Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-12-03
Mr.. PeddicOrd's Dad In Bed.
he TAKES TEE DOCTORS ADVICE AND oH
TAINs SOME INTERESTING RESULTS.

HE TAKES TEE DOCTORS ADVICE AND OBJ
TAINs SOME INTERESTING RESULTS.
81 think I'll stay in bed to day." re
marked John Henry Peddicord when the
alarm clock went off at few mornings
ago. 81 don't feel very well, and l read 3
few days since an article BY prominent
physician, in which he said that If people
would 60 to bed and stay there whole
would live TO good old age"
ssWell, l think I would" said Mrs.
John Henry Peddicord encouragingly.-
"You have been complaining of severe
headache for several days, and have be-
come quite anxious about you" So John
Henry turned over on his pillow and set
tied himself for his unwonted luxury.
He had just got to sleep again when the
baby woke up. The baby had not read
the learned article by the prominent physi-
clan, and it would have had no effect on
her if she had. She was opposed to sleep
on general principles, at any time, day or
night, and only succumbed at the latter
time from dire necessity, when she could
no longer prop her eyes open. But stay in
bed all day? Never!
Baby's waking was the signal for her
mamma to rise.
"John Henry, love-" said Mrs. Peddi-
cord, 'as you are not going to get up, l
think I'li let you amuse baby while dress.
The girl is busy this morning; it's ironing
morning, you know. It'll be such help"
So while Mrs. Peddicord dressed, Join
Henry Peddicord tried to smuse the baby,
but the attempt was not a gigantic sue
cess. The baby wanted to get up have
begin its days work, but John Henry, and
- ko snko q
prominent physicisn's theory, could not &C
supported by much heavy wailing.
To assist in the general work of amusing
baby, Mrs John Henry Peddicord un-
loaded on the bed varied assortment Of
toys There were dolls, tin wagons, loco
motives, building blocks and the like.
By the aid of these adjuncts to infantile
pacification and the expenditure Of more
vital force than an entire days work at the
Office would consume, John Henry kept the
baby in a state of comparative quiet for
ten minutes, and the word ''comparative'
is used advisedly.
By this time Mrs. John Henry Peddioord
was dressed.
"I'll take the baby now and dress her,
she said. "I'm sure she hasn't bothered
you much, love. SEES dust as dood az
dold; Sc is mommer's little toddles."
| The second half of Mrs. John Henry'f
remarks was addressed to the baby, not to
John Henry.
"Mommer" took the baby, and John
Henry snuggled into his pillow for another
snooze. He had scarcely got to sleep when
he was awakened by the wife Of hif
bosom.
"I'll 60 and bring up your breakfast
love, if you'll just mind the baby while
go downstairs for it. There's the break
fast bell now. Baby will be good, I'm
sure. I'll set her on the bed and you car
play with her."
But baby had some conscientious ecruples
about going to bed just after dressing, anc
she filed several emphatic protests, which
the disappearance Of her mamma did MOI
ttend to render less energetic.
This time John Henry's efforts to as
suage the grief of his child we're utterly
unavailing. He endeavored to explain t
her that the features of Edna, the chubby
rubber doll, were worthy of more than {
casual glance, but baby would not listen.-
Equally unavailing were bis efforts to poin
out the wonderful beauties of ''choo
choo" locomotive.
But finally Mrs. John Henry came to he
lords assistance and carried off the baby
while he sat up in bed, propped with pill
lows, ate his buttered toast and his boilet
eggs, drank his coffee, and thought tina
the prominent physicians idea was no
such bad one after all.
His breakfast eaten, John Henry Peddi
cord lay and dozed and lazily dreamed TO-
perhaps half an hour, when his wife in
vaded the bedroom again.
She had an idea.
"John Henry" she said, "I've no end o
shopping to do, and l just believe I'll g
to day, while you are at home. No ont
can take care of the baby as well as you
feel so much safer when you are homs
with baby dear, and you won't mind, viii
you, lovei'
John Henry groaned inwardly.
Oh, no; he wouldn't mind at all. Anc
he didn't for whole half hour after Mrs
Peddicord had disappeared. The baby had