The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-06
That Baby.

There was baby in the railway car
the other day. 1t was not an unusual
child. but it had decidedly bright
face and pretty ways. For the first
few miles She was very quiet, and her
blue ewes looked around in wonder
ment, for evidently it was the little
ones first ride on the cars. Then as
she became used to the roar and rum.
BILE, the baby proclivities asserted
themselves, and she began to play with
her fathers mustache. AT hrst the Ia
ther and mother were the only. parties
interested, but soon young lady in an
adjacent seat nudged her escort ana dl'
rected his attention to the Laughing
child. He looked up, remarked thar
it was pretty baby and tried to look
unconcerned but it was noticed that
his eyes wandered back 10 the spot, oc'
cupied by the happy famil ly, and ne
commenced to smile. The baby pull
ed the hair of all old lady in front,
who turned around savagely and glar-
ed at the father with look that plain
Iy said, .Nuisances should be left az
home" But she caught sight of the
laughing eyes of the baby, and when
she turned back she seemed pleased
about something. Several others had
become interested in the child by this
time,-business men and young clerks,
old ladies and girls,-and when the
baby hands CRASHED the large silk hat
of her father and placed it on her own
head, it made such comical picture
that an old gentleman across the way,
, unable to restrain himself, burst out
into a loud guffaw, and then looked
sheepishly out the window, as II
ashamed to be caught doing such an
unmanly thing. Before another five
minutes he was playing peek-a-boo
across the aisle with the baby, and ev-
cry one was envying him.
The ubiquitous young man, ever on
the move. passed through, and was at
a loss to account for the frowns of ev-
erybody. He had failed to notice the
baby. The brakeman looked in from
his post on the platform and smiled.
The paper boy found no custom till ne
had spoken to the baby and jingled his
pocket of change for her edification:
The conduc:or caught the fever and
chuckled the little one under the chin,
while the old gentleman across the
aisle forgot to pass up his ticket, so IN
terested was he playing peek a-boo:
The old lady in front relaxed, and div
ing into her reticule unearthed a brill
liant red pippin and presented 1t bash
fully to the little one, who, in re-
Spouse, put her chubby arms around
the donors neck and pressed her rosy
little mouth to the old lady's cheek.
1t brought back flood of remem-
brances to that withered heart, and 4
handkerchief was seen to brush first
this way and then that, as if to catch
falling tear.
The train sped on and pulled into
the station where the baby, with her
parents, was to leave the car. "A look
of regret came over every face. The
old Gentleman asked if he couldn't
kiss it just once; the old lady returned
the caress she had received, and the
baby moved toward the door, shaking
a by-by over the shoulder OF her papa,
to which every one responded, includ'
ing the newsboy, who emphasized his
farewell with wave of his hat. The
passengers rushed to the side where
the baby got off and watched till she
turned out of sight at the other end OF
the station, shaking by-bys all the
time. Then they lapsed into silence.
They missed that baby, and not one OF
them would be unwilling to acknowl,
edge it. The little ones presence had
let q rift of sunshine into every heart,
warm or cold, in that car.
Orphans Friend, House OF angel
Guardian.