Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-04
Always that Baby.

natDlN are. Size worked an the forenoon
about her house, keeping every nook and
corner of it spotlcssly neat and getting "a
dinner which made every neighbor who hap
peucd IN at meal-time smack his lips aud
say What good cook Osgood's wife
is 20 But by the time All was done, and the
dishes were washed after her MONDAY meal
Mrs. Osgood was well nigh "done," too
She had no strength left, aud little patience
At such times graSshopper was burden
how much more a baby But those were
the very times little Sammy took in which
10 make his presence most sensibly felt
Jenny Osgool was ten years old when Sammy
was born. During these ten years between
there had been no baby, and when Sammy
made his appearance his parents were di-
yided between surprise and satisfaction.
Jenny was all satisfaction at FIRST. She
had always cnvied other girls their baby
brothers and sisters with their odd little
fingers and wonderful pink toesi aud now
She had little natural curiosity in her own
house, as pink, as small and as astonishing
as the best Of them. But when Nurse VII
liams went away, and Mrs. Osgood began TO
do her own old tasks again, with the care Of
baby added then Jenny's troubles began.
When She came in at noon, it was, "Jenny,
won't YOU take the baby while get the din
npr ON 2" When she came home at night,
it was, Oh you've come. Jenny; I'm glad,
for want you to take the baby and let me
rest q little-my head is bursting"
Jenny remarked confdcntially, to her best
friend Susy Pine, that it was always that
baby. and She believed if ho were going 10
be a baby always, she should hate him, but
she sposed he would grow up some day.
Meantime Sammy was an engaging little
creature. lie was never very strong--how
should he be, when his mother was so worn
with care and he drew in WEAKNESS with his
very milk But he was a little bluc-eyod
blossom of a baby too fair for human uses,
and with q sort of uncanny wisdom in his
face which Jenny never noticed, but which
made old folks say they didn't believe that
that Osgood baby would ever live to grow up.
lie was slow about learning to walk, and
when he was year old, Jenny had still to
drag him in his little carriage. Sometimes
she liked this well enough, for She was not a
bad little girl, only little selfish, as girls OF
her age are so apt to be, aud she truly loved
her little brother, But when he interfered
with her own plans and pleasures, she was
sorely impatient with the hindrance. One
noon-tme, in early May, she was tying on
her hat in the school-house entry 1t was
| Saturday, and there would be no more school
| that day. The sweet spring air was swell
/ ing all the young buds 10 hl0Homing, and
| all the young hearts to song and laughter
/ The children We're full OF fun, hubbllng oven
| with the spring-time that was as much
awake IN their hearts as il was in the bah
| bling brook and opening flowers and tn,
young green on the rejoicing trees. Every
| body was full of plans for the precious after
noon. Susy Pine came up to Jenny.
As for us let us SO and get yiolets
/ know where there are great banks Of them
IN come for you, and we'll get enough t.
fl cups and saucers. VIII you 2"
Yes, indeed " and thon Jenhy's fac
darkened as an April Sky does with
rising shower ." don't know. There's al
WAYS that baby Mothers been baking TO
day, and s'pose she's tired. shouldn't won
der if her head ached ike to split Well yol
come round ana see. II can get away,
Will"
Jenny went home rather slowly. Som.
how there wasn't so much spring in he
heart AZ there had been before she though
Of the baby, and Of how hard-it was tina
she could never make plans and promise
a the rest did, Just because Of him
Alway8 that baby" she said to herself
Anybody would think he was mine, an
not mothers, by the way have to give u
eyerythingon his account
When She entered the door with her nc
particularly cheerful face, Sammy saw he
lie was lahoriously working himself acros
q the room, after fashion Of his own whic
3 was not creeping, but sort of propellin
himself across the floor in funny way
which Jenny often laughed, but at whic
she was in no humor to laugh now.
Sammy was as forward about talking a
he was backward about other things, and Il
called out gaily;
Look, Jenny, see CO."
Jenny took no notice. She hung vp hl
D hat, and sat down listlessly by the window
Her mother was dishing up the Saturday
baked beans, and was too busy to notice he
But Sammy, sensitive to atmospheres eve
y then, as the sensitive plant which shrinl
G away from your kindest touch, felt thi
/ something was wrong with Jenny. AT one
p, he turned and began to propel himself
her direction, and presently pulled himse
J., up at her knee.
/ Sammy love Co.," he said, earnestly, as
g in that fact were consolation for all the il
Of life. Sammy 'tay with co."
There was momentary impulse in Jenny
perverse heart to say
l. Yes, know You will, and that's Il
4 worst Of it,"
But how could she with that little, earnes
I ilower-like face uplifted to hers 'lnstea
} she stopped down and drew him up into h
=, arms.
# You're violet yourself" she cried, in
little passion of love and remorse. 81 que
d would't give you for whole bowlfuls
o them"
It But by the time Susy Pine came in the a
n ternoon, she had grown II little bit disco
j, tented again. There was something n
= quite pleasant in the tone of her voice as 81
+ said
e al s'pose | can't go with susy after vi
d lets, can 2"
Mrs Osgood was very sensitive to Il
moods of her household. Ii was from h
that Sammy had taken his highly-wrougl
" nervous organization She felt, now,
l. that Jenny's tone implied, She was We
tired with her days baking, and her he's
5 ached terribly. A few hours of rest won
% be so good, but she was not strong-mind'
d and hard-natured enough to face Jenny's i
humor for the sake of it, So she said, in
weary tone
"Yes, you may GO" and then an aft,
thought came. Couldn't Jenny get h
a. pleasure out Of the afternoon, and she herst
u get her rest II only the girls would tai
"a Sammy She asked, with little hesit
At ton; 81 s'pose you wouldn't want to p
n Sammy in his little wagon and draw hi
Is along, too The air would be good for hil
!. and -
!" She stopped there, but Jenny knew W,
Or enough that if her mother had finished Il
G. sentence, it would have been 81. am
~ tired"
% To do the girl justice she tried TO spe,
cheerfully, and not show her reluctance
III the proposed arrangement.
N sob, yes" she said, wen take Samm
ir he can come " and she hurriedly put on 4
n little cloak and hat, and lifted the baby in
!, his little wagon lie was glad enoug
u lie clapped his morsels of hands togeth,
) and shouted-if you could call such a wea
ID little voice a shout
II Sammy come, too-Sammy will 'tay wi
Jenny"
u "0f course he will" said Susy Pine, ma
10 ing mischieyous little mouth, and Jen
j. half smiled, half pouted, and muttered, in
~ low voice, which only Susie could hear
y Always that baby"
For u time all went well. II was ca
N enough to draw the little wagon in the nj
K path along the edge of the woods The
ID were plenty OF violets, and the girls ill
ia Sammy's lap with them. lie seemed to 10
. | them in n curions wav for snch a hahn,