Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-08-16
The Baby Down Town,

UTdnupd lONeu bnc Uduy. luz uduy
is three years old, with the prettiest big
blue eyes. the plumpest, reddest cheeks,
the dearest, dimpled mouth, and the
cunningest ways in the world. Baby
has sturdy little legs, and restless,
strong little arms, and is an example OF
perpetual motion. Baby's grandpa ac-
companied him on various walks over
on the west side, but grandpas ambi-
ton was to take baby downto the store,
where the boys could see what phe-
nomenal child he is, and what cunning
ways he has. Yesterday morning grand
pa dressed baby up, and when he start
ed away with grandpa he looked, with
his wavy golden hair, bright eyes, and
little brown cloak, like one of Kate
Greenaway's creations imbued with life.
When the passengers in the car smiled
at baby and remarked how sweet he
was, grandpa was happy, and chuckled
as he thought of the enjoyment of hav-
ing baby with him at the store. Once
at the store, baby was the center OF an
admiring crowd of grandpa's business
companions. Baby was shy at first, and
one fat fist was pushed into the little
mouth, while baby's eyes were cast up
on the floor. Pretty soon, though, baby
regained his usual spirits and started
on tour of investigation. His first
venture was to pull over a lot of ledgers
and account-books that had been un-
dergoing an investigation, and on top
of this pile he poured the contents of a
big bottle of violet ink. Pursuing his
investigations further, baby found him
self in the Office where the brightly var
nished safe, with its impossible land
scapes, at once attracted his attention.
The heavy iron door was closed, and
baby, by standing on a chair, could
lust reach the combination knob, the
brightness of which had caught his eye.
He played with the pretty knob, turn
ing it round and round ever SO many
times, and laughing to himself, Bu
the man who came to open the safe, ant
who was in a dreadful hurry, didn',
laugh, for the lock had been worked fol
years on part of the combination ant
baby had destroyed it completely, ant
three hours were required to find th'
combination again. Out in a back room
baby found a hammer and some tacks
and filled some new desks full of prett.
tin tacks. Then following the prompt
ings of his busy little mind he pulled :
piece of string to see what was on tn,
other end of it. There was mante
ornament belonging to one OF the boy
on the other end, and when the bab
pulled the ornament tipped over an
was shattered. Baby was frightened q
the muss he had made, and hid himsel
in box that stood on end near the dool
and that had been used to hold soft Goa
during the winter. Grandpafo found hir
there, but in what q plight! His littl
face and hands and his beautiful whit
dress were begrimed with the mast
coal-dust. Grandpa brushed him o
and washed his face and hands, an
made him somewhat presentable, afte
which he sat him down in big cha.
and told him to sit still. Baby sat sti
about minute and then slid down OIL
of the chair, and wandered away int
the back room, where he suddenly spie
little dog curled up asleep on the to
of box. Baby stood on his toes, got
good grip on doggy's tail and pulle'
And the next minute baby's little les
were working for dear life as he fled t.
ward grandpa's quarters. Grandr
met him, kicked the dog, quieted bab,
tried to patch up the places in baby
dress where the dogs teeth had mad
ragged rents, and began to club hin
self for bringing baby down town. +
nally baby capped the climax by upse
,, ting on himself q can of lard oil, an
! ! grandpa quit work for the rest of tt
.. day, wrapped the babyin thick brow
Ioa paper i; tied hoa string m arGqnd In him tn
J before grandpa will take his pet dow
town with him again. Baby had a goo
time, though Chicago Tribune.