Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-10-30
"Chucka a chucka - chucka = chuclsr it


scratching his head perplexedly, II can't
iif5 you ur, you know; it's out of the ques
t;on--impossble. By Jove, I might let yor
drop and smash your
"Chucka-chucka-ch Boo-oo-oop
gobbed the baby. as II it we're ths best JoKa
e TIE world
bootles positively roared
You don't mindi Well. come along,
then approaching very gingerlv. au5 won-
ae,lne where he should begin &c ge. bol5 81
It. SC to speak
The baby soca settled that question hold
ing Out its arms towards his neck Then
somehow, be gathered it up and carried i.
III doubt and trepidation tc the big chair by
tie fire, where the creature sat ccntentedy
upon his knee. the curly golden head resting
against his scarlet jacket the soft frgers Of
one baby hand tight twined rourG enc O?
bis, the other picking and wandering aim
leSsiF abcut the scrolls and curves CT the
geld elnhrciiTy or his waistcoat.
BY Jcve. ton're & Jelly little chap said
Bottles just as if il could understand him.
Bat the question is, where did you come
| from. and wha;s to be done With you! iCu
can't step hera, you know"
The babes Zig blue eyes raised themselves
to hie, and the fingers which had been
twiped round his made grab at his watch
chain
garr-rah!" it remarked, in
such evident delight that Bottles laughed
| again.
ooh, you like it, do you? Well, you're a
queer little beggar; no mistake about that
wonder whom you belong to, and where
| you live when you are at ONE! Can't be a
barrack ohild-too dainty-lockng and not
slobbery enough. And this dress'-taking
hold of the richly embroidered white skirt
'this must have cost lot; and it's all Lace
too"
He knew what embroidery cost by his own
mess waistcoats and his tunics. Then not
only was the dress Of the child of very
costly description, but its sleeves were tied
up with Cambridge blue ribbons that were
evidently new, and its waist was encircled
by broad sash of the same material and
tint. Altogether it was just such child as
he was occasionally called upon to admire in
the houses of his married brother officers;
yet that any lady in the regiment would
lend her baby for a whole night to set of
harum scarum young fellows for the purpose
Of playing trick on a brother officer was
manifestly absurd. And besides that, Boobies
was so good-natured and such a favorite
with the ladies of the regiment that he
thought he knew all their babies by sight,
and he became afraid that this one was in
deed little stranger in the land, welcome
or unwelcome.
Yet il it was the fellows doing, where had
they got it? And if it was not the fellows
doing, why should any one leave baby
asleep in his cot? The whole thing was in
applicable.
Just tnen the child, in playing with
his chain, slipped little on the smooth
cloth of his overalls, and Bottles, with
'Whoa! whoa, my lad!' hauled it up again.
In doing SO he felt piece of paper rustic
somewhere about the embroidered skirt
"a note. This grows melodramatic," said
Boobies, craning his neck to find it. sob,
here we are! Now we shall see."
The noe was written in firm, large,
yet thoroughly feminine hand, and ran
thus:
''You will net absolve me from my oath
of secrecy respecting our marriage, though
now that 1 have offended you, I may starve
or go to the workhouse [ cannot break my
oath, though you have broken all yours, but
am determined that you shall acknowledge
your child. am going to leave her tonight
in your rooms with her CLOTHES. By mid
night I shall be out of the country. l do
this because I have obtained O good situa-
ton, and because when | reach my destina-
ton I shall have spent my last shilling. I
give you fair warning, however, that if you
desert the child, or fail to acknowledge her.
I will break my oath and proclaim our mar
riage If you engage nurse she will not
be much trouble. She is good and sweet
tempered child, and 1 have called her Mary,
after your dear mother. Oh, how she would
pity me if she could seq me now! Fare
we'll"
From that moment Boobies absolved ''the
fellows" from any share in the affair; but
what to do with the child he had not the
least idea.
ut is the very devil" he said aloul,
watching the busy fingers still playing with
his chain.
He gathered it awkwardly in his arms,
and rose to look for the clothing spoken Of
in the letter. Yes, there it was, parcel Of
goodly size, wrapped in stout brown paper
cover, and on the chair beside his cot lay the
outdoor garments of young child-a
white coat bordered with fur, a fur-trimmed
cap, and some other things which Bottles
did not quite understand the use of; white
wool fingerless gloves lat least he did not
know what else they could be), and some
longer things of the same class, like stock
ings without feet
Bottles shook his head bewilderingly.
'Mother means it to stop; don't know
what to do" he said helpeSSly.
1t occurred to him then that perhaps
some of the fellows night be able to make
suggestion He did not know what to do
with the child for the night, nor, for the
matter of that, what to do with it for the
moment. He had the sense not to take it
cut into the chill midnight air, and when he
attempted to put it back into the cot it re-
Ie,led. clinging to his watch-chain with
might and main.
'sWell, have it then," he said, slipping it
off.
The baby, pleased with the glittering toy.
set up cry of delight, and Bottles took the
opportunity of slipping out. He entered
the ante-room with very rueful face, find
ing it pretty much as he had left it. Lacy
was the first to catch sight OF him.
''Hello, BOTTLES, what the mat-tah?" he
asked. SIS your head wors,p
~My head! Oh, I forgot all about it,"
Bottles replied "But, say, I'm in mess.
There's baby in my room"
"a what?' they cried, with one voice.
ga baby" repeated BOTTLES, dismally.
''Al-ive?n asked Lacy, with his head on
one side. '"' $50 t~
''Alive Oh, very, very much so, and
means to stop, for it has brought its entire
wardrobe and letter of Introduction with
it, holding the letter for any one to take
who chose It was Lacy who did so, and he
asked if he should read it up.
Yes, do" said Boobies, dropping into
chair with groan. Perhaps some one else
will own to it"
So Lacy read the letter in his ridiculous
drawl of voice, and ceased amid profound
silence 'Fa-ah-wel!"
''Wellg' said BOTTLES, finding no one
seemed inclined to speak 'Wel"
WELL" said Preston, solennly, eff you
want ny opinion, BOTTLES, think you ought
to be ashamed of yourself
A general laugh followed, but Bottles
protested.
sob, don't imagine it's me. I've nothing
to do with it. I shouldn't have come to you
fellows if | had"
mo, no. of course not" returned Miles.
promptly, but with an air which raised
another shout
''Then it's plant" announced Preston, in
a tone Of conviction.