Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-11-27
A Baby's Adventure.

The CONSERVATION Of household
where the baby is monarch Of all he
surveys, when the baby Is missing at
the morning walking hour, can be i'm
agined rather than described. At least
a family summering at Long Island
resort, thinks no words can paint the
agony Of suspense it suffered for about
five minutes when ii was supposed the
baby was lost, abducted, or had eloped!
1t seems this infant was one OF those
wakeful little beings who won't stay
asleep. and every art known to mother
hood has to be employed to keep him
quiet until the elder members of the
household seek repose, and all is still
for the night. When every one is in
bed, this year-olt monkey behaves
with admirable propriety until the first
streak of dawn. when he. is sure to be
up and doing, much to his parents dis
comfort
The other morning his mother walked
to find the sun shining brightly through
the curtain, but not a sound from tho
restless occupant of the crib beside her
bed. which was SO agreeable she turned
on the pillow and slept again. Pres
emily the servants began to stir about
and then the nurse tapped at the door
to take young master to be bathed and
dressed, when 10, the nest was empty!
No baby with soft brown curls was ly-
ing there, though. US his wicked uncle
said afterward, his bed had evidently
been slept in. For n few seconds dis
may paralyzed the quickly assembled
family, brought from the various apart
ments by the cry of the terrified moth
er, who, in flash, had searched
everywhere" for the missing child.
He had been stolen, he was dead, he
had fallen into the cistern. he had
Oh! where was the lost heir, who could
only Just walk about, and knew no
guile beyond sticking his only tooth in
q hard green applet While each nook
and corner, and every closet and bu-
reau-drawer was being opened and
looked into. the man-servant was seen
running from the stable carrying a
white bundle, with brown head and
two pink legs kicking furiously, in his
| arms. There was rush to the piazza
and chorus of CALCULATIONS, and then
Master Baby was embraced by as many
arms as could get round him ali at
once. And where had he been? No
one will ever know exactly where he
had been. for he can't tell. and perhaps
if he could he wouldn't; but one thing
is certain. he had managed to get out
| of his crib, and then out of the window
leading to the piazza. and from thence
to the stable-door, where stood great
basket of hay that he had played in the
afternoon before. 1t was in this ex-
posed but fragrant couch the man had
found him, like little Boy Blue, fast
asleep in the bright, dewy morning,
when he went to take care of his hors-
es. At first the poor fellow thought he
was dreaming or going mad, and then
he sensibly picked up the child and
rushed to the house for an explanation.
The only explanation to this strange
escapade is that Baby is somnambu-
list, and that he left his soft little bed
to play in the hay while asleep; but
why he did not come to grief in big
watering trough or wander down by
the beach are some of the painful con-
lectures which haunt his willing slaves,
and make them afraid to close an eye
save by turns. Boston Beacon.