The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-05-11
5Niscrll
MRS. ATKiNsON's BABY.

The Atknsons have had terrible time
over their baby Mr. Atkinson sent home n
folding crib with Stats made in two pieces
and hung down upon hinges When they
opened this crib and put the mattress in it,
| Mr. Atkinson omitted to fix securely the
catches that held the Stats, Mr.. and Mrs.
Atkinson went 10 bed early that night, and
about eleven o'clock, while they We're asleep,
the baby got awake and began to kick yigor-
ously. The result was that the Stats slowly
descended and deposited the baby upon the
floor. The baby being particularly wide
awake crawlcd out into the room, and see
ing n lighlin the entry, went through the
door Just as Mr. Atkinson's aunt Miss Boggs,
was coming up the stairs to bed She picked
the baby up, and finding that its father and
mother were asleep, she carried it TO her room
| in the third story, and determined TO take
care of it through the night
About an hour later Mrs Atkinson awoke,
and thought she would glance over ut the
crib to see how the baby was getting along.
| No sooner had she done So than she jumped
from the bed in alarm. The baby was not
there! The bottom seemed to have fallen
out of the whole contrivancc. Her first
thought was that the baby was lying under
the mattress smothered to death. She pulled
the mattress aside, but there was no Sign of
the baby.
Then with wild alarm, she shook Mr..
Atkinson, and told him to get up Atkinson
| growlcd out in q sleepy tone
"The paregoric is in the closet; 90 and
get it yourself"
"AlonzoH' shrieked Mrs. Atkinson" "you
don't underestimate baby gone--stolen-
idnappcd-murlcred, maybe! Oh, what
shall do?'
"Now, be calm, Julia" said Atkinson, get
ting ont of bed don't get hysterical. The
child is most likely, under the bed"
mo il isn't; it's not there" exclaimed
| Mrs Atkinson, upon her hands and knees.
| "Possbly," said Alonzo beginning to feel
uneasy, "he has crcpt into the closet Let
| us look"
"This Is horrible" said Mrs. Atkinson,
clasping her hands
"Do You think" asked Mr. Atkinson that
| he could have crawled into the bureau drawer
and pulled it in after him"
"Ccrtninly not" said Mrs, Atkinson. "You
| know hccouldn't"
81 think hear him now. He has fallen
out of the window" said Mrs. Atkinson, AS
faint wall iloated up from the back yard
| "No; it's only Mrs. Magruder's cat yawl
ing on the fence" replied Atkinson as he
closed the sash. "llave you looked in the
bath tub in the next room? Perhaps he has
gone to take Il bath"
"Drowned | know il I'm sure of it !"
yelled Mrs. Atkinson, rushing in the bath
| room.
"IIe's not here" said Atkinson; could he
have gone down stairs and fallen into the
sugar bucket in the pantry"
"Wcmust search the whole house for him"
said Mrs Atkinson.
So they began to hunt They looked cv-
erywhcrc In the clothes hamper, in the
kitchen cupboard, in the pantry, in the
parlor, and even in The cellar, but without
avail
"IIe couldn't have gone up stairs, because
he couldn't climb the steps"
"No; he must have been stolen. He has
been stolen by burg lars | shall never see
| him again-ncVcr y
Don't give way, Julia. BE calm. | will
90 at once for the police"
Mr.. Atkinson dressed himself hurricdly,
and dashed down stairs and out into the
street. He met u policeman almost at the
door, and in frantic accents laid the case be
fore him. The policeman sounded an alarm,
and soon had six other policemen at hand.
They entered the house and proceeded to eX-
anime the iasenings. Everything was right,
and one of the policemen said
In my opinion the burglar is in the house
yet
wen go for him" said another. So draw
ing rcvolvers, they proceeded to search the
building Presently Mr. Atkinson hearG the
report of pistol in the kitchen. He rushed
down.
II think I've killed him." said policeman
Jones Bring the light quick"
"And killed the baby, too" shriekcd Mrs.
Atkinson.
"By George, ! forgot the baby" said the
officer.
| M, ,lo G,,ht oo,,,o on,I ,I,oy f,un,l a. .
policeman Jones had shot his dog, which had
followed him into the house. Then police
man Smiths pistol went off accidentally and
the bullet hit the kitchen clock, which mt
once struck nine hundred and eighty one,
and the confusion and racket so unsrung
Mrs Atkinsons nerves that she went into
Mysteries and emitted successive yels of II
terrific character. This brought Miss Boggs
down from the Third story in great alarm.
"What on earth is the matter" she called.
"MatterI" said Atkinson, don't you know
: that burglars have broken into the house and
stolen the baby? Why, we've been having
the awfullcst time you ever heard of for the
last two hours"
"Whv, I've got the baby up stairs with
me-" said Miss Borgs I've had him all
night"
"You lmvey" exclaimed the party in n
; breath
"Certainly."
"Do you mean 10 tell me-" said Atkinson
with supernatural camncss, that baby was
quietly sleeping in your room all this time p
"Yes"
Atkinson simply looked at her He fell
that language was unequal To the expression
of his feelings. Mrs Atkinson flew up stairs
two steps nj time The policemen laughed
and filed out, Jones pulling his dog by the
tail. Atkinson went to bed with raging anger
in his soul and the next morning he put {
sheet iron bottom, fastened with riyes, under
thal folding crib.
: Il hear You are fine shot, Mr. Pillicod
u DIS" said II neighbor to that estimable man
IL. l. L L I. -