Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-07-05
FOB OUR YOUNG READERS.
a LOST BABY.

old? If you have, read this story; but
If not, stop at once. for you won't un-
derstand it.
You know then, If you have a
baby, what a tyrant that baby
can be, and You also know that
the easiest thing where that baby is
concerned is to look UP to it as cap
tain, and obey orders
Now there was a baby in the Drake
family, and it was just the biggest and
jol1iest baby you can imagine; but it
was also the most energetic and willful
baby that ever existed.
It was not able to say very much, but
whatever it did say it said several
times over, so that no one should for
get it.
It did not think very. much either;
but all the same it held very decided
opinions upon one or two points.
For instance, the Drake baby was
absolutely certain that her brothers
Christopher and Matthew Cor 'sMat-
tie," as he was generally called) were
sent into the world to do nothing but
amuse her.
There was one very good thing, and
that was that both the boys were SO
fond of the baby that they were very
willing to spend their time with her.
Well, one afternoon the baby offered
to take her brothers for a walk. I
say she s'offered to take them"
because you can not say they took her
when she was the captain-or, rather,
the captainess-of the party. It was a
beautiful afternoon, and the little party
wandered on and on, without noticing
how far they were getting from home.
The baby, of course, didn't trouble her.
self about it, and she kept her brothers
so busily occupied that they forgot all
about the time and the distance, until
she suddenly announced that she was
hungry. Then the boys remembered
that they were getting hungry, too, and
that it must be near tea-time.
Then Christopher noticed for the first
time how late it was getting, and how
far they had wandered.
He turned his face homeward at once.
That was an easy thing to do; but it
baby to do the same. Christopher
persuaded and coaxed, but the baby
pursued her way undisturbed. Then
Matte proposed to carry her. This,
of course, suited the young lady, and
the boys took her in turn until their
arms ached and they were obliged to
rest. By this time they were nearly
halfway home. They all sat down on
the trunk of tree. Baby for once
was still, for she was beginning to feel
rather sleepy. Presently Matte picked
up big branch, and putting his small
legs one on each side, pretended that
he was riding horse.
''Baby ride! baby rider shouted his
small sister.
"You shall ride" said Christopher.
"Mattie, do you see that big bought
Let us fetch that, sit baby on the end
and drag it along"
'.Hurrah!' cried Matte, s'now we
shall get ON famously."
It was no sooner said than done.
Baby was seated on the leaves and
branches, and told to hold tight, and
the boys pulled in front.
"Gee-up," cried baby, very pleased
"gee-up."
ssNow pull hard, Matte" said
Christopher, and the party started OFF.
But baby was getting tired, and very
soon she began to cry.
''Let us sing to her." said Matte.
Christopher agreed, and the two
boys started q school song.
Very soon after the sobs ceased, and
the baby was quiet. The boys sang
vigorously.
keep on, Matte, and don't look
round at her, or she will begin to cry
again." said Christopher.
''This bough seems to get lighter as
we go along, instead of heavier" said
Matte, when they were very nearly
home. 1.-THE singing must help us to
forget the weight"
So, happy and cheerful, the party ar
rived at the cottage. When they
reached the gate Christopher ran to
open it. telling Matte to bring the
baby in. 1t was by this time quite
dark.
sCome along, baby" said Matte.
There was no answer. ''Why, she
must be asleep-no, she isn't. Why,
Christopher, she's not here at all!'
'sWhat nonsense!" said Christopher;
'sshe must be there
But Matte was right, the baby was
not there. They fetched light, and
looked about. Surely it was not pos
sible to loose baby; but it seemed SO,
for this baby could not be found.
Matte began to cry, and Christopher
fetched his father and mother, and told
them the trouble.
The father stared. you've lost the
baby!'' he said; and he really seemed
to think that Christopher must be jok-
ing. But when he realized the truth he
quickly fetched lanterns, and set out
with Christopher and his mother to
hunt for the baby. Matte was left be-
hind. He was too tired to set out
again, but he could not rest indoors, so
he stood in the dark, sobbing and cry
ing at the gate. He was all alone, but
he was not frightened for himself, only
for the baby.
Time passed very slowly. It seemed
to Matte as If he had been waiting
five hours, when he really had not
been more than fifteen minutes.
ALI at once he heard some one, not
very great distance from him, say:
''Gee-up, gee-up." Matte started; it
sounded like the baby's voice. Was
she coming homap He 0nenod the