Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1875 — The Rival Babies. [ARTICLE]

The Rival Babies.

Uncle Luther Beecher's grand cooperative baby-show, which was to have been one of the feature of the poultry and dog exposition at Young Men’s Hall, is not visible to the naked eye as yet, but it

came very Dear making a start on Saturday afternoon. Two wdmen with babies entered the parlor set aside for the little popsey-wopeeys, and, taking seats on opposite sides of the room, proceeded to stare at each other coldly ana suspiciously. One was a tall female with auburn hair, and the other was a little lump of a woman with very black eyes and a determined look. Although they were alone in the room, neither spoke, but they commenced to unpack their offspring. The auburn-haired lady finally produced from the midst of innumerable wrappings a pale, scrawny-looking infant, wearing considerable gold chain and an expression of settled melancholy. The other baby was a chip of the old block, so to speak—a corpulent cherub with puffy cheeks and big eyes, who proceeded to suck its fat thumbs with much composure. The silence was becoming oppressive when the tall woman broke it She remarked with affected solicitude: “ What is the matter with your baby, mum? The poor little thing looks quite unwell.” The little woman’s black eyes snapped, but she answered with forced composure : “ Minerva Geraldine was never sick a day in her life, madam, and she is sixteen months and ten days old. Has your little one been ailing long?” The tall woman’s hair began to raise up, but. she pretended to be looking to see where the pin was pricking her sadfaced babe, and made no reply. Pres ently she wound the infant’s gold chain around her finger in an abstracted manner, so that the other woman would see it. The rival mother produced a coral necklace with a blue locket, and carelessly clasped it about Minerva Geraldine’s neck.

Then the other, in tones of alarm, exclaimed: “Why, Alphonso, have you lost your little gold ring?” Alphonso, who was about thirteen months old, vouchsafed no reply, but only looked sad, and his mother, after a brief search, produced the ring from a needle-case, and with a glance of triumph forced it on his finger. The little woman was pale, but compressed her lips with stern determination. Reaching down into her basket she brought out a silver mug and a wax doll with real hair. She trembled with ex. citement, for she had shown her full hand She won; the silver mug settled it. • “Did you intend to put th at overgrown monstrosity on exhibition here?” inquired the fiery-haired female, glaring wildly at her rival. “ Why don’t you hire out your living skeleton to a side-show?’’ screamed tne little woman, her eyes snapping with rage. “ Woman!” “Creature!” It looked as if there might be bloodshed, and a humane reporter who had overheard the wrangle rushed in to interfere. “ Is my little darling a monstrosity?” “Is my Alphonso a living skeleton?” Both interrogations rang out simultaneously with a shrillness that drowned the yelping of the canines and the crowing of the prize roosters in the next apartment. “ Ladies,” said he with an expression of great solicitude, “ they are both angels. But, for Heaven’s sake, do not detain me, for I have just been exposed to the scarlet fev ” And each exasperated female clutched up her baby and nursing-bottle and basket and bounced out. He was alone. —Detroit Post.