The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-03-22
HELEN'S BABIES.
With Some Account OF their Ways.

with Some Account Of their Ways
I, was an enticing invitation from my
only married sister, Helen Lawrence
that moved me, Harry Burton, salesman
OF white goO,iS, bachelor, aged twenty
eight. 20 spend my fortnight's vacation
OF HillcreSt Tom Lawreuce'S cigar,
a2i e,aret and horses. a splendid flower
Sar,en, plenty II handsome girls, ant
unlimited leisure for readlnc-thesv wert
the Inducements offered me. Iuciden
tally. as Tom and Helen we're II be ab
sent on a visit. / was Just 10 keep an eve
on the children. who, was assured
would not give me "the slightest
trouble.
Remembering Bulge, the elder, rs &
boy Of five, with serious, noble face
ami great, pure penetrating eyes, ana
Toisie As happy little know-nothing OF
three summers with a head OF tangled
yellow hair, | set ont for Hillcrest with
ont apprehension Of impending woe.
4; the end Of the trip / hired a hack.
man 70 drive me 70 Toms. On the way
cur horses SHE'D violently, and the driver
exclaimed:
That WAS one Of the 'imps that
little cuss that scared the hoSSes. There
be comes, runnin'. Wonder WHERE
t'otIer l.? We call EN- the 'imps,
cause they're 50 uncommon likely al
mischief r'
The offending youth was Bulge, in O
vc-v dirty sailor suit, and the Other
imp, who bore down on us in a cloud
rsisel by thrustiRg branch into the
dust Of the road was TOddie
They're my uephews, r. gnSped.
The recognition was mutual.
You're Uncle Harry" said Bulge.
Did You bring Us anythiug?' e
Bring Us anything p echoed Todde.
"a wish l could have brought yau
some big whippings. said ], severely.
Get into this carriage"
In they climbed, each with very
dirty towel, knottel in the center
They're not towels, explained
Blige, they're dollies We don't like
buyed dollies these is lovely"
want = since 70 rs watch, re-
marked ToddIe, rolling INTO my lap, fol-
lowed by Budes.
Obediently / showed them the dial OF
nv Observation-Disclosures timekeeper.
Want to shee wheels 60 wound, "
said Toddie
''N0, " said I. fearful Of dust
Want to shee wheels 20 wound, '
repeated Todlie; "want to shee the
wheels go wound
Il tell you 1 can't, To¨ dust
spoils watches
Want 70 shee the wheels 60 wound. '
murmured Toilie again
Abruptly pocle;ed the watch. To-.
dies jaw dropped, and he cried:
Ah-h-k-h. Waut-to-shee-tht
wheels-gO wou-Uml ~
Stop that noise TINS instant -
Yes--Jo-op-wan,s 20 shee -
"Toidie, I've got some candy in -
Wheels g wound, Ah-A-h-h r.
Toddie, dear, don't CRY 50. There
are some ladies' coming in a carriage"
"Ah-h-h-h. Wants to shee
wheels i''-
Madly snatched my watch from my
pocket. opened the case, and exposed
the works to view. The passing carriage
stopped; my name was called, and.
looking mp, / saw-bright eyed, fan
faced and sniling-Miss Alice AIavton. a
lady whom for about year l had adorcd
from afar The ease with which she
greeted me, praised-actually praised
those dreadful children; and let me dis.
cover that a bouquet from the Lawrence
garden would be an acceptable offering,
converte my confusion into delight.
When the carriage started again, Toddis
murmured
Ucken Hawwy, does you love that
lady?"
"No, Toddie, of course not.
"Then you's BADLY man, an de Lord
won't let you go to heaven if you don't
love peoples.
You may believe ! was glad 10 get
those children home and turn them ovei
10 the girl At dinner they found fault
with my blessing, and taught me the on6
their papa says. Then they condemned
my version Of Jonah, and Bulge gave
one certainly much more graphic. And
finally, after requiring me to say my
prayers first. that performance, too, wa
boldly criticised. Bulge prayed with
a face fit for an angel, and then Toddis
closed his eyes, wriggled, twisted
breathed hard and mt last began:
Dee Lord not make me sho bad, an
besh mamma, an papa, an Budgie, an
doppitY (grndfatherD, an both boggiet
grandmother, an all good people il
dish house. an everybody else, an my
dolly. A-a-men y
"Now give us candy" said Bulge
echoed by Toddie.
l gave them the candy and escaped al
last to the parlor, where / passed de
icious evening with my books. Thai
night To4dy howled for his dolly like &
young Z smon, and made me get mp anC
find J. for him; and next morning, before
he was fairly awake, | was appalled, t.
hear him murmur
Want-,to-shee --wheels-go--
wound"
At breakfast he remarked:
Ucken Hawwy, daysh an awfoC
funny ehunt up 'tairs-awfoo big chunt
l show it you after brepspup."
Toddie's a silly little boy" said
Bulge; "he always says brepspup fol
brekbus (breakfast)."
"Oh what does he mean by chunt
Bulge ?"
guess he means trunk. I"
A direful thought struck me. Irushed
up stairs. Yes, he did mean trunk-my
trunk-open emptied. A blacAing boz
in my dress hat, and rolled up tightly il
my dress coat, one of those dolls :! But
worse was to come. / madean exquisite
bouquet for Miss Mayton and put it in g
box which l sent to her by the coach.
man. To my surprise he brought il
back, and Toddie, shrieking with de.
light snatched il and exclaimed
oh, dArsh my dolly's k'adle Some.