The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-12
How Willie Sold the Baby.


az jes' wonder what's the matter with
that baby, now," said Willie Wallace, very
emphatically, as he entered the basement
door in search of mamma, for the purpose
of laying before her the pressing need of
new whip-top. Such vociferous dem
onstration could not go on, thought Will
lie, without mamma being pretty near, so
he stamped up the basement stairs, for
getting to wipe his feet, of course; and
then up the next fight, and entering the
front chamber, he was just about to pre-
sent an urgent appeal for the whip-top,
when his mother exclaimed, not exactly to
Willie, but apparently as if she was I'M
conscious of any one being present,
"What shall ever do with you, baby;
am completely worn out. You have cried
almost all night, and now it seems as if
you would cry all day"
Little boys and girls have no idea how
extremely vexatious they were when they
were babies, and so they in turn have no
patience with a brother or sister baby
when it cries and worries its mother al
most to desperation.
Willie paused in the middle of the
floor, after hearing his mothers nervous
NAN NOopniiihS OutOuioO, duu otdm
his foot vehemently, he said
"Mamms, jes' tell you what I'd do
with it; I'd sell it,"
Mrs. Wallace had not noticed Willie's
entrance, but, looking up moment from
the convulsed infant that was kicking
and screaming upon the bed, she said,
without thinking of the effect upon
master six.years-old, "I would be glad
enough to, if could find anybody that
would take it"
Enough said. Willie forgot all about
his whip-top. The suffering his mother
had been caused by that baby had
touched his little heart, and, picking up
his hat which he had tossed upon the
floor, he clenched his teeth together and
resolved that he would get rid of that
baby before the sun went down.
He slipped out of the room as quietly
as he had come in. Reaching the front
stoop he paused to consider which one of
the neighbors would be most likely to
prove good customer.
"Now, there is Mrs. Starr right across
the street." soliloquized Willie. "She
seems to think so much of that little long
haired poodle. She hugs it and carries il
in her arms wherever she goes. Now she
certainly would care more for nice live
baby than she would for that little mean
water-eyed poodle. I'll go over and ask
her."
$50 Willie ran across the street, anc
as the front door was open he walked into
the library, where he found Mrs. STAR
sitting in an easy chair, with the poodle
sleeping upon her lap. Willie was JUS
about to make known his errand, wher
the dog bounced at him furiously, ant
was only restrained by the most earnes
efforts of his mistress. When quiet wa
restored, Willie said;
Mrs. Starr, don't you want to buy
nice baby ?"
Don't l want to buy nice what p
said Mrs. Starr, bringing herself to al
erect position, and cycling Willie sharply
"a nice baby" said Willie.
"No," said Mrs. Starr, eve haven
any room for babies in this house, or an
time to take care of them besides, W
get all the benefit of hearing yours how
across the street."
Sour baby don't howl, if you please,
said Willie, very much offended, " and
1t wasn't for your dog that barks ever
morning and wakes it up, it would be
good deal better baby than it is"
This was said as Willie was backin
toward the door, so he heard no reply
and, upon reaching the street, locke
around for another customer.
"Now there's Mrs. Brown, two door
below" he thought She's got on
baby, but she thinks so much Of it In
sure she'd like another"
So in a trice Willie was ringing Mrs
Browns door bell, and, in moment NOR
Mrs. Brown answered, and Willie put til
all'important question.
"Well, Willie," said Mrs. Brown, wit
her arms akimbo, " amt buying babii
very much nowadays; fact is, they CON
along about as fast as can take care c
themj but, Willie, you don't mean
tell me that you would sell that little si
ter of yours ~
Yes, ,oiU," said Willie "she worri,
mamma almost to death, and | won
stand 1T one minute longer "-and seem
tnere was no prospect of a sale, he ra
DOWN the stoop, and the last words /
heard were
"Don't you do IT, Villa don't w
do it,"
Now Willie felt almost discourage,
out IN his extremity, a happy though
struck him. There was Mrs. Van Arsdal
that all the boys called "the incest lac
on the block" She certainly would bu
the baby.
Fortunately Mrs. Van Arsdale was 81
ting in the porch when Willie entered Il
front gate, and, going half way up ii
walk, be assumed the attitude of the M,
who came to sell his father COW, wi
his legs apart and his hands jammed in
his pants pockets, as he said, "Mrs. VI
Arsdale wouldn't you like to buy
baby3"
Willie was too much absorbed in I
subject of the sale to notice the sudd
start this question gave the person q