Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-10-14
About Babies.
ny PEREG RINE PICKLE.

] am frank enough to acknowledge my
topic to-day at the very outset, and to state
freely that am going to talk TO you about
Aurelia's baby, and possibly about other
babies
do this for the purpose of avoiding in
terrupton, and selecting my own audience.
/ am not unaware that there are people
who don't like babies, and wish to get
rid of them at the very outset, before |
commence my lesson for the day. For in
stance, there is class ofpeople who won't
have children under any circumstances,
and another class which regards them as
encumbrances. | will wait minute for
them to retire They are utterly UNI
worthy of any consideration, and the sex
ton will show them out by the shortest
possible route,
Those foolish and inconsiderate people
who are so troubled with their children
that they entrust their sole care to nurses
and governesses, and know as little of them
as they do of the children of their next
door neighbor, may remain or not, as they
choose. They may possibly hear OF some
thing to their advantage.
If there be Mr.. Dombey in my audi
is u boy, and freezes the life out of the
other because she is girl, he can go, too.
If there be Mr.. Gradgrind in my audi
ence, who is so hard-fsted, hard-headed,
and hard hearted; so callous to every
thing that is beautiful and good so cor
roded and eaten up with the petty and
paltry itch of money-grubbing that he
looks upon children only in the light of
utility, or as nuisances to be tolerated only
upon the plea of necessity, he, too, can go;
for he will hear nothing which will please
him.
The sexton will show all these people
the door; but let me say to them, as they
retire, that everything in nature moves in
circle. just as surely rs the ship which
sails due east from given point will
return to that point again, if it sails long
enough, Just rs surely as the flower
springs from the seed and returns to the
seed.again; just as surely as the planets
revove around the sun, just so surely will
they, springing from childhood, go round
in the circle until they get to childhood
again. And in that second childhood they
will be vastly more troublesome than'they
were in the first They should, therefore,
have some regard and sympathy for that
condition to which the whirligig of time
is taking them so fast In that second
childhood, my dear friends, your hair will
grow scanty, your teeth will fall out, YOUR
hands will grow weak and your legs shaky,
your voice will rise from the manly bass
to the childish, piping treble, and some
body, after placing bib round your neck,
may have to feed you with a spoon. You
will, probably, be more peevish, tusSy and
troublesome than half dozen children.
You should think of this when you in
weigh against children.
And now invite all gentle souls who
love children as they love the birds and
flowers who love the music of their little
pattering feet; who love the quaint little
songs they sing; who love even their little
fits of anger which come and go like
April showers; and who live in their love,
rs sweet and fresh as the perfume of that
pink and'White tube rose which a kind
friend sent me the other day (now nearly
pulled pieces by the ruthless Mignon,
who will persist in wearing them in her
hair)-all these gentle souls invite to re-
main
| confess have not hitherto done JUS.
tice 10 Aurelia'S baby | have intimatcd
il was wonderful haby--no great admis.
sion, however, when all babies are won,
dcrful But II Aurelia's baby was won.
derlul when il could only wink and blink,
what do you suppose it is now, when it
can walk and Wiky Our hrtaknSt.tahle
chat is now principally made up Of the
smart and prccocious things that child
docs and says Aurela relates them to
Old BlobhS as the old man sits there SIP.
ping his Breakfast Onlong which Fow
Chow or Sing Man Sing, or some other
mnnosylhbic Celestial sent here the other
day from China and Old Blohbs listens
patiently and quietly, now and then with
smile upon hit dear Old face, It's She tells
the wonderful d0ings.
| think these little people have q quick.
or disoernmentot beauty than we grown.
mp people, and That they See twith clear
Ct vision. Aurclias baby was sitting at
the window, the other evcrine, watching
the leaves of the trees AS they ryStlp6 In