Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-14

not more than five minutes before Mary
returned with Baby Hasketh, for it hap,
pened that the large, round-eyed, good
natured infant had Just been bathed an6
put into her best frock and her new shoes
The little creature gave kind of cluck-
ing crow as she was deposited on the Pro-
fessor's knee.
She was desperate tyrant let loose to
follow every within and caprice of her
fancy. The Professor tossed her up to the
ceiling amid her screams of delight. He
rode her on his high, broad shoulders
while her Little plump hand was grasping
his thick gray name. He carried her by
her frock gathered in bunch behind, her
little red boots kicking in uncontrolled
| glee, much as cat carries its kitten by the
nape Of the neck. Then, when the rough
and-tumble play was ended, they sat down
in the great arm chair for season of low
ing communion.
| There was nothing about the professor
ample person sacred to those tiny fumbling
hands. She gave him moist, soft kisses
all about his grizzled cheeks. She tugged
at his neckcloth, and ran her little fat fists
down behind his shirt collar. She patted
his head and twined his gray locks about
her chubby fingers, softly cooling with a
sense of complete satisfaction. She tugged
at his watch-chain until the great old
fashioned machine he had brought from
Germany came up from the depths of his
capacious pocket.
This watch was valueless as time
keeper. He never knew whether it was
right or wrong. If it stopped, as it often
did, he shook itsmartly two or three times,
put it to his ear, and was well satisfied to
hear the old comPanionable tick. 1t was
one of Baby Hasketh's pet playthings. She
was allowed to have the case opened and
to poke about in it with her fat little fin
ger. She had thrown it more than once
violently upon the floor, but still the old
creature" as Mary called it, continued to
tick with cheerful pertinacity and total
disregard to the course of the sun.
The Professor, with Baby Hasketh in
his arms, was in trance of delight. His
blue eyes shone with tranquil beneyolence,
and he was at peace with himself and the
world. He was mesmerized by the touch
of the little, vague, fumbling hands and
the stream of baby talk that came from
the rosy lips. But the memory of "that
donkey, Jennings" and his absurd bacillian
theories kept grumbling in his mind like
the mutter of distant thunder, until at !
last he softly deposited Baby Hesketh on
the rug, penned her in with four great |
cyclopedias of universal science, gave her
the shoppers of two of his glass jars to |
play with and sofa pillow wherein to re-
pose while she kicked her little red boots |
in the air.
Whila Tho prafa-cOr a,,A fbah olr loI |
enjoyed their little frolic Copernicus, |
bird of jealous disposition, had strutted
about with rufiled feathers, emitting sharp |
notes of anger. Ptolemy had crept out of
the tank in the laboratory and came rub
bing his side against the masters foot.
But the Professor, with Mary's warning in
mind, shut the alligator in his den and
drove CopernIcus out of the window, when,
the coast being clear, he seized his pen
and began to demolish Jennings.
Some time elapsed, while nothing was
heard but baby's contented cooling on the
rug and the scratch of the professors pen
Then the cooling ceased and the pen went
on vigorously. Mary, below in the kitchen,
hearing all sounds cease overhead, grew
fidgety as she strained her ear listening for
Baby Hesketh's usual signal by which
she made her appearance manifest in the
big, silent house. She put down the peas
she was Smelling for dinner, and again
stole to the study door, which now stood
aiar, and as she peered in she gave
startled cry.
There was an empty pen of great tones,
the sofa pillow dented by baby's head, and
her dropped playthings and one little red
boot.
The poor professor started to his feet
with a bewildered air. He had totally
forgotten Baby Hasketh in the zeal with
which he had been pursuing the hapless
Jennings. Now he ran his hands vio-
lently through his hair, gesture betoken-
ing perfect desperation and the total loss of
all his resources.
"The alligator" gasped Mary, in a
tragic tone that sent cold chill through
his whole being. But no, there was
Ptolemy asleep on shelf in the tank with |
his eyes open. Nothing in the rotundity
of Ptolemy indicated that he had just |
swallowed baby. Copernicus was out
side on the window ledge pecking at the
glass to be let in.