The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-21
FROLicS OF A FATHER.


Solid Comfort Taken by . Young Married
Man with His First Bora.
[Chicago Tribune.l
Having settled themselves at table Tn
Toms back room the young man proceeded:
II just had rich time until that boy OF
mine was weeks old. Then the nurse left
and my wife said could just ~ well help
her as not, and was only too tickicd 70 b
able TO do something to make myself useful
We had no crib for the youngster then and
he slept with us between his mother and ms.
was cautioned not to roll ON him I'm ~
night, and / tried hard 10 keep still, but l.
hadn't been asleep more'n Q minute whom my
wife dug me In the ribs and yelled, Got ups
you're lying ON Adolphua' ! got up movsd
over into my place, and tried to sleep. but l
got ON the baby again, and finally wrApped.
myself In blanket aud sp0nt the rest of thsl
night ON the floor.
Tho next day got crib. Then my real
trouble began The boy would BE- fed ard
put into the crib. and I'd turn In Ny plsas-
ant drsams would fee as the plaintive yell
OF that youth cut the air and struck me with
the energy OF steam hammer. Aided bya
gentle push from my better half, Id climb
out, pick up the boy, and, clad In the cling.
ing folds Of night-sbirt aud pair OF sippsr~
I'd sit me down 10 woo We gentle god Of
slumber On my sons account This attempt
at wooing the gentle god is the direct csass'
Of the ruin you see before you. just the
minute picked the baby irom his bunk he'd
stop yelling and look at me In wide-eyed sur "
prise and seem to say: "Where In thunder
did you drop fromr Then, a. nat down
AMI tried to got him comfortably balanced
on one Of my knees, he'd bsgin clawing tho,
air and grunting contentsdly.
about this time yet my foot In motion.
troti trot! and accompanied u with seiuc-.
tive 'sh--h-h-h, th--ere--e-e' that I
hoped would soon lull him 10 seep. But nary
luu. He'd look at me. smile--his grand:
mother says lis collie that makes him snsile---
and then take in the furniture piece by piere..
and stare stupidity at the dimly burning gas.
Jet He was perfectly cool about thin.
Nothing was done In haste. Each PICTURE.
chair and ornament, would receive minuts,
inspection from those wide opened blue eyes,
and your humble servant kept digging away
at the troll trot! and sh-h-h' scheme all
the while. Suddenly there would be slow
closing Of the little white lids and the blue
eyes were hidden. Aha! Now he was going
to sleep Al lasti And I'D work the tsvel
trot! with renewed vigor. Then he'd sikh
tired little sigh, and when was surs hs
was fast asleep I'd start to 10y him h X In
hts crib
"But Just a. I would lean over 10 lay him
down he'd open his eyes. COO happily, and
seem to say: oh, I'm not asleop; I was jss
having some fun with YOU and there was
nothing TO do tut 10 take him back 10 the.
chair and begin tho whole business over
again Another three quarters OF an hour
would drag wOarily by, and second time
the baby's eyes would ci0ne and sieep appear
to have como at lest How carefully Id
snsak over to tho crib and gently lAy him on
his httle quilt How tendsriy I'd tuck ~
in and wish that hs'd sleep for . week
moro 70 give mo o chance 30 catch up On
what rd lost. Hs doe<n't move. and tip.tos.
to tho bsd that had known 20 little of me fog
some time. sneak In undsr covers, stretch
mysslf. think therV never was anything quit4
20 comfortable o. that bsd, and close my
eyes for refreshing nap. when thers coma
from The eyib Suspicious grunt, followed By
. string of spasmodic coughs aad IN unmis,
takabls ysll
aPsiniuuy climb out oe tAs rsstful bsd.
snatch The infant from his dowuy couch and
quiet him with the same old troti trot. trots
whils tho chill night brsesss Goat through
the open window and play 'peek-a boo witch,
my modest knees under the tapping hap oe
my night-shirt THIS has bsen my nightly
programme for about two weeks, and you
see the result before you. I haven't slspt
twenty consecutive minutes In twenty con-
sscutivs days You aid something abous
having comfort with that 10y. I fondly
hoped I'd got IL I'm still hoping, And the
gloomy look again stole over the face n thA
happy father. His eyes gassd vacantly into
space a he mechanically made his way "a
the door. and with shufiiing, uncertain sasp
IN totta Fvsd awav