Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-22
The Old Man Took Them in
Charge.
While Mamma Went to Enjoy Herself
at the Hall.
John Quill Tells How Papa Minded the
Children.

glass In the opposite direction, but
when it comes to tending out on a
baby she can give the lords Of creation
points and win out hands down, for
the hands that spank the baby are tie
hands that rule the world Now. there
is one doting pap in town who answers
to the name of daddy for two par
ticularly bright children, one going on
two and the other a cute little bundle
of dimples and fat hands who cele..
brated his first and only birthday an
niversary some three months ago.
Papa, who had seen mamma nav1-
gate with a family through several Sc
we're squalls in safety had the idea
up under his matched roof that it was
as easy as it looked, and most any
old thing of the he gender who could
sing Mother Goose melodies could let
himself up as a governess or nurse for
children. But he has been converted
and has experienced a change of heart
And anybody wanting a first-class
nurse for children must apply else
where. for after one brilliant and sue
cessful evening spent in the nursery
he now retires to private life. He is
perfectly willing to saw wood from
carly 10 OcWy eve, Out Wnen
it comes to children he simply draws
the line, and mamma must rock the
cradle and he will rock the hens. This
conversion or change of heart came
about in this manner:
There were to be graduating exer-
| cises at the hall some time ago, and,
thinking mamma would enjoy going.
he suggested the idea to her. She
said:
why, I can't go. for there is no
| body to look after the children
Now, here was the golden oppor
tunity of a lifetime. Cant co. he
said? why. there is no reason in
| the world why you can't go. One
| would think to hear you talk l was
| a blooming idiot, sort of an incumber-
| ance, figure-head. as it were. If
l can't take care of the children for
one night, why it is time l learned
or went to a kindergarten school dur
| ing my minority. You just put your
things on and go. When you get back
you will find us all asleep
| The fond mother had some misgiv-
| ings, but finally gave in and consent d
| to go. Just before starting she got
both children 10 sleep, so as to give
! him a good start and left him alone
| in his glory. He was monarch of all
| he surveyed, and as the door closed on
the retreating form of his wife he said
| to himself:
| Il wonder what kind of a helpless
\ imbicile she thinks she married, any
| way? Got to send out of town for
help have 1 when we want to go out
| of doors for minute? Not mucn.
Not while 1 am here. She can just
go and come as she wants to while
watch the paDooses."
So he comfortably settled down i'll
the easy chair with his favorite maya
| zine for an evening at home. Then
the trouble commenced and things be-
| gan to rotate his way swift and fast.
First it was a prolonged, dismal howl
from the 2-year-old that broke the
stiffness in the night air. Papa dropped
his book and sprinted up stairs to the
nursery. The prima donna of the fam
lily was practicing the scale. When
papa appeared on the scene she ir-
formed him between bowls that she
wanted mamma. She might as well
asked for the moon, for mamma was
enjoying herself at the hall. This was
an outbreak that papa hadn't figured
on.
Now. papa had been in politics more
or less in his dav and knew just how
far a smooth dollar would go toward
purchasing a lubricator to pour on the
troubled water, and started in to do
La LITTLE bribery. That young lady
listened to the several propositiors
and negotiations of peace being car
ried on Papa promised everything
from a grand square piano to a trip
to Germany. She was still consider
ing the question when the young hope
full in the crib, down stairs, thinking
he was not in it and the prospect
looked dubious about him receiving
any pecuniary benefit from the nego-
tiations being carried on up stairs
concluded to speak or at least to have
a voice in the matter and possibly
work pa in as walking delegate. sc
he struck in a prelude to the Holy
City" gradually raising his voice as
he struck the high note.
Negotiations for peace were suddenly
and abruptly broken off in the nursery
and the arbitrator made home run to
the sitting room. After looking at his
bowling image for some moments he con-
Guided it must be a pin that was causing
all the domestic unhappiness in his fam
ily, so he proceeded to shuck the still
bowling infant of its raiment in the
search for that pin. The young one never
lost the tune all the time papa was
searching. After satisfying himself that
liz it was a pin the young hopeful had
swallowed 1t, he poked up the pillows and
was getting ready to dump his child back
Into the crib again when the lone occu-
pant of the nursery. thinking this was a
cold and unsympathetic world and papa,
although a gallant man on all occasions,
was not showing the proper amount of
| attention that an only daughter should
receive. concluded she would refresh his
memory by reminding him that absence
makes the heart grow fonder. and unless
he called upon her very soon he would
hear something to his advantage. So she
| emitted a few chest-notes way up in high
c as a reminder. Papa, who was doing
the dry nurse act in the sitting room,
heard the outcry and dumping the future
heir in the crib he bolted up stairs and
into the nursery.
The dear child was tangling herself all
up trying to sing Gounod's ave Maria