The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-13
BascOmb's Baby.


She brought it over to our house,
Mrs. BascOmb did. 1t was their first
"a wee little ~ faced, red-headed
pug-nosed, bowling infant. 1t was
one of the hottest days of July and
she had wrapped up in three shawlS
and a bed quilt, and was in agony
every moment for fear it would
SneeZe.
"Do see his darling, darling little
face" she said to me as she unwound
him about forty times and looked to
see which end its feet were on.
looked. 1 haYe been the father
of11 just such bowling little wop-
sizes. and | didn't see anything re-
markable about Bascomh's baby.
"See those eyes, that firmness of
mouth, that temper in his look - she
went on.
saw them.
The little son ofa gun began TO get
red in the face and to beat the air, and
his mother shouted:
He's being murdered by a pin !"
She turned him wrong end up, laid
him on his face, then on his back
loOsened his bands, rubbed the soles
of his feet, and the tears stood in her
eyes as she remarked:
81 know he won't live-he's too
smart.
The child recovered; and as he lay
across her knees and surveyed theceil-
ing, she went on:
Such head! Why every one
who sees him says that he is going to
be Beecher. DO you notice that
forehead ?"
did. | thought he was all fore.
head as the hair did not commence
to grow until the back of his neck
was reached; ; but she assured me that
l was mistaken.
Wouldn't just heft him one?"
| hefted him.
| told her | never saw a child oil
his weight weigh so much, and she
smiled like an angel. She said she
was afraid | didn't appreciate chill
dren, bnt now she knew | did.
"Wouldn't just look at his darl
ing little feet-his little red feet and
cunning toeS?"
Yes I would.
She rolled him over on his face and
unWOund his feet and triumphantly
held them up tony gaze. / cOntem.
plated the hundreds of little wrink les
running lengthWise and crOssWise
the big toes and little toes, and ]
agreed with her that, so far as l cOulC
Judge from the feet and toes and the
wrinkles, future of uneXanpleC
brilliancy lay before that pug-nosec
imp.
He began to kick and howl, anC
she stood him on end, set him up
laid him down and trOttpd him unit
she bounced the wind collie into the
middle of September.
"Whom did he look like?"
/ bent over the scarlet-faced rascal
pushed his most one side, chuckeC
him nnber the chin, and didn't an
sWer without due deliberation.
told her that there was "A faint reSem
blance to George Washington arouno
the mouth, hat the eyes reminded
me of Daniel Webster, while TIL,
general features had made me thinl
of the poet Milton ever since she Ell
tered the house.
That was just her view exactly
only she hadn't said anything about
it before.
Didn't l think he was to smart t,
live?"
l felt Of his ears, rubbed his head
put my finger down the back of hi
neck, and told her that, in m!
humble opinion, he wasn't. thOugl
he had had a narrow escape. If hi
nose had been set little more to on,
side, or his ears had appeared in tn
place Of his eyes, Bascomb could nav,
purchased weed for his hat withou
delay. No; the child would live
There wasn't any doubt abOutit: ant
any man or woman who said h
wouldn't grow up and to make tn
world thunder with his fame, woulC