Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-06-23


The newcomer did not seem to take
the least notice of anything, and
went on in a stOlid way trying tC
quiet the child, shifting it from one
arm to the other, dancing it up and
down, and rocking it sideways.
Ali babies are malignant; the
natural wickednesS of man, as ella
bOrated at the primeval curse,
seems to find an unadulterated
effect in their expressions of feel.
Ing.
The baby was a peculiarly fine
specimen Of its class. II seemed to
have 10 compunction whatever, no
parental respe CT, no natural affec-
tiOG, no mitigation in the natul al
YiruIence of its rancor. 1t scream
ed, it roared, it squalled, it below.
ed. The root ideas of profanity. OF
Obscenity, OF blasphemy were min.
gled III Its tone. 1t beat with
clencbed fists its fathers face, 1t
clswed at his eyes with twitchlDg
fingers, i; used his head as an en-
glue with which to buffet him. 1t
Kicked, 1t struggled, 1t wriggled, it
writhed, 1t twisted Itself into ser
pentine onvolutlOns, till every now
and then, what with Its vocal and
muscular eXertions, 1t threatened
TO get black in the face. All the
time the stOid father simply tried
to keep 1t quiet with eternal
ch aDges of posture, and with whis-
pered words, "There. now petw
"Husb; lie stll, little one," "Rest,
dear one, restw He was a big,
lanky, patient looking, angular
man, with great rough hands and
enormous feet, which he shifted
about as he spoke. 30 that man and
child together seemed eternally
restless.
The thing appeared to have a
sort of fascination for most of the
men in tbs car. The curtains of
IA lot of bertbs were opened and
lot of heads appeared, all scOwling
[ cnuckled softly to myself and
tried to conceal my merriment lest
| should spoil the fun. No one
said ANYTHING for long time, till
at last one wild-eyed, swarfby,
long bearded individual, who some
how looked like a Mormon elder,
said:
"Say, mister, what kind of a
bowling piece is that you've got
there7 Have none of you boys got
a gunp
There came from the bunks a
regular chorus of ac0uiescence:
"The durned thing had ought 10
be killed."
"Beals plalrle dogs IN full
moonw
"When | woke up with it howl
ing thought l had got 'em again."
Never mind, boys, it may be u
bIesslu' in disguise. SOmethln' bad
is COMM to us on this trip, an
after this twill be easy work to
diew
The man spoke up:
"T'm sorry, gentlemen, if she iD-
cOmmodes yOu!' The words were
80 manifestly inadequate that there
was a roar of laughter which seem
ed to shake the car. West of the
Mississippi things are, or at any
rate they used to be, a bit rough,
aud ideas followed suit. Laughter,
when 1t came, was rough and
coarse; and on lhls occasion ever
The lauk9 man seemed to feel 1t
He only tried to hold the child
closer 10 him, as il 10 shield il from
the hail of Ionical cnafl which fol.
lowed.
"IncOmmode us! Oh, not at ali.
LIS the most soothing cOncOurse OF
sweet sounds | ever heard"
"B1lly for baby syrupsw
"PIay don'C let us disturb th'
concert with our sleeping"
"Jerk us out a little more chiu-
musicw
There is no place like home
with a baby IN It,"
Jast opposite where the man
mOYed restlessly with the child was
the bunk of young giant whom
| had noticed turning in earlier in
the evening. He had not seemed tC
nave noticed the disturbance, bui
now bis curtains were thrust aside
tei cely, and he appeared lifted OF
one elbow as he asked in an angry
tone:
Say, ou, where's it's mother any
hOwY"
The man replied IN a low, weary
one, without looking round:
"Sbe's IN the baggage car, sill