The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-08-25
How Jimmy Nursed the Baby.

never could see the use of babies. We
have one at our house that belongs to mother
and she thinks everything of it. l can't see
anything wonderful about it, All it can do is
to cry, pull hair and kick. 1t hasn't half the
sense of my dog, and can't even chase a hog
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 a baby is that you
are expected to nurse him, and then you get
scolded afterwards. Folks say, Here Jimmy
just hold the baby minute, that's a good
boy" and then say, Don't do that ? my
goodness gracious, the boy will kill the
child. Hold it up straight, you good-for.
nothing wretchr' 1t is pretty hard to do
your best and be scolded for it, but that is
the way boys are treated. Perhaps after Pm
dead folks will wish they had done different
ly.
Last Saturday mother and Sue went out
to make some calls, and told me to stop home
and take care of the baby. There was base
ball match, but what did they care for that
They didn't want to go to it, and so it made
no difference whether | went to it or not
They said they would be gone only a little
while, and if the baby walked up was 10
play with it and keep it from crying and be
course had to do it. The baby was sound
asleep when they went out ] left Just for a
few minutes while went to see if there
was any pie in the pantry. If | was woman
| wouldn't be so dreadfully suspicious as to
keep every thing locked up. When got back
up stairs again the baby was awake and
bowling like he was full of pins. So gave
him the first thing that came handy to keep
him quiet. 1t happened to be a bottle of
French polish with sponge in it on the
end of wire, that Sue used TO black her
boots, because girls are too lazy to use the
regular backing. brush.
The baby stopped crying as soon as gave
the bottle, and | sat down to read the -E'giS.
The next time l looked at him he'd got out
the sponge, and about half of his face was Jet
black. This was a nice fix, for knew moth
ing could get the black off his face, and when
was spoiled and had done it. Now think
an all-black baby is ever SO much more style
than an all-white baby, and when saw that
the baby was part black, ! made up my mind
that if BACKED it all over it would be worth
more than it ever had been, and perhaps good
mother would be ever so much pleased So
hurried and gave it 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.
wouldn't lower myself to repeat their I'M
kind 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 I went up stairs with
him almost as if going to church or some
thing that did not 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 took ; and can tell youit isn't easy
to black a baby without getting it into its
eyes and hair. l sometimes think that it is
hardly worth while to live in this cold and
unfeeling world.