The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-08-26
GRANDPA's LOST. BABY.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS,

y telegram from Anna Mal1at
The cook has gone By dianer
party. Going crazy. Please come
Mrs. Jones read it carefully and
understood it ut "A glance. Ii meant
that .inna .Haria's cook had left
her and that she was incapable of
preparing the dinner, or of giving
directions for its preparation. In,
na Maria had always been the blue
stocking of. the family had been
set down as the single sister,, and
had surprised every one by marry
ing. rather late in life, the erudite
Prot. Potts. OF course, without Il
cook Anna Maria was helpless, and
Matilda, with her tlfteen years ex-
perience. would fly to her assistance.
"But who will take care of tue
babv?' asked Mrs. Jones. 1T is
wash day, and the stairs girl is
doing the cooking. The children
are in school, and Emeline has gone
to visit her friend, Mrs. Miller. |
wish | had not let her 90. Dear
me. Grandpa, will You take care of
baby until | come home? | shan't
stay longer than | can help; and
would YOU be so good and kind as
to do it, -.r .-~F
take care OF baby! Why, of
course said gradpa, who was real
" Mrs. Jones father-in-law. s'He'll
not be any trouble; Tome to dam
pa, dere hen" He held out his arms,
Mrs. Jones deposited baby in them,
and placed on the desk before grand
pa cup of sweetened milk and
water, and rushed away to prepare
for her trip across town. Soon the
door closed behind her, and grand
ia found himself in the unwonted
position of nurse. At first it was
not unpleasant. Baby cooed and
ehewed his little thumb and kicked
his little feet until one sock after
the other tumbled Off; and grandpa
smiled and talked baby-talk.i But
after an hour of this amiability, sud
denly and without warning baby
began to wall, AVA AVA a-a7a-wa a
ava AVA -.-dr Do z h|r!"
= "What's re matter, pettys' asked
grandpa. Baby responded by stiff
ening himself in an alarming man
ner, and raising his voice several
notes higher. 1t was bis intention
to be walked with. The idea dawn
ed upon grandpa's mind by degrees,
and as soon as he fairly compre-
hendod it, he yielded. Up and
down over the carpet floor of his
study the old gentleman began to
trot, and at last the little head
dropped down upon his coat collar,
and he saw the little eyes shut fast.
"Women, said he conceitedly,
''will worry with a child all day,
where's, a little judicious manage
ment will end the trouble very
soop." ..t ...f ...'l f.7Fy af s... +s5,.
Meanwhile Mrs. Jones flew with
all haste to Anna Maria, and find
ing her about to put a turkey in the
oven precisely as it came from the
butchers. and with its long legs
sticking straight out, decided that
she was not fit to be left to herself,
and remained with her until the
nine professors who had been un-
expectedly invited to dine by the
master of the house, were IN the
dining room. - q.
Don't mind me, lima Maria,
she said. 'I'm cook to-day, and
I'll send little Betty up with the des-
ert before | 60. ... -,- ~ rot
Mrs. Jones performed her prom
ise. and then fastening her cloak
about her, and tying her blue vail
over her flushed face, she hurried
horleward, thinking of poor, de-
serted baby all the while. .ra
She had reached the corner of her
own street when suddenly she saw
sight that caused her to give a
little scream-grandfather with his
usual amiable smile on his ceunte-
nance. and his hands full Of letters
slowly trotting along towards the the
| house. s,.,,s.ts.. fal a.C,. "a, iiasi.a,
ale must have left baby said
Mrs. Jones, shut Isuppose he eaii4
ed cook or Maggie, and she har,
rled on Just in time to be admit;tbeo
by erandpa's latch key. ,si'Iv
taa..Baby all right?' she asked, pleas
antly. as she united her vail. . ni
"Baby? IL presume so, an,
swered grandpa. Then he turned
suddenly very red. and looked con- -
! fusedly about him. - go
1aWhere is he?' asked Mrs. Jones
.sWhere? = ah. yes = naturally
-um-''responded grandpa. medi-
tating profoundly ''nm, yes. ieo
II suppose you mean that yo,!!
don't know where Maggie has takei
him lust now said Mrs. Jones, will
exaggerated cheerfulness. da'.1i I'd !,
sgs.0h, that's it. Of coursel natural
fvi Maggie would take him. H'
would BE apt I'd cry. and she, g 9
course would come = aa,sggssa S l3a.
Maggie, slriekedg &rs. Jones
wildly sMaggie. "lbiqsa sana
Up stairs shaararis SAoi iMaggi