The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-07-20
Our Baby.
BY JIMMY BROWN.

never coulu see Ine use OF DaDleS.
We have one at our house that belongs
to mother, and she thinks everything of
it. 1 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 my
dog, and can't even chase cat. Mother
and Sue wouldn't have a dog in the
house, but they are always going on about
the baby, and saying, Amt 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
a minute; that's good boy" and then
as soon as you have got it they say,
boy will kill the child Hold it up
straight, you od-for-nothing little
wretch" 1t is pretty hard to do your
best and then be scolded for it, but that
is the way boys are treated. Perhaps
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 baseball match, but wat did they
care for that? They didn't want to 90
to it, and so it made no difference wheth-
er went to it or no4 They said they
would be gone only little while, and if
the baby walked up I was to play with it
and keep it from crying, and "be sure
not to let it swallow any pins" Of
course, had to do it. The baby was
sound asleep when they went out, so [
left just for few minutes while l went
to see if there was any pie in the pantry.
If | was woman 1 wouldn't be so dread
fully suspicious as to keep everything
locked up. When I got back upstairs
again the baby was awake and was howl
ing like he was full of pins. So I gave
him the frstthing that came handy to
keep him quiet. It happened to be
bottle of French polish, with sponge in
it on the end of wire, that Sue uses to
black her boots, because girls are too lazy
to use the regular backing brush.
The baby stopped crying as soon as l
gave him the bottle, and l sat down to
read the Young People. The next time
l looked at him he'd got out the sponge,
and about half of his face was let black
This was nice fix, for 1 knew nothing
COulu BeI Iue DldcR OH his lace, ana When
mother came home she would say the
baby was spoiled, and 1 had done it.
Now | think an all-black baby is ever so
much more stylish than an all-white baby,
and when | saw that the baby was part
black, | made up my mind that if 1
blacked it all over it would be worth more
than it ever had been, and, perhaps
mother would be ever so much pleased.
So hurried up and gave it good coat
of black. You should have seen how
that baby shined The polish dried
just as soon as it was put on, and 1 had
just time to get the baby dressed again
when mother and Sue came in.
] wouldn't lower myself to repeat their
unkind language. When you've been
called a numbering little villain and an
unnatural son, it will rankle 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 al
most as if was going to church or some
thug that didn't hurt much.
The baby is beautiful and shiny,
though the doctor says it will wear off in
a few years. Nobody shows any gratitude
for all the trouble l took; and can tell
you it isn't easy to black badly without
getting it into It's eyes and hair. l some
time think that IL 70 hardIv worth while