I didn't notice she hadn't her baby with her.

I'll telegraph at the next station; that's all that can be done now." This capped the climax of all my previous blunders! Why had I blindly consented to care for that woman's progeny?
Why?
why?
Here was I, John Flutter, a young, innocent, unmarried man, approaching the home of my childhood with an infant in my arms! The horror of my situation turned me red and pale by turns as if I had apoplexy or heart disease.
There was always a crowd of young people down at the depot of our village; what would they think to see me emerge from the cars carrying that baby?
Even the child seemed astonished, ceasing to cry, and staring around upon the passengers as if in wonder and amazement at our predicament.

Yet not one of those heartless travelers seemed to pity me; every mouth was stretched in a broad grin; not a woman came forward and offered to relieve me of my burden; and thus, in the midst of my embarrassment and horror, the train rolled up to the well-known station, and I saw my father and mother, and half the boys and girls of the village, crowding the platform and waiting to welcome my arrival..