The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-08-07
PUTTING THE BABY ASLEEP.
BY MRS. NJ. L. MORRISON.

room to adjust her bonnet before the
mirror. which mirror reflected fire lit.
white curtained nest. where babe slept
in his pink draped crib, and young girl
sat sewing among the house plants by the
window.
You'll have no trouble, Doll, she said
for the hundredth time, "if you keep the
room quiet. This is his first nap to-day,
and probably he won't wake until l re-
turn.
Doll nodded, afraid to trust her voice
in an atmosphere where sounds were so
pregnant of disaster. Mrs. Dewry gave
the bonnet one last criticism and went
softly out. Doll was alone with her re-
sponsibility. This was the first infant in
the family since her own babyhood, and
she was unprepared for the change. She
told herself that she never would have
come to Granger to visit her sister if she
had anticipated anything like this. What
if the cradle should de, lop contents of a
BUSINESS she dropped her thread. The
kitten ran after the spool and brought
down the tongs with catter like stage
thunder. One chubby arm stood upright
above the cradle. Doll thrust the kitten
out Of door which squeaked with the
blood curdling effect of an Irish banshee.
Rap. rapl went some one at the inner
door. Doll had just lifted the tongs;
down they came now, clattering. Rap!
rap! rap! came the thunder. The cradle
began to move.
"Oh, hush!" whispered poor Doll, ad-
mitting the guilty party, who proved to
be the washwonian, with the clean
clothes on her head and an offended face.
as Mrs. Dewry here?" shouted the
woman, I've brought them sheets she
accused me of stealing"
"Oh, don't! The baby!"
1t was too late The cradle had re-
solved itself into a commotion Of flying
legs and arms. Doll found the baby and
began to walk up and down the room,
ginging-
Go, go away, washeewoman, go,
Come. come. some other day.
Mrs. Dewrys gone."
Then in an authoritative tone
II can't talk to you now. Leave the
clothes and CO."
go, go, go, washeewoman, go!
Auntie Dollie can't talk. talk now"
"Well, want you should tell her I
brought them sheets, pursued the Kan
tippe in the dulcet tones of a savage on
the war path. Next time she talks of
Stealing"
For an amiable person, Doll closed the
door with considerable emphasis. Sing
ing and walking, she tranquilized her
small tyrant, and there ensued an inter-
val of rest g-crash-tumble-c
teri The bundle of clothes had rolled off
chair into work basket and filed
china cuspidor with scissors and thread.
The cradle resembled a windmill. Poor
Doll tugged out the motive power, and
with very flushed face continued her vo-
cal and pedestrian exercises. Half an
hour elapsed ere "jocund peace" reigned
once again. She had just laid the heavy
little head on its pillow when "ring!"
went the door bell. Doll shut her lips
together.
THAT won't wake him if don't walk
around and talk to any one Sister isn't
at home, and won't be, either"
"Ring!" went the bell with greater en-
phasis.
"Flltry and be perfectly quiet, thought
Doll. "fve read that that is what the
American women need to learn, to be
quiet, to just be perfectly still and rest
their nerves. I'll go on with my sewing
nd I'm
let me see, I'll think of Ruskin. Why
should he have gone mad? don't sup
pose he was ever left with sleeping
baby in a settlement of dancing Indians.
Graeious!"
Observation-Disclosures"
=" 1t must be those boys again after their
chicken. They've been here three times
after the thing, and that's just the way
they ring"
The cradle began to sway.
"Go away?" said Doll, opening the
window little. II know who you are.
and l don't want to see you. Go right
away this minute!"
Steps passed off the porch, and Doll
sank back, happy but exhausted.
'''i epicnt again unlii Ou came,
she declared to her sister. II never was
SO glad to see you in my life."
II shouldn't wonder if there were some
one in town whom you'll be more glad to
see, laughed her brother in law. Il saw
Harry Burton on the hotel steps this aft
ernoon."
Doll colored happily. At home there
was crowd of young people, her own
brothers and sisters and their friends.
and Harry had whispered, at parting, II
never can see you alone here. I'm going
over to Granger for one quiet evening "
And she knew what happiness would
come to her when that "quiet evening" "
befell. But she had never hoped that he
would come so soon.
He'll be here tonight, predicted Mrs.
Dewry with delightful cheerfulness.
Nurse will be back, and I'll leave baby