The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-04-13
That Baby.

There was baby in railway car
the other day. 1t was not an unusual
child, but it had a decidedly bright
face and pretty ways. For the first
few miles she was very quiet, and her
blue eyes 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
ther fathers mustache. At first the
father and mother were the only par
ties interested,i but soon a young
lady in an adjacent seat nudged
her escort and directed his at
ention to the laughing child.
He looked up, remarked that it was a
pretty baby, and tried to look uncon-
cerned : but it was noticed that his
eyes wandered back to the spot oc-
cupied by the happy family, and he
commenced to smile. The baby pull
led the hair of an old lady in front,
who turned around savagely and glar-
ed at the father with look that plain
ly said, "Nuisances should be left at
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 inter
ested in the child by this time-busi-
ness men and young clerks, old ladies
and girls-and when the baby hands
grasped the large silk hat of her father
and placed it on her own head, il
made such comical picture that al
old gentlemen across the way, unable
to restrain himself, burst out into q
loud gutfaw, and then looked sheepisl:-
ly out of the window, as if ashamed &c
be caught doing such an unmanly
thing. Before another five minute.
he was playing peekaboo across the
aisle with the baby, and every one was
envying him.
The ubiquitous young man, ever on
the move, passed through, and was at
loss to account for the frowns OF
everybody. He had failed to notice
the baby. The brakeman looked in
from his post on the platform and
smiled. The paper boy found no GUS
tom till he had spoken to the baby
and jingled his pocket of change for
her editication. The conductor caught
the fever aud cbucked the little one
under the chin, while the old gentle.
man across the aisle forgot to pass
up his ticket, so interested was he in
playing peekaboo. The old lady in
front relaxed, and diving irto her re-
tioule unearthed brilliant red pippin,
and presented it bashfully to the lit
tie one, who, in response, put her
chubby arms around the donors neck,
and pressed her rosy little mouth to
the old lady's cheek. It brought back
a flood of remembrances to that with
cred heart, and handkerchief was
seen to brush first this way and then
that, az 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 could't kiss
itjust once the old lady returned the
caress she had received, and the baby
moved toward the door, shaking by
by over the shoulder Of her papa, to
which every one responded, including
the newsboy who emphasized his fare
we'll with wave of bis hat. The pas
sepgers rushed to the side where the
baby got of, and watched till she
turned out of sight at the other end
of the station, shaking by-by's all the
time. Then they lapsed into silence.
They mis-: ed that baby, and not one of
them would be unwilling to acknowl-
edge it. The little ones presence had
let rift of sunshine into every heart,
warm or cold, in that car.--Orpban's
Friend, House of Angel Guardian.