Middletown transcript., 1904-12-24
lGnTEN BABY
BY ELIzASEVdNs CARTWRIGHT
b Y ELIz,a EVANS cARTWRIGHT

yellow torrent nearly level with the
bridge.
The sun climbed higher and higher and
the lifeless air seemed to press down
upon the pilgrims. The baby walled
piteou-ls, refusing the food Cynthia
.press-d upon him. The hilly road proved
a wilderness of gullies and loose stones
Nancy toiled on, her nose nearly touch
ing the steaming earth, while Miss Susan
alternately rained blows upon her sea.
soned hide or hoarsened herself with
such objurgations as are permitted an
aged female in ''good and regular stand
ing"
"Do keep that youngun quiet. Cynthy,
if you don't want me to 60 crazy. Mercy
seems to me the mosquitoes needn't bite
in the day time, or mebbe it's only my
blood's got het up pounding this lazy
beast. Clk-clk git up, Nancy !
should think with the wagon pushing
you might trot down hill. Do take the
reins. Cynthy, and let me unite this bum
nit. l feel as if L couldn't breathe, and
the prespiration is simply trickling down
my nose. There, amt there tumult
enough without your boo-hooing like a
baby?"
Thus the hours wore away until, for
lornly perched on a particularly bleak
and desolate hill, the poor-house camesin
view. As the sisters came up to the open
front door, the worthy keeper issued
therefrom, busily occupied in repairing
I his eHe sHspender.
Morning, Miss Briggs. Now what in
the nation be you doing here? l don't
s'pose you're going to put Cynthy onto
the town, with all the fellers that's been
on the anxious seat fur her these twenty
years p
Here" said Miss Susan, with a frown
of great displeasure at this ill-timed jest,
"l've fetched ie you pauper' SO take it
quick" =
"a baby p calculated Mr.. Allen, step
ping back and bursting into peal of angry
laughter. "Whose baby, and where's
the writing?" l declare, Miss Susan, l
never thought this of you"
"Tain't hers" cried Cynthia in a voice
of agony. "It's mine-it's mine. /
won't give him up, Susan"
Mr.. Allen scratched his shock head and
stared at the women, SOLDERING fast in the
effort to take in the incredible.
What in the nation y he muttered.
"What in the nation p'
"Give me the baby" demanded Miss
Susan. hastily snatchingi it from Cynthia's
protecting embrace. "Here. Zebedee, if
you DON'T take it, you will probably be
hung for infanticide, fur assure ye !
wash my hands Of it."
"Well, il ye insist, I dunno as the town
kin blame me-" growled Zebedee, with
an appalled, glance at the sobbing Gym
thia. Mis- Allen, she's to bed with
ravin toothache-the lightning scared
Crazy Sal into one of her spells, and she's
locked down cellar bowling like bedlam
and smashing bottles-the winds blowed
the rye fiat jest as was looking to cut it,
and the cows strayed off since Tuesday.
There amt no milk into the but'ry but
what is sour, and l dunno how we're
going to feed the child nohow. Land,
amt it dark complicated p
"Why shouldn't it be 2" queried Miss
Susan, tartly. "All Eyetalians and such
trash is Completed like that. IfPd been
idiot enough to buy baby, I'd have
looked fur clear.skinned one anyway
but this is a fair sample OF Cynthy's judg-
ment."
''Bought it p' exclaimed Zebedee, in
great establishment. Bought it p'
'fYes, bought it. What did you sup
pose, I'd like to know ?''
Bought it," repeated Zebedee, slowly.
"Well, then, if she bought it, why it
amt the town's-it is hers.'
"You can't buy younguns like critters"
contradicted Susan. Il guess We fit that
pint out in the war. It's plumb against
Constitution and Gospel, too, if Paul did
send Philemon back to his master. The
idee of your standing there claiming that
Cynthia Mary Briggs owns that baby p
"But you lowed yourself she bought
it." argued Mr.. Allen. Il wish Mrs.
Allen was up. can't make head or tail
of this dizziness. You, Patsy, git into the
haouse as quick as you know haow"-
this last to an imbecile girl of hideous
aspect, who was making furtiye attempts
at capturing the unlucky waif, which |
Zebedee, in his confusion, was dandling
feet uppermost, greatly to the infants
displeasure.
dead sot alter something to be a-cod-
ding" he remarked by way of comfort
Cynthia. "She's harmless as fur as in
tentions goes, but she'd jest squeeze the |
breath out of it in three minutes. She
come pretty nigh making finish OF our
Sairy Ann, only Mrs. Allen caught her in |
time young ones eyes sot in her head |
and her face purple as grape and Patsy |
squeezing. durno haow we kin keep
her off Of this one.
"Oh, OH" walled Cynthia. "Mr. Allen
do try and be careful of it."
Miss Susan shook the reins over old |
Nancy's bony back.
1--WE must be going. Zebedee. l don't |
doubt you will do YOUR duty as you're
paid to, Cynthy, do try and sit up like |
a Christian and behave. Imust say, I've
seen folks less overcome taking leave of |
remains. It's clear ridiculous when you |
reflect on it."
Cynthia gave no manner of heed to this
counsel, however, and her sister was not |
sorry when a sharp turn in the road con-
cealed the poorhouse from her wistful |
backward gaze. No further conversation |
ealisened the long homeward drive, and |
before it ended Miss Susan looked. for |
some reason best known 70 berself, as
1t.