The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-16


hair tumbled into the widest disorder,
while she accompanied the whole per-
formance with strange and inarticulate
sounds. Her mother, the same Mrs.
Hanway who was so perfect a model of
dress and carriage that many of her lady
friends were wont to lament among
themselves that she gave herself such
airs, was seated on the floor dressed for
walking but without her bonnet. Yes,
she was certainly drumming on an in
verted tea-tray with the wrong end of
the poker. And the philosopher? 1t was
perplexion, after three years separation,
to meet him thus A philosopher was
cantering round the rooms on all fours,
wearing on his head his own waste-paper
basket. Briskly he cantered round, ever
and anon frisking like lamb in spring
time, until he reached my feet, which
were rooted to the spot with astonish-
ment He glanced up sideways, rose
with cry to the normal attitude of man
and grasped me by the hand. At the
sound of his voice, his wife dropping the
paper from her hand, raised them quick
ly to her hair, and his mother-in-law
with as much dignity as the effort would
allow, scrambled to her feet Then in an
instant, the cause of their eccentric con-
duct was made clear. Throned upon
the hearthrug, and showing bya gracious
smile few of the newest teeth, sat a
fine baby of fifteen months. In one
dimpled fist was tightly clutched the
brush, which had so neatly arranged the
mothers braids; while the. other was en-
gagged in pounding the grandmother's
best bonnet into shapeless mass.
We were all somewhat embarrassed
except the baby. The ladies knew that
they were untidy, and that / was an
intruder. As for the learned father, he
stood now on one leg and now on the
other, while he shifted the waste-paper
basket from hand to hand, and contin.
ued to smile as perseveringly as his ami
able offspring. Yet it was he who at last
put an end to our awkward position by
expressing wild desire to have my
opinion on the new curtains in his study
Rather sheepishly said goodbye to the
lady OF the house, trying to express by
my eyes that | would never call again
unannounced. l knew that Mrs. Han.
way had not forgiven me, as l humbly
took the two fingers which she offered
and felt like a brute, as the most i'm.
portant member of the family condos.
cendedt to leave damp spot by the
edge of my left whisker.
| When, however, l had been swept
down stairs by my impulsive friend, and
was alone with him in his den, my cour-
age returned, and with it some indigna-
ton. confronted him, and sternly
asked why had not been told that he
was father. "Not been told?' echoed
he, edo you mean to say that you did
not know about the baby| "Not-so
much as that it was" | replied, gloom
lily. He was overwhelmed; of course he
had supposed that every one knew it,
from the Queen downward. Of course
fifty people ought to have told me, who
of course had told me everything else
At last my curiousity got the better Of
, indignation, and / cut short his apollo.
gies by beginning my questions--"Does
the shape of its head content your
asked. "The shape of whose what%'
cried the philosopher, apparently too
surprised for grammar. "Of the baby's
head, of conrse," | replied tartly; 'I
merely wish to know if the child is like
ly to be as intellectual as you hoped"
isn't the hair lovely% he asked, incon-
sequently. This was too much, and as
suming my severest manner delivered
myself in this wise-I thought, though
no doubt | was wrong, that the use of a
baby to you would be partly to furnish
you with raw material for philosopher,
partly to enable you by constant obser.
walton to gain further evidence bearing
, on such vexed questions as, whether the
infant gains its ideas of space by feeling
about, whether it is conscious of itself,
etc" ''Well," he said, laughing, 81 don't
expect much help from my infant in
those matters, unless | can get inside her
and think her thoughts" "Hel
thoughts" cried l in amazement; "you
! don't mean to say it's girl? Good gra-
cious! you are not going to educate a
female philosophers He looked rather
vexed. "Of course it's a girl" he said
"The father of a female philosoperw
gasped. Dear meP' said he, somewhat
testify; "isn't it enough to be father of a
noble womanW
Now, have often put up with great
deal from my learned friend, and an
quite aware that | have been spoken Of
as "Bozzy" behind my back. But there
is turning point even for worm, anc
nobody will sit forever at the feet which
are kicking him. / had been snubbec
more than enough by this illogical par
ent, and assuming my most sarcastic
manner, | inquired, with an appearance
of Difference, "Is it not rather early tt
speak of .our daughter as noble
womanw
"Not at ALL" said the philosopher.
had kept aloof from the philosopher
, for some weeks, nursing my wrath, like
, Achilles | said to myself-cross as ,
, bear, l overheard my landlady say il
: the passage-when l received a hasty
: note begging me to come to him at once
' | fancied myself summoned to council
E &c oL ,o he, oJ x>,,x l.