WEIGHING THE BABY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 44, 31 October 1891, Page 547

WEIGHING THE BABY.

It is hard to be awakened suddenly from a dream of bliss. A newspaper relates a sad experience of this sort by a young gentleman in connection with his first baby. He was very proud and happy, as he had a right to be, of couise. ‘ It’s a bouncer !’ he exclaimed. ‘ Where are the scales "’ The domestic hunted up an old-fashioned steel-yard that had come down from a former generation. It was the only weighing-machine in the house. The baby, wrapped in the fleecy folds of some light fabric, was suspended from the proper hook, and the proud young father assumed charge of the exercises. ‘ I’ll try it at eight pounds,’ he said, sliding the weight along the beam to that figure. ‘lt won’t do. She weighs ever so much more than that !’ He slid the weight along several notches further. ‘My stars !’ he said. * She weighs more than ten pounds ! Eleven—twelve—thirteen —fourteen ! Is it possible !’ He set the baby and steelyard down, and rested himself a moment. ‘ Biggest baby I ever saw !’ he panted resuming the weighing process. ‘ Fifteen and a half—sixteen ! This thing won’t weigh her. See ! Sixteen is the last notch, and she jerks it up like a feather.’ ( ‘Go and get a big pair of scales at some neighbour’s. I declare she weighs over twenty pounds. Millie,’ he shouted, rushing into the next room, ‘ she’s the biggest baby in the country ! Weighs over sixteen pounds !’ ‘What did you weigh her on?’ inquired the young mother. ‘On the old steelyard in the kitchen.’ ‘ The figures on that are only ounces,’she replied quietly. ‘ Bring me the baby, John.’