The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1916-01-27
Tending the Baby
But He'll Never Repeat the Performances
By Nj. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

it was in one Of the waiting rooms
Of the Grand Central depot, I was
sitting beside an honest faced, mother.
" woman Of thirty-fve, who had a
baby about eight months old asleep in
her lap. She had asked about the train
up the river, when she suddenly cried
out 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:
II remember now. l left 1t at my sis
ter's; in East Thirty-sixth street. My
ticket and all my money are in it."
Madam" said i, 'you have fifty
minutes before train time. You can
easily go back and get your purse"
But the babyF"
He's asleep, and il you dare trust
him with ne Iii take care Of him"
I've most a mind to do So"
Come on with him, and you needn't
hurry a bit on my account. Well both
be right here when you get back"
She gave nj q long, lingering look,
SO as to be able to swear to me in
court, and hurried out, and she was
scarcely out Of sight when a "Rock-a-
BY Baby" woman about four seats
away, who had heard and seen ali and
was no doubt jealous, got UP and walk
ed around and said:
THAT shows how much mothers
think Of their offspring! Do you sup.
pose I'd ever leave one Of my children
that way? Not muchI'
she was still walking around with
her nose up in the air when an old
man with a cane and a satctel stop
ped to yell at ne:
"Do you know if this ia the New
aa7en depot or not?"
mo, sir, it isn't" / replied as 1 held
Up my hand warningly.
Young un sleep, chi" be shouted In
still louder tones.
nodded and cautioned him again.
At that moment the baby's eyes open
ed. rocked him to and fro and Groom
ed to him, and he'd have slept again
but for a woman who came up and
loudly inquired;
Did you notice a hand bag on that
seat when you sat DOWN.
"No. / didn't see any hand bag, and
you woke this baby up!" / shouted st
the woman,
"Oh, I have! State prison ofense,
/ supposed" she sneered as she made
of.
By this time the babJ's eyes had so,
below my hat, and they began to be.
tray a great deal Of anxiety, i kept
my knees moving and sang to him
| had sung about & rod Of 1.-THE Old
Oaken Bucket" which 1 have always
found to have a soothing effect, and be
was looking at me with great curiosity.
when a fat woman came sailing along
and stopped to exciaim:
"kitches, what a sweet little baby!"
Walking about with a baby in you,
arms is rather monotonous 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, AS / walked / tried tt
divert his mind into q new channel b5
telling him a bear story, He was grad
ually becoming interested and hac
probably made up his mind that i was
at least his stepfather when a little
CID man who hadn't the slightest e1
cuse for living blocked my way ana
shrilly observed:
my wife died and left a baby about
as big as him on my hands. and
know how to pity you. Are you rails
ing him On the bottlei"
went On with the bear story, but il
vas no use. The baby began to grow
red in the face and to kick and claw
and he finally yelled out at tie top o.
his voice. | changed him to the othei
, shoulder, but it was no good. i go
him down on my arm and tossed hin
up and down, but he piped the harder
No fewer than six full grown people q
once gathered around to discuss TIL
case, and because / couldn't stand still
to answer their questions / heard then
say that i was q heartless father anl
that the Humane society ought to sta
ton an agent at the depot.
/ carried him over to the ticket Of
ASS anu kAS A1S4AQI4O OOICdu, w
be was not In want Of anything II
that line. I walked ana waved him t
: and fro; then l stood still and tosset
him up and down; then l sat dow
and bounced him on my knee until hi
. drst tooth was almost shaken out. H.
had made up his mind that thing
were not according to Hoyle, however
and he stuck to his tune.
/ don't remember all that was salt
oy the waiting passengers, but her
I are a few sample specimens from tn,
stock:
mo one can make me believe tina
) he Is that child's father"
He doesn't seem to have a spark o
love for the poor little thing"
TITS curious that the police haven
interfered before now"
Dear me, but if he knew anything
, at all about children he'd know that
pin was pricking the Door thing t