So absorbed was I in melancholy reflection, that I did not notice what was going on until a sudden shrill squawk close in my ear caused me to turn, when I found that a very common-looking young woman, with a by no means interesting infant of six months, had taken the vacant half of my seat.

I was annoyed.

There were plenty of unoccupied seats in the car, and I saw no reason why she should intrude upon my comfort.

The infant shrieked wildly when I looked at it; but its mother stopped its mouth with one of those what-do-you-call-'ems that are stuck on the end of a flat bottle containing sweetened milk, and, after sputtering and gurgling in a vain attempt to keep on squalling, it subsided and went vigorously to work.
It seemed after a time to become more accustomed to my harmless visage, and stared at me stolidly, with round, unwinking eyes, after it had exhausted the contents of the bottle.
In about half an hour the train stopped at a certain station; the conductor yelled out "ten minutes for refreshments," the eating-house man rang a big bell, and the passengers, many of them, hurried out.
Then the freckle-faced woman leaned toward me.
"Are you goin' out ?" said she.
"No," I replied, politely; "I am not far from home, and prefer waiting for my lunch until I get there." [Illustration: "WOULD YOU HOLD MY BABY WHILE I RUN IN AN' GET A CUP O' TEA ?"] "Then," said she, very earnestly, "would you hold my baby while I run in an' get a cup o' tea?
Indeed, sir, I'm half famished, riding over twenty-four hours, and only a biscuit or two in my bag, and I must get some milk for baby's bottle or she'll starve." It was impossible, under such circumstances, for one to refuse, though I would have preferred to head a regiment going into battle, for there were three young ladies, about six seats behind me, who were eating their lunch in the car, and I knew they would laugh at me; besides, the woman gave me no chance to decline, for she thrust the wide-eyed terror into my awkward arms, and rushed quickly out to obtain her cup of tea.
Did you ever see a bashful young man hold a strange baby?
I expect I furnished--I and the baby--a comic opera, music and all, for the entertainment of the three girls, as they nibbled their cold chicken and pound-cake.

For the mother had not been gone over fifteen seconds when that confounded young one began to cry.