ind on the shutters; and
if the mocking-birds had been sufficiently awake to swing, as they
sometimes do, they would certainly have dropped a word or two, for they
are great talkers. Now I often hear bells, fire-arms, and exclamations,
and very often hear my name called, and questions asked, to which I reply
in due form, all which I _know_ at the time to be imaginary; but this
sound, though it seemed to be familiar, I couldn't make out. I was so
drowsy, however, that I had half a mind to consider it a dream; but then
what if any thing should happen? I should be responsible. Rising,
therefore, very carefully, not to disturb Mrs. J., I discovered by the
shaded light on the table that she was quite sound asleep; but what was
wonderful, her right arm, outside the bed, was moving up and down with the
regularity of a pendulum! What the deuce was all that? Well, Sir, I bent
over breathlessly, and found she was pulling at a string! And what, O
EDITOR! who ought to know every thing, what do you think she was pulling?
Why, Sir, she was pulling at young JULIAN'S cradle. She was rocking the
baby in her sleep! Oh!'

* * * * *

Apropos of 'the baby': an agreeable correspondent, from whom we shall be
happy to hear 'frequently if not oftener,' intimates to us that our friend
JULIAN, when the 'lactiferous animalcule' whose advent into this breathing
world he lately described in such glowing terms, shall have reached a more
mature babyhood, may find occasion to 'change the paternal note;' and he
cites for us the following passage, from an essay by a sometime
contributor to the KNICKERBOCKER, 'in justification of his fears:'

'In my bachelor visitations to my married friends, I have often
chuckled over the bashfulness, contending with love, which
distinguishes the YOUNG FATHER. In the pride of his heart,
perhaps, when his little man has first given evidence of that
degree of mental exertion called 'taking notice,' he clasps the
crowing baby in his arms; he rests its lily feet upon his knees;
he endures with philosophic patience all the 'gouging,' and
pulling, and kicking, with which the young hero may testify his
triumph; and while the young mother stands by, her eyes beaming
with mingled love and pride, he becomes warmer in his romps; makes
faces, as the nerveless fingers of the little one seek, with more
earnestness, his eyes, or pull with a greater effort