Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-09-12
Baby Clarke's "Chupper."

Baby Clarke's "Chupper."
NO" said Baby Clarke, Il tan't do
to bed till after chupper"
But we had supper, baby" said
mamma. Don't you remember? We
ate supper on the 'choo-choo cars be-
fore we got to grandma's 8 house.
He shook mis- yellow head with sor-
rowful emphasis. Vat wasn't
chupper.'
BLESS his dear heart" cried grand
ma. He's forgotten. Boys do set
hungry so often. Let me get him some
bread and milk, Gertrude That won't
hurt him; and then he'll go to bed like
lamb
Grandma suited the action to the
word, and in a trice Clarke found him
self seated before a little round table
in the high chair that had been
brought down from the attic the min
ute that grandpa and grandma had re-
ceived the letter telling them that their
little grandson was coming to make
them visit. The bread and milk dis
appeared slowly, seriously, silently.
What a quiet child" quoth grand
pa is he always so still, daughter
Gertrude?"
Clarke's mamma looked puzzled.
NO indeed" she responded, IF his
appetite were not so good, | should GER
tainly be quite alarmed l suppose he
is tired from his first journey on the
steam cars"
Il hope it's nothing worse" sighed
grandma, settling her spectacles so as
to see him better, and beginning to
look worried.
Presently Clarke laid his spoon
down, and wiped his rosy lips medita-
lively Then mamma took him in her
lap and began to unbutton his tired
little Shoes But the astonished and
reproachful expression in his wide
eyes made her pause, with the chubby
foot in her hand.
''Oh. muvver, | don't want to go to
bed before chupper! hasn't been
naughty"
Grandma dropped her spectacles and
forgot to pick them up.
Grandpa threw back his head. and
laughed and laughed!
We'll well, well." he said at last.
"The boys hearty, and no mistake.
Glad to see it. Glad to see it"
He certainly is the beatermost,"
said grandma, smilingly donning the
specs which grandpa had picked up
between laughs. But do-don't scrimp
him on victuals. I'll get him some
more bread and milk"
He doesn't need it," said his
mamma, half laughing and wholly
puzzled. 81 can't imagine what makes
him act SO"
Clarke watched and listened, his
eyes exceedingly bright and his lips
beginning to quiver. And, when he
was placed in the high chair again be-
fore a second bowl of bread and milk.
he could bear it no longer but burst
forth in broken English, punctuated
with heartrending sobs.
"Oh, no. MOI" he walled. mo. no,
no! Vat amt chupper. Vat table an
me amt chupper. Chupper," and he
raised his woe-begone face and ex-
tended his short arm impressively,
"chupper is long table-an' lots Of
folks round it-an-an'-fun."
Down went the yellow head with a
pathetic thump.
Dear heart" said grandma. "He
misses the rest of them so," And she
picked him out of the high chair and
cuddled him close, smiling through
moist "speclls"
"The little chap has the rights of it,"
said grandpa, heartily. Eating alone
amt genuine meal, and that's fact.
He's hit the idea precisely. Mother.
spozen you set out some things-I
know we don't need thing, and you're
plumb tired,-but spozen you do just
set out some things on the dining room
table, and we all draw up?'
"Of course l will, father responded
grandma. And she really would have
done it, but just then Mamma Ger
trude said, "Sh-h-h." Baby Clarke
was fast asleep.
Dear heart" said grandma again. |
"We'll hayt things right in the morn |
ing
.srNat we will" said grandpa
Grandparents are so indulgent!-
Christian Register.