Evening capital., 1889-06-03
TOPSY.

detest babies Gentle reader you are
ready to declare me to be a cynical old bach
cl0r; and IL you are q woman, more espe-
ciaily young woman, and an unmarried
one at that you have already made up your
mind TO detest mo for the brutal remark
with which | have introduced myself, and
are forthwith ready to declare you viii not
read anything that such heartiess wretch
would write. But beg Of you to withhold
your Indignation till Lqualify my remark by
further declaring that the antipathy which
exists fiji my breast for these necessary mem
bers Of society Is for babies per So. and does
not at all apply to those useful but noisy
young persons into which they subsequently
develop.
We have had several babies come to our
home at various times with somewhat alarm
ing frequency. aud | have been martyr to
their despotic sway many a cold and stormy
night, tho which were | to relate an army Of
heroic brothers would at once rise up and ex-
tend the sympathetic hand, with the cheerful
and consoling invitation to 'sput it there.p
But this was not the cause OF my peculiar
dislike for babies. always submitted cheer
fully to their demands with becoming grace,
being melted thereto by a sense of paternal
interest Ia my offspring and the constant adj
monitions Of my respected wife.
It was a baby that nearly wrecked my hap
piness for life; baby that fell like bomb,
as it were, into our peaceful home, spreading
fear and CONSERVATION among It's unsuspect-
Ing members and nearly destroying forever
our happy little household, and It was not our
haby, either
It was before the advent in our family Of
any Of those little responsibilities, which lat
terly havo not been as dilatory In their arri-
walls as / would like, that the incident oc-
CURED | am about to relate.
Louisa and had been married about two
years and were living contentedly in nice
llttlo house ii quiet and refined neighbor-
hood had an Office down town where /
conducted a real estate agency, giving par
tlcular attention TO letting houses for my pa
irons, who Cor the most part lived out of
town and paid me to look after their proper
ty, from which derived comfortable in
como.
One afternoon | entered my Office, after
having been to inspect some houses for which
was endeavoring to obtain desirable ten
ants, and discovered lying on my desk little
note hastily written with pencil across q
tablet where could scarcely fail to see it. II
read thuss
day. Louisa and have gone TO matinee. Please
take caro- Of Topsy. A6ectionately.
ARAHELLA.
Arabella was my wife's sister, who, being
young widow, lived out Of town with her
mother She rarely visited us, and when
she did il was only for a few hours at q time,
as she did not like to leave her mother, who
was ii feeble health, for any length Of time
"Who In thunder is Topsyl" mentally
calculated, turning around to see IL could
find anything to which hatappellation might
properly be applied. did not have long to
look. As my eyes glanced toward the lounge
on which was won't to lay my weary frame
after exhaustive arguments with unreasona-
bio tenants / saw red faced, pudgy looking
baby, which had been carefully deposited in
the comfortable nook made by the back and
one end Of thecushioned lounge. Afeeling Of
distrust at once seized me, but felt greatly
relieved when discovered that the little I'M
truder was asleep
II hope they'll get back before IL wakes, =
said, as turned to my desk and buried my.
self In my work. The clock struck 8, re.
minding me that it was my usual time of
closing. / put away my books with sigh
Of relief, and prepared to leave the Office,
when suddenly remembered the baby. Ik
was still asleep. but was annoyed that Lou,
isa and Arabella did not make their appear
nnco Tho matinee was certainly over, and
they would Be back directly. sat down and
waited Picking up newspaper ! read
awhile till became aware that IL was grow
ing darker. jumped up; it was nearly 8
and Louisa and Arabella not come yet.
hal,v hon,a n,vsalfi Horrible thonghtl
,sos,l., ryast ! littla srhiIa Ioncar
Tl,e s,snrsas seemed lil-a hours ne Ell,
the,,s,t ~ nv lavines u ~, ,.ar,v that fr,ehtfsI
burden home with me. The Thought had an
nxvfnl fascination about II. which vainlv
sfrove analnsk what wonid nv aco,,ainf-
ssnena fhir,lr fF see me lnsruirfr about s1ch an
uncoufh burdenl
cre,d MT heln ,k rsl,a ono who i.
es,.a,,ceIv is,,nplIea tF sask hirasrlf haa.3lnng
s,.s,o I.,t ss.,, owe, vvh,ss h,,,S
ns 1880 svrs l,,ssstshlv r,nved :, sas1e
fSaf ;s,,ocsf,f loolsinc child and rnsh forfh
i,e,, ia ssk ,,ssvs, s,,,sis,, RIM could l.s
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