The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-02-09

OF tne trouble the BABY made us last
night, with an Gus" fairly editorial in
its comprehensiveness. The next night
he goes into a room by himself to sleep.
He g can't stand it to have his rest
broken So" but adds, generously: ON
take care of him the next night" And
so he does till about twelve O clock,
when the baby wakes and cries. For
ten minutes he tries faithfully to get
him to sleep again, and then ignomin-
iously retreats and calls for sc mamma"
But 1T is in travelling on hot sum-
mer's day, with year-old baby, that
the husbands virtues shine brightest.
Mamma is tired and needs rest. They
are going to spend a week with some
friends days journey in the country.
She is half inclined to leave the baby
at home. Her mother will "come
over'' and look after him, and cit s
only for few days, after ALL" But he
says decidedly: 40 no; take him, by
! all means. Our cousins will all want
to see him, and he is such good little
fellow. I'll help you to take care of
him on the way, and there will always
be somebody there who will want to
amuse him.
She, being young and inexperienced
has not yet learned that nobody ever
takes care of a baby to any extent, SO
| long as its mother is near, for both
mother and baby have notions of their
own as to what g taking care Of means.
Besides, she has mothers instructive
desire to keep her child with her, and
| so says no more about it.
Then comes the usual ordeal of 'get-
ting ready" on which her husband
makes the criticisms customary to men,
who cannot understand why women do
not find clean pocket-handkerchief
and an extra collar sufficient additional
wardrobe for week, as they do. How
ever, at last they are ready to start
There is the large traveling-bag, with
all sorts of mysterious appurtenances
for the baby's toilet, the little travelling
bag with the lunch, with some crackers
and silver cup for the baby, the
shawl-strap bundle enormously swollen
by a small pillow, also for the baby,
for d" he might 90 to sleep in the cars,
you know" (Alas! how the best-laid
schemes of mothers gang aft a-glee.)
And lastly the baby, the largest and
liveliest bundle of all.
The father sets out with the best of
resolutions. He is going to take care of
that baby all day. His wife needs the
rest, and she shall haYe it. How little
we realize what it will cost us to exc
cute our good intentions. How differ
ent they look to us, when we are actual
ly under fire." from what they did
when in peace and quietness we made
them! He places his wife in the most
comfortable seat he can find, bag at
her feet, a shawl at her back, takes the
baby in his lap, and the day campaign
begins. An hour goes by very pleas
antly. The baby is amused by the nov
city of the situation, and the father
silently congratulates himself on the
wisdom of his management. "Women
wouldn't have half the trouble they do
if they only knew how to manage" he
says to himself. Just here the news
boy appears with the morning papers.
Secretly glad of diversion, he buys a
paper, and the baby goes to his mamma.
The young rascal, by this time tired of
sitting STILL and missing too the steady
support of his fathers strong arms, be-
gins to wriggle and twist. He slips
down on the floor; his mother lifts him
up again. He sits still two seconds and
half, and, attracted by something out
side, slips down again and stands tot
tering half minute. Then she drags
him back into her lap. Great, heavy
fellow! how he pulls on her arms and
shoulders. But she is used to it and
only wonders what ais her arms and
back that they get so tired every day.
She is sure she doesn't do much but
take care of that baby. Next, he g flops'
back, slips down on his mothers lap,
wriggles and twists awhile, gets drink
of water from the water-boy and spills
it on his mothers clean cuffs and his
own white dress, slips down again, and
again she lifts him back. All this time
papa is calmly reading his paper.
Having finished it and become con-
WINGED that the country is going to hold
together a little longer, he hands the
paper to his wife. Did you ever see a
man offer the paper to his wife before
he had read it himself, especially if it
was near electionO Yes, she would
llhe W lOOh dI IL, IL lie Will see TO Ine
baby.
Certainly" with the slightest shade
of injured innocence in his tones;
haven't 1 done so all the morning?
Besides, the baby will take care of him
self; he is big enough"
Mamma is wisely silent, and begins
to look over the paper. The young
scamp, who never thought of touching
it so long as his father had it, now be-
gins series of indiscriminate dashes at
it, which, combined with the motion of
the cars, makes reading matter of
difficulty.
"Let him have it." says the mother.
81 am too sleepy to read"
"Why don't you take nap? 1t
would do you good" exclaims the hus-
band. LET me arrange a place for
YOU
And in a few minutes the shawls and
bags are arranged into very tempting
resting-place for the tired mother. She,
who rose at five O clock to get ready, will
ingly lays her head back on the shawl
and closes her eyes. Just as the "chug-
chug" of the cars begins to be a contin-
uous hum-m-m," she is startled by
scream from the baby, who has a sus-
picious-looking red spot over his eye.