Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1893 — BABY ON THE SCALES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BABY ON THE SCALES.

Interesting Ceremony in the White House— Grover Makes a Close Guess. Baby Ruth’s sister was weighed the other day. Dr. Bryant held the scales, and lifted the precious weight, but he set it down at a sign from the President. who said: “Wait a minute. Let’s guess her weight.” ■ “Ten pounds,” said Mrs. Cleveland. “Eleven,” Mrs. Perrine said. Dr. Bryant looked at the youngster critically, and said: “Nine and a half.” “I should say,” Thurber remarked, \sith the air of a connoisseur, “I should say, well, now ” “Oh, guess, Thurber, ” the President interrupted. “It’s not a matter of life or death.” “Twenty pounds,” Thurber said, somewhat rattled, and he blushed like a girl who had just been kissed and caught at it. Then the President, who had insisted on having the last guess, put on his glasses and bent over the basket. With the*air of a man who hasn’t been catching and weighing bass all summer for nothing, he said: “That’s a nine-and-a-quarter pounder or there’s something wrong with the scales.” The Doctor then lifted'the basket once more. The indicator stopped short at the figure 8. “Good heavens!” the President exclaimed, in a frightened tone. “Only four pounds. Why, Doctor!" “It’s all right,” the Doctor said. “The basket got caught on my arm.”

He freed it and the indicator shot down to twenty with a thud. “Well, I’ll be ——the President began. Just then he saw that Baby Ruth had hold of the basket. “Go away from there, Ruth,” he said, gently pushing her off. The basket rose as he did so and settled at thirteen and a half. “Gee whillikens!” Thurber exclaimed, “that’s a bouncer —thirteen and a half. ” “Hold your horses, my boy,” the President observed, “you must allow for the basket. Let's see, four from thirteen and a half leaves nine and a half.” “Just my guess,” Dr. Bryant observed. “Yes,” the President replied, “but yOu haven’t allowed for her breakfast.

That weighs a quarter of a pound, so you see that I take the prize.” And with the proud step of a conqueror he strode from the room and went into his office to resume his work.

MRS. CLEVELAND AND THE BABY.