Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-09
Mr.. eiLLUPs READS ALOUD,

on, please; 60 on"
"Excuse ME for thinking So" said Mr..
Billups, "but / did think that you were
going to sleep with your eyes open"
"Oh, do please go onv' Mrs Billups ex-
claimed. "You are so aggravating, Johnp
"Au right" continued Mr.. Billups.
"Where was atP All, see! The dark.
ness that can be felt impaled and stabbed
through its whole thickness by one mighty
moonbeam, clear and clean and'"--
Mr.. Bhlups' impressive elocution was
rudely marred at this point by II hoarss
wall of "Ma-a-al Ma-a-al Ma-mal" which
issued from the next room, and, arresting
the progress Of that mighty moonbeam,"
corroborated Mrs. Billups' impression that
she had heard the baby The baby was in
deed awake. He apparently wanted ma
ma" very much. and she arose from her
chair and started to 20 to him.
"Confound itp' Mr.. Billups calculated,
'I've a notion to read the story to myself
If you can't listen"
"Oh. please DON'T" said Mrs. Billups.
''pll bring him out and hold him in my
arms and he'll be good, / know he will"
She FASTENED away and brought back
the two-year-old, who blinked Mt the lamp
light and was so glad to be released from
his crib that he became instantly quiet and
happy. Mrs. Bllups tucked the young
mans nightdress snugly about his toes,
resumed her seat and tol5, her husband to
go on again.
He obeyed.
Zone mighty moonbeam,'" he read,
"'clear and clean and cold, from the top to
the bottom -
Hello, papap' chirped the baby, having
rapidly reached the wide awake state, in
which, particularly by lamplight, he was a
very observant child.
Hello, you rascal Keep stillr' said
papa, and then resumed, "'All around, in
the circle of the outer black, lie the great
dead'"-
"Ma-ma!" cried the disturber again;
''ma-ma! Down. Dit down!'
He wants to get down and run around"
mama explained to Mr.. Bil,ups, who was
not an adept in baby talk, and she allowed
the boy to slide from her lap and shift for
himself.
"'Lie the great dead in their tombs,'"
Mir. Billups continued with sigh of resig-
nation, whispering to each other of
deeds -
wait just q minute, John" said Mrs.
Billups, calmly breaking in upon the
voices from the tombs. He's got your
pipe off the table"
"Well, let him have it," said Mr.. Bill.
lups, ''if it'll only keep him quiet. 1t isn't
lit."
mo, won't" said Mrs. Billups. "It'll
make him sick anyhow, and besides he
might break it."
"Then take it away from him quickW
And, this order having been executed and
the baby pi.cifed against the loss of the
pipe, Mr.. Billups pitched in once more,
whispering to each other of deeds that
shook the world whispering in Ian
guage' -
Lang -didge," piped little voice.
He's only initiating you," was the COM
ment made by Mrs Billups.
"Well, / wish he wouldn't" Mr.. Billups
groaned; Whispering in language all
their own as yet-the language -
'Lang-didge, lang-didge"
"Shut up, you nuisance! The language
of the life to come-the language ~
Lang g-didge, lang-didge"
Now; look here, young fellow" said
Mr. Billups; who's doing this reading
you or Iw
"Taks him up in your lap" Mrs. Bill
lups suggested. Perhaps he'll be better
that way"
Mr.. Billups. in desperation, did as he
was told, and with his arms around the
baby's shoulders and holding the book at
arms length continued, "'The language
of stiffness 80 dread and deep that the
very silence clashes against it, and D.
"Pem-mie, pem-mie!' cried the child,
seizing the lapel of his fathers coat.
Pencil, he means" Mrs. Billups re-
marked. "Give him your pencil from
your vest pocket, and then he'll be quiet"
The boy got the pencil and straightway
conveyed the sharpened end to his mouth,
while Mr.. Billups read on, "'And makes
dull, muffled beatings in ears that strain
to catch the dead mems talk; tho shadow
of Immortality D.
Down, down! Dit downr' came again
from the restless young Billups, and his
father let him down SO suddenly that the
child stumped his bare toes against a rung
Of the chair, and began to cry.
II know what I'll do" said Mrs. Billups,
ever hopeful. "rll give him that box of
liver pills to play with. He's so fond Of
hearing them rattle. Como here, darling"
to the baby-"and get your box"
"B-b-botss" sobbsd the little fellow.
YES" his mamma replied.
John found his place in the book again,
while John, Jr., toddlsd away with that
fascinating box of pills.
""The shadow Of Immortality" Mr..
Billups continued in humdrum tone, his
elocutionary talent squelched; "'the
shadow Of immortality falling through the
shadow of death and bursting back upon
Its heavenward course'"-
"Torse, torse!" shouted that parrot voice
from distant corner Of the room.
"Torse,'" Mrs. Billups replied.
mo, it wasn't, either twas COURSE"
NWell, 1 meant course You know
did. was just thinking of the baby. He
said 'torse,' and I'--
"Never mind what he says, Mary.
was reading, Bursting back upon its
heavenward course-course,' mind you
from the depth of the abyss; climbing
again upon its silver self'"-A
''Ma-a-al Ma-a-al Ma-map'
This meant trouble, sure
Baby had got the pillbox open and tasted
the contents.
He didn't like the flavor.
.'Ma-a-al ma a-al ma-a-ar' he yelled, and
mamma leaped to his side and uttered a
suppressed shrek.
''Shall go for the doctorf" queried Mr..
Billups in hard voice, throwing aside his
book.
mo, it's not as bad as that, thank good
nessl" responded Mrs. Billups. II thought
he had swallowed the pills, but he hasn't"
~ guess notp' said Mr.. Billups unfeel-
ingly. "Catch him swallowing anything
he doesn't like"