The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-11-21
TIE FIRST BABY.

My old schoolfellow, Mary Thornley,,
bad been married two years when made
my first call on her in her capacity as n
mother.
"Dd you over see such = darling I"
she exclaimed, tossing the infant up and
down in her arms. ''There, baby, that's
mas old friend, Jane. He knows vou
already, l declare" said the delighted
parent, as it smilel at n bright ring
which held up to it. you mover saw
such quick child. He follows me wit,
his eyes all about the room. Notice
what pretty little feet be has, the darling
footsy -tootsies;' and taking both feet in
oae hand, The mother fondly kissed
them.
ut certainly is very pretty" said L.
trying to be polite, though L could not
perceive that the iafant was more beanti-
ful than dozen others | had seen. at
has your eyes exactly, Many"
"Ycs, and da-da's mouth and chin
said my friend, apostrophising the child;
hasn't IT, precious!' And she almost
smothercd it with kisses.
As | walked slowly homeward, | said
to myself, II wonder if. when / uarry
| shall ever be so foolish, Mary used 10
be sensible girl" In fortnight after
wards called on my friend again.
"How baby grows" she said; don't
YOU see it? | never knew a child grow
so fast. Grandma says ii is tb- health
Jest child she ever knew"
TO me it seemed that the babe had
not grown an inch; and. to avoid the
contradiction, | changed the theme. But
in moment, the dotng mother was
back &c her infant again.
II do believe It's beginning to cat its
teeth" she said putting her finger into
the little ones mouth. Just feel low
hard the gum IS there. anlmother
vii be hele to-day, and I'll ask her if
it ISN'T so.''
.augied as | rer,ied, 81 am entirely
snoraDt Of such matters; bat your chi,d
really seems very fine one"
"Oh, yes every BODY says that. Pref
ty, pretty dear" And she tossed it up
and down, till l thought tho child would
have been shaken to pieces; but the lit
tie creature seemed to like the process
very much. lis it crow at its mother?
It's laughing is it! Tiny, niny little
lear, What sweet preciousit is
And she finished by almost dcrouring
it with kisses.
When next called, baby was still
further advanced.
"Only think" said my friend, when 7
had made my way to the nursery, where
she now kept herself from morning till
night, 'baby beg us to eat. l gave it a
piece ofmeat to-day-a piece of real
bro.!ei beefsteak."
What" said l, in my ignorance, for
this did look wonderful, ''tbe child eat
ing beefsteak already"
"Oh." laughed my friend, seeing mr.
mistake, "W hat sad Ounce you are,
Jane. But wait till you have babies of
your own. She says you cat beefsteak,
darling" added the proud mother, nd
dressing the infant, "when you only
suck the juice. You don't want to-choke
yourself, do you babys Eat q ooessteakl
It's funny, baby, isn't lt!" And again
she laushed-laughlng NIL the more be-
cause the child, sy.apatheticaliJ, cfowed
in return.
1t was not many weeks before the
fcng-expccted teeth really appeared.
Jane, Jane, baby has three teeth -
triumphantly cried the mother, as l en-
tered the nursery. "Three teeth, and
he's only nine months old Did you ever
hear of the like?'
confessed that | had not. The
whole thing, in fact, was out of my range
Of knowledge. knew all about Dante
in the original, and dozen other fine
lady accomplishments; but nothing about
babies teething.
"Just look at the little pearlsio ex-
Gained my friend, as she opened the
child's mouth, "Are they aot beautiful.
You never saw anything SO rretty-con-
fcss that yon never did. Precious dar.
ing" continued the mother, raptaronslv
hu sging and kissing the child, sit j.
worth is weight in gold