Australian Tales - Setis

my meagre description of that happy moment. But had you been there,
sir, you would have beheld with your own eyes what no painter or poet
in the world has ever yet succeeded in depicting, the fruition of a doating
young father's hopes, and realization of his fondest dreams.
“I held out my hands very nervously, and took the ‘little stranger.’ To
describe my feelings as I did so, I must use extravagant figures, and you
perhaps think I have been rather flighty already, so I will leave you to
imagine them. I kissed it again and again, but very, very gently, lest I
should kill it. Then I gazed on its calm slumbering face for some
minutes — rapt in sublime cogitations, which soon voiced themselves in
a spontaneous burst of original poetry, (you know I have a gift that way),
while Mrs. Follidodd and Jemima stood by in solemn silence, with
wonder and admiration visible in their open mouths.
“ ‘Darling little daisy! it smiles,’ I gently ejaculated, as I gazed on its
ruddy features with my heart and eyes overflowing with poetic fire and
water. ‘Can't you see, nurse?’
“ ‘It's only just the wind in its little inside, that's all. Let me take it, sir.’
“I felt vexed with the stupid old woman, and as I handed the infant
back to her I replied sharply, ‘It's no such thing as wind, Mrs. Follidodd.’
“The old lady did not reply to me, but sat down in a rocking chair and
began patting the little dear on its back, and talking at me in a very
provoking manner. ‘Did de nasty windy pindy dit on its 'ittle tummack,
and pain my 'ittle wicksy picksy, an make its 'ittle lips curl up, did it den?
Hoosh sh-sh! Hark! There, Jemima, did you hear that? Didn't I say so?’
“The old lady then rose from her seat, and trotted into the bedroom
with her little charge, and evidently piqued at my rash dissent from her
judgment, founded on long professional experience, the correctness of
which had been so soundly demonstrated.
“I felt as grieved as if I had wickedly mocked my mother; and was
most anxious to express sorrow; but Mrs. Follidodd was then too busy to
be approached on ordinary errands. I was terribly disappointed too, for I
had scarcely seen my babe, much less had time for the observations
which I was desirous to make on its phrenological development. Fulsome
pride at my new dignity of father had blinded me to the respect which
was due to one whom I had a few hours before felt under such weighty
obligations for her unremitting care for my dear Ruth, and upon whose
watchful skill my happiness so much depended. I felt humbled, even in
that season of exultation; and as I resumed my promenade in the
verandah, I was led to reflect on the power of truth, and how the simplest
little thing will sometimes force conviction on the mind as sensibly as a
broadside from a frigate.
“The next morning Mrs. Follidodd looked rather cross, but my welltimed
allusion to the new bonnet completely cured her, and removed a
load from my conscience at the same time. I was soon afterwards invited