The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-05-17
A Boys Composition on q Baby.

never could see bse OF babies. We
have one at our house that belongs to
mother and she thinks everything of it.
I can't see anything wonderful about it.
ALI it can do to cry, and pull hair and
kick. 1t hasn't half the sense Sf my
dog, and can't even chase CIT. Mother
and he wouldn't have dog in the house,
but they are always going on about the
baby, and saying:
"Isn't it perfectly sweetp
The worst thing about baby is that
you're expected to take care Of him, and
then you get scolded afterwards. Folks
say:
"Here. Jimmy, just hold the baby
minute, that's a good boyS; and then as
boon as you have got it, they say: "Don't
do thatl Just look at himt That boy
will kill the child! Hold it up straight,
you good for nothing little wretch !"
It's pretty hard to do your best and
then be scolded for it, but that is the way
boys are treated. Perhaps when I'm big,
folks will wish they had done differently.
Last Saturday mother and Sue went out
70 make calls, and told me to stay at home
and take care of the baby. There Was
football match on, but what did they care
for that. They didn't want to 30 to it,
and 80 it tnade no difference whether
went to it or not.
They said they would be gone only a
while, and if the baby walked up I was to
play with it and keep it from crying, and
"be sure aud not let it swallow any pins"
Ofcourse, I had to do 1t. The baby was
sound asleep when they wont out, so
left it just few minutes Hhils / won't to
see if there sas Any cake in the pantry.
tff was a woman I wouhn't be 80
dreadfully suspicious as to kesp every.
thing locked up. When gos bssk up.
stairs again the baby waa awake, sad was
bowling as if he MAS full Of pins, So I
gave him the first thing that eaaae handy
to keep him quiet. 1t hsppsad 10 be a
bottle Of polish, with sponss a ehc and
of q wire that Sue used to black her
boots, because girls ara too lssy 10 use the
regular blacking brush.
Tho baby stopped crying 81 soon as I
gave him. the bottle, and I sat down to
read a paper. The next time looked at
him he'd got Uut the sponge and about
halfof his face wasjet black. This was a
nice fix, for l knew nothing could get the
black off his face; and wheh mother
came home shs would say the baby
was. spoiled and I had done it.
Now I think an all.black baby Is ever
50 mnch more stylish than an all.white
baby, and when Isaw that the baby was
partly black made up my mind that if I
blacked it all over it would be worth
more than itever had been; and perhaps
mother would be ever so tnheh pleased.
So I hurried up and gave ita good coat
of black. You should have seen how
that baby shinedl The polish dried as
soon as it was put on, and I had just time
to get baby dressed again when mother
and Sue came in. wouldn't lower my.
self to repeat their unkind lanRusge.
When yoa've been called numbering
little villain and an unnatural son 1t will
rankle in your heart for ages. After
what they said to me / didn't even seem
to mind about father, but went upstairs
with him almost as If / was going to
church, or something that didp't hurt
much. The baby is beautiful and shiny,
though the doctors say it will wear off in
few weeks. Nobody shows any graft.
tude for all the trouble I took, and I can
tell you it isn't easy to black baby
without getting it into his eyes and hair.
Isometimes think it is hardly worth while
to live in this cold and unfselipg world.
London It'd Bis.