The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1915-08-26
Tending the Baby.
~. fHif' .-ir "a ~ 5, 81
But He'll Never Repeat the Performance
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

- - ~ ~ "tA1IAhS loAAAf'
IF the Grand Central depot. l was
sitting beside an honest faced. mother
ly III of %thirty-tive. who had IL
baby about eight months old asleep in
her lap. She had asked about the train
UP the river. when she suddenly cried
u that she had lost her portemonnaie.
She felt in the pocket of her dress and
in the pockets Of her cloak. and she
shook out the baby's clothes. and by
and by she said:
Il remember now. | left it at my sis
ter's. in East Thirty-SiXth street. My
ticket and all my money are in it,"
Madam" said l.. ''you have fifty
minutes before train time. You can
easily so back and get your purse"
But the baby"
He's asleep. and il you dare trust
him with me Ill take care of him."
I've most Il mind to do So"
Come on with him. and YOU needn't
hurry Il bit on my account. Wen bot,
be right here when you get back"
She gave me a long. lingering look.
SO as to be able to swear 10 lnr il,
court. and hurried ont. and she was
scarcely out Of sight when Il "l;mk-,.
by Baby" woman about four .Sr,i:
away. who had heard and seen iii AMI
was no doubt Jealous. got upand wal,,
ed around and said:
THAT shows how much ,u.,...rS
think Of their offspring. II" SO! ~,
pose Id ever leave II Of my cllii.lr"
that way? Not mucIl..'
She was still walking around wit,
her nose up III tn" air when an oil
man with a cane and !, Satrli"l >lui,
ped to yell at me:
"Do YOU know il this is. the Sew
Haven depot or not:" =.
mo. sir. it isn't" | replied az: | mtlG
up my. hand warningly.
Young I'm sleep. eh:" he shouted III
still louder tones. ~
nodded and cautioned him agAin.,.
At that moment the baby..S eyes ojicnI-
ed, ! rocked, him to andifro and crjon-
ed to him. and he'd have slept again
but for a woman who came up and
loudly inquired:
A>Au Sou uOl1tc Il iduO Udk Cu luhI
seat when you sat DOWN."
mo. l. didn't see any hand bag, and
you woke this baby up!" 1 shouted at.
the woman..,
"0h. l have! State prison offense,
l, suppoze'l she sneered as she made
By this ,ttme;tIe baby's eyes had got
below my hat. ~andt they. began to be-
tray a gre;sAs deal Of anxiety. kept
my knees moving and sang to him.
had sung shout a rod of 1.-The Old
Oaken. Bucket.@ which l have always
found to have Il soothing effect, and he
was looking at me with great curiosity.
when IL fat woman came sailing along
and stopped TO exclaim:
"kitches. what Il sweet little baby!'
Walking about with q baby in your
arms is rather m~onotonOus on the spine
and knees and shoulders. but was in
vented as an offset for paregoric. |
lifted up the baby and took a walk-a-
by-baby walk. VAS | walked l tried to
divert his mind into Il new channel by
telling him Il benr story. He was grad
ually becoming Interested and had
probably made up his mind that l was
at least his stepfather when a little
old man who hadn't the slightest ex-
cuse for living blocked my way and
shrilly observed:
My wife died and left IL baby about
as big as him on my hands. and !
know how TO pity you. Are you rails
ing him on the bottle"
went on with the bear story. but it
was no use. The baby began to grow
red in the face and to kick and claw,
and he finally yelled out at the top Of
his voice. ] changed him to the other
shoulder. but it was no good. l got
him down on my arm and tossed him
up and down. but he piped the harder.
No fewer than six full grown people at
once gathered around to discuss the
case. and because couldn't stand still
to answer their questions l heard them
say that | was Il heartless father and
that the Humane society ought to sta
ton an agent ut. the depot.
carried him over to the ticket Of
fee and the information bureau. but
he was not in want Of anything in
that line. | walked and waved him to
and fro; then l stood still and tossed
him UP and down; then | sat down
and bounced him on my knee until his
first tooth was almost shaken out. He
had made up bis mind that things
were not according to Hoyle. however.
and he stuck to his tune.
don't remember all that was said
by the waiting passengers. but here
are Nifew sample specimens from the
StQck1sh j.. !s!t. a.. y snF-
.HNa, II gan make me believe that
he is thai, selhild,s, fatther.,s.ss,a
HE doesn't seem to .hayef q spark of
love for the poor little thing"
IT'S CURIOUS that the police haven't
interfeFed before now"
aIeaaf me: bit II he Knew anything
at; all abeWt chlldrenille'd know that a
pin was'pricking the poor thing to
=. death. ut.
There was just one faint hope left.
and | seized upon it. cantered' the
child out Of doors. and the sudden
chanpo Shnt him nm Then "walkatl