Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-18

The Recent Grand BABY show 1t John
Wesley Church.

Wesley Church.
now TIE IrTTLx ONES WERE TUCKED IN THE SCALES
INDIVIDUAL PEcuLiARITrEs OF TIE ooSTEsrASTs-
THE ENTRIES AND THE PRrzEs-rHH TWO WINNERS.
The promenaders on the west side OF Connecti.
! cut avenue who took the trouble the other day to
| walk to the door OF the John Wesley Zion church,
opposite the convent were first mystired and then
entertained by the following announcement in
printers INK pasted on the panels Of the main
| door:
| ''GRAND BABY SHOW.
s'The sons and daughters OF conference having by
| entertainments and other ways rendered noble
service to our last annual conference which con-
vened in the John Wesley Zion church Of this CITY,
and afterward financially helped the said church,
and now feeling that they must not be idle but
up and ADDING in order to help the church Of God
John Wesley Zion church, wednesday, August Is,
beginning at p m. The baby weighing the
Weighing the nehtest win receive a carriage rug
Mothers, come and bring your loving, smiling
babies. Babies must be from to months old.
The little girl from to IL selling the most tickets
wagon"
such was tho announcement that called a STAR
| reporter to the doors Of the church wednesday
afternoon. An acnty sat on the steps waiting for
the show. "Dey said 1t was to begin at s, but
The Janitor OF the church, alias the sexton, said
that the show would open later. and the reporter
went into other nelds, to return in couple Of
IN THE CHURCH.
When he entered the church there was a fair
| gathering Of the colored members OF the church,
mostly OF tender years, noisy in anticipation. On
the platform were seated dozen youngsters from
1our TO eight years old, fresh in new-ironed
lawn and calico, and gorgeous with bouquets. one
little girl amused herself by slyly Knocking over
the threeegged stools that served as seats TOR her
The minutes were flying, and with them the
managers OF the show. At last the performance
on the platform. These, the reporter was told,
were not "the babies" but some adjunctory sun
ps brought IN to nep tne thing
rail, held the only eligible baby In sight, trotting
II on her knee and grooming to keep it good ma
Besides this baby the only other evidence OF the
snow was gltIering grocers balance and big
pile OF weights that stood at the feet OF the Sum
Gay schOol children on the platform.
ACTIVE OPERATIONS.
One of the brethren started the active operations
after the preliminary skirmishing by the children
by reading q rhymed and metered poem on the
s.Babies." Contestants were then called for.
Mothers were told to bring their pets to the front
row. A woman arose near the door and slowly,
hesitatingly, bashfully carried her precious baby,
almost hidden In long sweeping garment;
another, emboldened by this example, came for
ward, also holding wee bit OF humanity, and
another and another until there were four anx-
i lou hopeful proud, smiling mothers seated on
THEN THE JUDGES,
Mr.. Colbert and Miss Mabel Reed assisted by the
reader OF the poem, hauled the scales around to
the front OF the platform and began operations.
The baby in long clothes held by the woman on
the platform was the first entry. Her name was
given as Adverda Thomas Although she was a
small BABY and her apparent great length was due
TO the super-abundance Of Clothes yet some diff
Guilty was experienced In lifting her into the
scales AT last her little Irlled head was prOpped
on one edge OF the SCOOP and her stubby toes were
and the poet began piling weights on the other side
OF the scales. ten-pOund block was tried, but
the baby still held the ort looking with great eyes
OF wonder from one OF It's prosecutors TO another
but With serene cOuntenance 5-pound weight
was added but Still the Daby's Side was down.
Another weight, this time a half-pounder, did the
balancing work, and Miss Thomas was taken
from the scales at the weight OF 15x pounds, in
GLIDING long clothes. AS she left the scales her
was a sudden relaxation OF features, bringing with
1t yell Ike an engines whistle.
THE NEXT ENTRY.
Mr.. Henry Cryer, OF a ginger-cake hue, came
next He was calm when he entered the scoop,
and he watched the proceedings with considerable
| interest. His anxious mother kept her eyes ON
| the weights as they went on the pan, and when
the Thomas mark was reached and passed her
Iace 6rlgntened with hope: Inc scales tipped at
Cryer developed the consistent side OF his nature
and howled with disappointment.
MI. Daniel Eugene-at least such was the entry
| on the bOoks-came up next for trial. He was q
placid, intensely dark baby, with glorious eyes OF
ebony that rolled In amused interest throughout
the examination He wore shorter clothes than
the Others, and kicked his feet and wiggled his
toes so that 1t was difficult TO weigh him. He
finally Went up at two pounds less than Mr.. Cryer
whose mothers smile grew broader and happier.
| THE LAST CONTESTANT
was little Miss Mamie Louise Jones, a wee bit OF
| dark humanity, whose face looked like fieck OF
| SCOT in the midst OF her white cap. She was un-
doubtcdly OF timorous, retiring nature, for she
was visibly frightened by the CLEAN OF the brass
| scoop and the faces Of the judges Weights for
12H POUNDS sufficed to tip the beam, and little
Miss Jones was sent bowling back into her moth
ers arms.
Calls for more babies were heard. Mothers were
exhorted TO try their luck, told TO bring up their
offspring to be weighed, but TO no effect. The
| four parents with the four babies were still the
only occupants OF the front bench, and the voices
OF the judges spent themselves uselessly on the
air ana mingled with the strains OF a brass band
stationed In the church yard.
At last, after a wait OF about fifteen minutes,
the polls were closed and the result announced.
Mrs Cryer and Henry were called to the rail and
presented with the baby clothes, q mysterious
| tangle Of skirts, cap and shoes. Henry could not
see the Joke and wept bitterly. Little Miss Jones'
however accepted the BOBBY prize with much better
grace. IL was an embroidered carriage robe that
made one swelter TO behold. Congratulations
were then heaped upon the two successful infants
| and the ''dear things" were carried home in
triumph.
Operations were concluded by means OF an edi-
BILE entertainment In the room below, and the
| great baby show was thing OF the past
Sight Restored by n Lightning Flash.
| From the London Times.
The Northampton correspondent states that
| during the thunder storm OF Tuesday collier