The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-07-07
CUTTING RObRIE,S HAIR.

And so this little household flower of ours
must be shorn Of some of its supertuouS
beauties. Even roses and ceranlumS must
be pruncd sometimes, and these uncut, sllken
rings with the golden sunshine of three sum
merS Cntangled in their meShes, must make
the acquaintance of scissors at last. Grand
| papa says so, and adds that If it is not done
shortly, the low plum boughs will make
another Absalom Of Robbie sometime, when
| the bIue-eyed gandcr is in hot pursuit.
There is no denying that the curls need
trimming; they are too many and too thick
and they make the little head droop uneasily
to one side. like a half blown moss rose bud
under the weight of its own moss, and Strag-
gle sometimes into the mouth and eyes. Yes:
they must be cut but it seems such a pity f.
Little curls that we have ,wined around our
fingers when all wet from the morning bath {:
little curls that we have played with while
singing the evening lullaby: little curls that
our tears have fallen upon when the baby
eyes were shut in sleep !-ah. only mothers
know how dear such curls are to mothers
| hearts.
Here are the scissors. Robbie must sit
very still, now, while his hair is beng cut
| Why, sir, why do you smile and look at me
so beautifully with your blue eyes? How do
you know that | am not going to cut off that
saucy head Of yours, with these great, sharp
cruel scissors O, holy faith of childhood |
! II we could only trust our God as implicitly
as babes do their mothers Except We
become as little children, ye shall not enter
the kingdom Of Heaven"
BE very still, now, while I comb out these
threads of shining floss. The mother is the
first barber to her boy; no Other fingers can
perform the sweet Office so ecntlrly but
when fifteen or twenty years have flown.
| rougber hands viii comb and cut these locks,
all bronzed by suns and winds. and cluster
ing above the brow of manhood. The white
aproncd, clean-handcd barber will then
arrange them in The latest Of style trimming
pomadlng, PERTH no; no, my boy will
not hc dandy by these strong limbs and
the study look Of those eycs--no.
But to think the dawn of manhood will
gather on this cherry upper-lip and on chin
and check. dmpled as though by the touch
of an angels finger. To think that this
round neck Of aabaStcr will be checked up
with man s necktle, and these lily-bud feet
Will wear Llgh-hccled boots, and, Faush 4.
| | will not think Oft. | cannot realize that
tins fair baby of mine-but three summers
out Of Paradise, and still smiling in his sleep
remembering what the angels said there
Shall ever be 50 mctarnorphoScd.
And yet the boys babyhood is rapidly
| ilgctng, and the scvcring Of these rnglrts
seems like cutting the golden thread that links
his infancy to his childhood. Oh. Robbie |
can cal you my " baby " but little longer -
You buceycd elf! you are already rebeilmg
at being treated as enc. You had rather run.
now, after your painted wagon, than lie in
your roac-curtalneti CRIB, and hear me sing of
the baby, whose cradle was the tree top, and
whose nurse was the wind. You will not
wear your corals, because grandpa says they
are Tor hnhHS, not Tor men; you had rather
hunt hens vests than play be peep; and
when hold ont my arriS to YOU, as You
stand IN the doorway, twiriing your hat. you
turn you, heal on one side, like hactaned
bind a-rerch on one finger while your
dancing eyes sem to say. lunl see, You II
see ! u soon ike fight! !" Pretty soon you
will not hclcv' in the wolf that talked to
Red Riling-Ibod. and will lost faith in
Santa Claus.
cannot keerthe bud in its sheath I cam
not stay the lite bark that Slips so rapidly
down the hurrylg stream Of life. Soon. the
rlll Will hroadenn river, and the realm Of
roses and sunnvslics will be passed. And
the gold Of these Inglets shall be d,mmcd by
time, and the TOSS perchance drop from these
pretty checks, All sorrow and sin, it may
be, cloud the Car, blue heaven Of these
) innocent eyes.
There | am cring How grandpa would
laugh if he canghtne and say it was because
wanted the cuilS 0 stay and make girl of
his boy See thee are tears glistening IN
these sunny c'nste,of hair, like dew among
the golden. blosSoEd ieSsamine vines. and
your eyes are looklnsat me with wideopened
wonder and your rcdp beginning TO culver
with ready Sympath. Oh Robbie. even if
the worst should com, and should have to
lay this bright head, Nth its locks of unGim.
med luStre. under olinlil and see the
grass grow between my DAZZLING and the
bosom he once slcp, upon, should still
, thank God for having gwen him. for having
crowned my life with re holy blessing Of
motherhood for it is uch little arms. as
these around our necks,Robbie, that make
us feel strong to do, ad to suffer it is
drawing such little hcads,s these close, close
to our breasts, that keeps he hearts Of some
, ofus mothers from breakig.
There that is grandpa s step upon the
, sia'r-and the task is ,jut completed the
little lamb is shorn. Lo'l at this bright
heap Of glstening silk, suclas Persian looms
never wove into richest fabric. IIcle is
, golden fleece > for you. srh as never the
lover Of Medea sought. lol did not know
t that such slttcrng wealt grew on your
: little head---did you, bluc-eyd baby
$ No, you must not clutch it with those
F.; destructive fingers. Go-gradpa is calling
! you--lct him see his little mn but leave
!, me ihese-ihe first curls cut finn my baby S
head. will put them away remind me,
in other DAYS OF his sweet lost;nf,pov