Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-02-16
Nh. eILLUes READS ALOUD.

Issued from the next room, and, arresting
the progress OF that mighty moonbeam,"
corrohorated Mrs Billups' impression that
she hail heard the baby. The baby was in
| deed awake. He apparently wanted ina
MAJ very much, and SIZE 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"
sob, please DON'T" said Mrs. Billups.
| "Fll 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 at the lamp
light and was so glad to be released from
| his crib that he became instantly quiet and
happy. Mrs. Billups tucked the young
mans .nightdress snugly about his toes,
resumed her seat and told her husband to
| go on again.
He obeyed.
"One mighty moonbeam," he read,
"'clear and clean and cold, from the top to
the bottom -
| "IIello, papa" chirped the baby, having
rapidly reached the wide awake state, in
which, particularly by lampliyht, he was y
| very observant child.
Hello, you rascal Keep stillp' said
| papa, and then resumed, "'All around, in
| the circle of tho outer black, lie the great
| ,lead'"-
| "Ma-maW cried the disturber again;
| ''ma-ma! Down! Dit lown!'
"IIe wants to get down and run around"
ma-ma explained to Mr.. Bllnps, who was
not al' adept in baby talk, and she allowed
the boy to slide from her lap and shift for
| himself.
"'l'ic the great dead in their tombs,'"
| Mr.. Billups continued, with sigh Of resig-
nation, Whispering to each other Of
deeds -
"Wait just minute, john" said Mrs.
Billups, calmly breaking in upon the
voice, from the tombs. "IIe'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"
"No won't" said Mrs. Billups. It'll
make him sick anyhow, and besides he
might break it,"
"Thcn take it away from him quickl"
| And, this order having been executed and
the baby rhcfed against the loss of the
pipe, Mr. Billups pitched in once more,
whispering to each other Of deeds that
shook the world; whispering In a Ian
gnage' ~
"Lang didge," piped little voice.
Giles 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 D.
LANG didge, lang-didgeP'
Shut up, you nuisance The language
| of the life to come--the language -
"Lang-didge, lang-ddgev'
"Now, look here, young fellow" said
Mr.. Billups; who's doing this reading
you or II"
take 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, "''rhe language
of stiffness so dread and deep that the
very silence clashes against it, and'"-
"Pem-mie, pem-mie!" cried the child,
Selling the lapel of his fathers coat.
"Pencil, he MEANS" Mrs. Billups re-
marked. "Gve 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; the shadow
of immortality -
"Down, down! Dit downl' came again
from the restless young Billups, and his
father let him down so suddenly that the
child stumped his bare toes against rung
Of the chair, and began to cry.
II know what I'll do" said Mrs. Billups,
ever hopeful. ''pll give him that box Of
liver pills to play with. He's so fond Of
hearing them rattle. Come here, darling"
to the baby-"and get your box"
"B-b-botsS" sobbed the little fellow.
"Yes," his mamma replied.
John found his place in the book again,
while John, Jr., toddled away with that
fascinating box Of pills.
"'The shadow of Immortality" Mr..
Billups continued in humdrum tone, his
Evolutionary 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. It was course. y"
"Well, / meant course You know
did. I was just thinking of the baby. He
said 'torse,' and p
"Never mind what he says, Mary. I
was reading, Bursting back upon its
heavenward course-course,' mind YOU
from the depth of the abyss; climbing
again upon its silver self'"-
"Ma-a a! Ma-a-a! Ma-ma?'
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-a!" he yelled, and
suppressed shrek.
"Shall go for the doctor," queried Mr..
Billups in hard voice, throwing aside his
book.
mo, it's not as bad as that, thank good.
nessr' responded Mrs. Billups. Thought
be had swallowed the pills, but lie hasn't"
II guess mott" said Mr.. Billups unf-el-
ingly. "Catch him swallowing anything
he doesn't like!"
"Oh, John, what do you meani The
dear little darlingl Won't you 60 on with
your readingy"
well, guess not that either" OK.
claimed the man of the house. "You can
put that young villain to sleep again, and
| III 20 out on the doorstep and take .
smoke If I catch my death of cold doing
IT,"
And Mr.. Billups, petulantly seizing his
pipe ind tobacco pouch, sailed forth and
executed his threat.-Boston Herald.