Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-12-04
Our Baby.

NEVER could see the use of babies.
We have one at our house that belongs
to mother and she thinks everything oi
it. can't see anything wonderful about
it. All it can do is to cry and pull hair
and kick. 1t hasn't half the sense OF
nv dog, and it can't even chase a cat.
Mother and Sue wouldn't have a dog in
the house, but they are always going
on about the baby and saying ''ain't it
perfectly sweet.'
The worst thing about baby is that
you're expected to take care of him,
and then you get scolded afterward.
Folks say Here Jimmy! just hold the
baby q minute, that's good boy" aud
then as soon as you have got it they say
Don't do that my goodness gracious
the boy will kill the child hold it up
straight you good-for-nothing little
wretch" 1t is pretty hard to do your
best and then be scolded for it, but
that's the way boys are treated Per-
haps after I'm dead folks will wish they
had done differently.
Last Saturday mother and Sue went
out to make calls and told me to stay
home and take care of the baby. There
was a baseball match, but what did
they care? They didn't want to 90 to
it, and so 1t made no difference whether
went to it or not. They said they
would be gone only little while, and
that if the baby walked up / was to play
with it and keep it from crying and be
sure you don't let it swallow any pins.
OF course, had to do it. The baby
was sound asleep when they went out,
SO left it just for a few minutes while
went to see if there was any pie in the
pantry. II was woman l wouldn't
be so dreadfully suspicious as to keep
everything locked up. When l got back
up stairs again the baby was awake and
was bowling like he was full of pins. Sc
gave him the first thing that came
handy to keep him quiet. 1t happened
to be bottle of French polish with a
sponge in il on the end of a wire that
Sue uses to black her shoes. because
girls are too lazy to use regular black
ing-brush.
The baby stopped crying as soon as ]
gave him the bottle and | sat down to
read the Young People. The next time
l looked at him he d got out the sponge
and about half his face was jet black.
This was a nice fix. for | knew nothing
could get the black off his face, and
when mother came home she would say
the baby was spoiled and l had done it.
Now l think an all-black baby is ever
baby, and when saw the baby was par,
black l made up my mind that if
blacked it all over it would be worth
more than it ever had been, and per-
haps mother would be ever so much
pleased. So hurried up and gave it a
good coat of black. You should have
seen how that baby shined. The polish
dried Just as soon as it was put on, and
had Just time to get the baby dressed
again when mother and Sue came in.
l wouldn't lower myself to repeat
their unkind language. When you've
been called a numbering little villain
and an unnatural son it will wrinkle in
your heart for ages. After what they
said to me didn't even seem to mind
about father, but went up stairs with
him almost as if l was going to church
or something that wouldn't hurt much.
The baby is beautiful and shiny,
though the doctor says it will wear of
in few years. Nobody shows any
gratitude for all the trouble l took. and
l can tell you it isn't easy to black a
baby without getting it into his eyes
and hair. sometimes think that it is
hardly worth while To live in this cold
and unfeeling world. Jimmy Br0,Cn,' -
IN Hdrper's 10unq People.