The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-12-20
The Child Of the Period.

chanSefnl moods and graces. Draw
the shaved of windhIown leaves !:
paint the, shifting glory ofsnnset skies,
but never hope TO describe one hour of
a baby's being. 9so'-
Look ut your solemn pink toes yon-
der. VIII your understanding ever
pierce the veil to solve the riddle Of
his thoughts, as he gnrgles, and COOS,
and crows; pines, and winks and
binnks his days away' Question him
II. thousand times why he3sniiles and
why he cries-why he capers, and why
he Townsville he answer7 He sleeps
i'll your bosom-are the angels further
removed from. your understanding !?
His soft hands futter about your face {;
yon press him close with wordless
thrill of love; he watches you wonder
ingly with his dewy eyes, as irrcspon-
sive as the, kitten yonder on the rng.
He is warped with collie, and pierre
ed with pins, and for many months
cares little whether it be Bridget or
his mother who attends to his myriad
wants. He is young monarch, a re-
morseless tylant in swadlhng bands.
who wounds.the heart where he nes-
ties, and pcrces the bosom from
whence he Maws his life, But remem-
Der he dwells in a fairy realm, midway
between our earth and Paradise-the
companionship of angels, the melody
of their voices, and the hush of their
mystic lullabies yet linger with him.
His dainty foot is lettering among the
lilies which girdle the fountain of
life-he is slow to understand the duh
larmpnics of earth, or take note of his
CANDY coloriug. To the sensitive ear
of his baby soul even the grooming o.;
low-voicrd mother love is discordant
or unlIeeded, while the, sweet echoes
Of wonderland, from which lie lately
STRAY ed, are sounding. The world, to
him, is hnt cradle to dream in, with
strange shapes moving about, swoop-
ing down upon him, recalling Linn
from blissful memories, with dahs OF
cruel pins, or seasons OF reckless .jounc-
ing. No wonder that he comprehends
MT, and lifts his waking voice in end
less lamentation. By and by, the
memories fade-dreaming lanses into
your world becomes
his world; your ways his ways-and
he is no longer a stranger to his mothers
heart; a home sick waif on unknown
seas. & ..t 1,rs .ra. .-s..4
Behold his three year sister Meg,
stealing sugar from the dresser! Is
she ever still? Is there an hour of the
lay that she dncs not glimmer and
CLINT, prance and prink, chatter and
1ex Would loaded cannon tnrn her
rom those wherein you babe her not
20 walk Your very pnnislmcnts are
episodes, forgotten with their passing
'he knows too well that gravity nor
ebuke can stand the siege of her
.oaxi eyes. The shadow of a inon-
.rch's crown is sof:ened, in her hossy
lair; she knows her power and uses
t. You can resist many things, but
rot her wheedling-arc strong to put
lown imposture wherever you find it
outside her 'dimpled self. Embryo |
'elle! incipient coqnette! She is to
our life what too much pepper is. to
'nnr snnp-a Thousand times day
on call her "plasue" and ''tormentr
-but would you lose her? Bewitch-
ne, lovable and charming as "Bahy"
nd "Mes" are to-day-they are any
hing but that, a half-score years
euce. Even the impulsive Tupper
would fail to find onr ten-year III chin
well of pleasure"
But is it all the children's fault that,
nth increasing years, they grow ur-
,vely7 Have not the parents some
hing to answer forg As much as we
ray deplore the sigl,t,ofa tame child,
isciplined out of all sparkle, 1 would
ather see the one, than watch the;
ffection, of forward chit, whose
yes are more Of an irritant to gentle
atience than mustard to raw flesh.
repetition of cl,iltlren's say
,g-notico oil their beauty--,he bring +
ig of them into everlasting position to
show off, .spoils them as irremcdia-
ly MS thunder turns milk. Let your
lend feed bits of arsenic to yourj
HID, rather than flatter her baby
anity by open praise of the mere acci- t
ent of sunny, curls, and bright eyes.
or my part, choose my girl shall
eep her bonnie soul unspoiled from
he world, at least dozen years.
DON enough, the siren calls will WOO
y birdlirg from bergnest; let me keep
er while | may. i would rather visit
lie house Of mourning than wend my
ay to the, halls of feastins, where
le spoiled child dwells. Fevers,
Jumps, measles! What are hey,
to the necessity of smiling,
hen you long to smite; of iooking
ell pleased, when your soul pants for
,InbatP
Seat yourself at the table where the
,oiled child reigns triumphant. Yonr
zeal is Dasseu in a hail storm of crnsts.