
OF shameful that great hulking brute |
hould sheer at a weak thing that could not |
ven answer with taunt9 Were not my
lumsy sarcasms enough to crush so del |
,ate a plant! The poor little noble |
oman was IN danger, and | could do
othing to help her. There were tears in |
re eyes which were looking into mine for
omtort; but had nothing ready to say.
II could not stand being alone" he NUT
cred, after short silence: "the doctor is
18th her now, and in a moment may hear
nat my little daughter muslin fact may
ear the worst"
While he was speaking I seemed to have
tty consoling remarks to offer; but when
stopped, no one sentence would Olsen.
age itself from the rest. What [ blurted |
1t at last seems almost ridiculous as look
ack on it.