Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-06-07
BABIES Mixed.

Recently l read or Two cases OF women
geLing their babies mixed so as not TO
know their own. One case was the
fauN Of Philadelphia doctor, both ba-
bieS being born at the same time in
the same house. And The other was due
to a remarkable likeness Of all babies
Of African extraction. The latter case
VIII not matter 50 much because they
will likely vote the same ticket and
operate on the same roosts. But the
former case will be a rather pluable
predicament.
Suppose now that the dividing up
was BY guess and their fathers are OF
different politics Think of person
not knowing what political views cours-
ed his veins and possibly left alone TO
decide whether he should be baptized
by imersion or sprinkling. l tell you
Its no joke"
was told of a similar case that hap
pened many years ago. One lady with
a small, red, rosy cherub visited her
friend who was blessed with a similar
red rosy darling of the same number OF
weeks, dimples and hairs. While the
mothers we're out on the lawn the nurse
removed all the tiny clotheslets and al
rer a little confusion was unable to tell
which was which. The mothers were
called in and were just as badly confus-
ed. Not a mark could be found to dis
tinguish them. Then the neigihbors
and grandmothers were called in and
still no conclusion could be reached.
The little creek below the house swept
away floods Of tears.
The only thing that could be done was
to take a baby apiece and leave 1t for
the. children to decide for themselves
when they grew up.
Years passed and rhe children knew
that they were mixed and not certain
thar they were actually themselves.
These boyswere John and Jim. John
met jim one day and said, Jim, let's
put our heads together and try to find
ont whether Z am really John and you
linn Let's be sure OF this before we
are men. Here we have quarreled on
notifies and differed on religion because
our pas differ; but maybe we are mixed
and are inhertting the wrong convic-
tions. You know, Jim, we fought over
the money question and l knocked you
down because you were a gold bug. =
Eyes" said jim.
"Now. jim, actually I'm afraid it's l
who is the gold bug, for they say am
growing to look like your pa and you
like mine"
You mind that your pa believed in
imersion and my pa didn't and we
fought over it."
Eyes. John"
"Now. Jim. maybe it was I who be-
Heved in imersion instead Of you.
81 sometimes think so myself" re-
piled jim
Gust think, jim, maybe your pony be-
Ions to me and my books TO you.
eyes" said jim, with tears on his
sleeve.
Thus the dialogue continued, but
without revealing any clue to work on.
They were truly AMI thoroughly mixed
and wern't sure which inherited the
dyspepsia and which the rheumatism.
They never knew what medicine to take
for prospective ills. Johns mother gave
him dyspepsia medicine and Jim's was
forever giving him rheumatism pre-
ventive, though no pain but that OF
their ancestral uncertainty ever rutfled
their brows or digestion.
No one can imagine the sufferings OF
John and Jim. When they kissed their
big sisters they didn't know whether 1t
was. proper or not. As Johns sister
once removed his brOtherly arm she
said. John, what if you are really jim
and could only hug me in Ruth Ash
mOrian manner"
With tears in his eyes John replied
Don't mention it Jane; for who in the
! thunder can a fellow hug with prOpriety
when he don't know who he is?''
Years passed and neither parents nor
sons were satisfied as to who they really
were. They were afraid they were not
! themselves at all.
BY and by they were both married and
had a little boy each OF their own. That
settled it. Johns little boy became a
bow-legged gold bug and believed in
imersiOn just like Jim's supposed father
Home influence didn't bulge hiM-he
| thought for himself. And Jim's little
! boy was for free silver and sprinklng
/ with a head of hair that settled his
grand parentage. He was free to thiab
| for himself also.
This forever settled the question in
| the minds of all. John moved over 10
Jim's farm and became Jim with gold
and immersion ideas. And jim moved
over TO Johns place and became John
with silver and sprinklng ideas.
Some people really inherit and some
just think they do and copy after dad.
DAN FOGG.