The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-05-10
THE BABY.
The Average Mans Inconsistency II
Illustrated. :.

the internal revenue stamp from the
box with his nickel plated combination
tool, opened it up to assure the youth
full looking customer that its contents
were intact, and then proceeded to
wrap it up. This must be a special
occasion, Billy" he remarked.
Sort of special" admitted Billy.
Going to entertain the president of
the road?"
oh, no" replied Billy with the
same air of nonchalance. Its just a
baby up at the house"
See here" said the proprietor of
the cigar store, feigning to unite the
package, these amt no cigars for
baby to smoke. Better give it some
thing milder, and then what's the use
of giving kid a $50 a thousand pure
Havana? You haven't got money to
fool away like that It's taste amt
likely to be formed yet. How old
baby is~it? If it amt more than 2 or
8 years old a Sumatra filing ought to
satisfy it.
What are you talking about?" said
Billy. 1T amt more'n twelve hours
old"
you don't mean to say you've got
another one?"
Its the first one" said Billy. Can
you change a ten?"
THE frst!" calculated the proprie-
tor Of the cigar store. "You don't
tell me that! Well we'll; now, who'd
have thought it? Boy or girl?"
Il guess it's a boy" replied Billy,
uninterestedly. Did you say you
could change the ten? Maybe I've
got something smaller. Three dollars,
amt it?"
Folks well?"
Getting along all right
IF you amt peach!" said the cigar
store proprietor. "A real live baby and
the first one and everything lovely and
a boy at that, and you walk in here
just the same as you always do, and
don't say anything about it. Billy,
you're a peach"
Did you think I'd come in turning
handsprings and yell at you with a
megapbone?"
Some would"
q amt that kind"
well, you're the best judge Of that
but it seems to me you take it pretty
cool"
Its just a kid" said Billy There's
lots of other kids. They've got 'em in
every block"
81 guess that's so, too said the CT
gar store proprietor. They're COM
mon as mud. You certainly have got
sense. But see here, Billy, if you're
going to hand those cigars around,
I've got some that's good enough for
that at half the price. Swell wrapper
on, too. I'll guarantee there won't
anybody think but that it's a good
three for a quarter. I'm a family
man myself and | know you'll have
use for all the money you've got. The
woman'u think there amt anything
too good for it"
We'll there amt" said Billy, with
some heat. There amt anything too
good for that kid, if you come to that.
amt handing around any cheap
smokes on a kid like that and don't
you forget it. Say! You ought to see
that kid once and you wouldn't make
any cracks like that"
up to the average, is it,"
1T amt an it, it's a him, cor
rected Billy. up to the average?
Say, I've a notion to let you see him.
Ten pounds to the good. How's that"
Not so worse"
Il should say it wasn't. Fights
good, and there's some that won't pull
the scale down over five and come up
pretty well at that. And you ought to
| hear him!"
Lungs all right, eh?"
All right! I should say they were
ali right. He's UP an comm if ever
a kid was. He don't stand for any
funny business.
Maybe you'd better take them ci-
gars.'
I wouldn't have anything but
twenty-five centers if l could afford
it, said Billy. you ought to see the
grip he's got on him. Catches hold OF
your finger and blamed if you can
shake the little tike loose. Fat! Why,
you'd think he was q homeless won
der. Say, III tell you what the doctor
said about him. Well, the doctor ne
takes me to one side
See here, Billy said the proprle-
tor Of the cigar store, putting down
the change, you don't need to tell
me what he said l know. / thought
when you came in here you didn't real
ize your blessing, but 1 guess you 40.
You started out mighty well, though.