Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-03-14
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( UNCLE HORACE !
} AND THE BABY !
Observation-Disclosures.


With the callousness Of bachelor.
Horace declared that all babies looked
alike to him. But that was before his
sister Lii came home for visit and
brought her baby. The day she was to
arrive Horace was even unkind enough
to say that he would be glad to see
Lii. but that he wished she would
leave the baby behind. "a baby al
ways keeps a house stirred up" he
complained. "They are either crying
or hungry or sleepy or in some abnor-
NAL state, and you are expected to
sympathize with all their woes" His
mother only remarked severely in reply
that he had once been a baby himself
and one of the very worst she had
lever raised"
When the triumphant procession ar
rived, bringing Lii and the baby from
the station, Horace kissed his sister
and then stared at the white bundle
in her arms. "Now, know you want
to see the baby right away" she said,
and began removing layers of gauze
yelling from the face of the infant.
When the little pink face was uncov-
cred, Horace nerved himself to look
and think Of some flattering remark
that would satisfy the mother. He
went up gingerly.
George! It's really pretty, isn't itT'
he cried in untactful surprise. Lii
and the other members of the family,
from his father down, all looked at
him resentfully. "Of course it's pref
ty. It's a beautiful child"
Horace tried 10 retrieve himself. 81
meant that it's nice to look at--not red
and squashy looking. 1t can open it's
eyes. too, and it's all fuzzy on top OF
its head"
These unhappy observations only
dragged him lower in the esteem of the
family. please call my baby she and
not it," Lii said resentfully. "You
needn't be so surprised either because
she is pretty" Horace tried TO explain
anew that he really admired the baby,
but he was in disgrace. The family ell
bowed him away from the baby and
left him out of the conversation with
ostentatious neglect
But the baby, with the perversity OF
its sex, took a great fancy to Uncle
Horace. 1t soon preferred him to any
other member of the family and would
even leave its mothers arms for his.
When she saw him or heard his voice,
she smiled ecstatically and gurgled like
! little brook. This sort OF thing won
| Horace. From Il state of Indifference
| to his niece he came TO be her widest
champion. He gave her all sorts of
| gifts, from a rattle to n tiny ruby ring
He learned TO talk the googoo Ian
guage, and he became n perfect nui-
sance in his whist club, where he
would stop the lead while he told sto-
ries of the beauty and cleverness OF the
baby.
One evening Lii had put the baby TO
| sleep. turned the gas low in the room
and gone down stairs to join the family
in the library. She stole up stairs again
in about half an hour TO see If the child
were covered and still sleeping. The
J family were startled by shrill scream.
Lii came flying down stairs to say that
| the baby was gone. Everybody said
| this could not be so, and they went up
stairs with her TO search for the baby,
who couldn't walk and could only hitch
across the floor at about a snairs rate
of locomotion. But the baby was gone
nevertheless. The family were quite
sure no one had come in at the front
door since Horace went out to his
whist club just after his sister had left
the baby. Some kidnaper had stolen in
by the back stairs or climbed over the
porch. None of the family was really
surprised that the baby had been stol- |
en-. for they believed so firmly In Its
beauty and cleverness that they were
sure everybody must covet it.
The grandfather hurried to the po
lice station, the aunts went out to give |
the alarm to the neighbors. Lii and |
her mother alone sat down by the emp
ty cradle and gave themselves up to
their grief. There was the sound OF |
an opening door and footsteps on the |
stairs. Horace came into the room, |
carrying the baby in his arms. 1t was |
wrapped in its cloak and a blanket. |
"Oh, you found my babyv' Lii cried. |
She and her mother implored him to
tell how he had got it away from the
kidnapers. They begged to know the
story.
Horace was bewildered. "Why," he |
said, 81 just wrapped the baby up and
slipped over to the whist club with |
her. l wanted to show her to the folks. |
was afraid you wouldn't let me take |
her IL l asked, you are such a ninny
about her. They thought she was
awfully cute too"
and so you were the one that took
the babyT Lii cried. "And you took
her to the whist club in her night
gown? And l was nearly wild"
The other members of the family
were sent for. The police were called
off the case, and the neighbors were
assured that the baby was safe.
Lii held the baby in her arms Her
mother and sisters stood on guard |
around her. "To think, Horace" she
said mournfully, that you would take
the baby over to your whist club in her
mighty when she has lovely real lace
dress! How could youT"-Chicago
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