Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-07-06
{" Only a Baby"

Only baby! helpless little soul,
who had never yet lived for anything
but to be cared for-whO had. neither
words nor thoughts--wh0 must have
persisted, like plucked flower, Of
few hours neglect; but he was hers
her baby, and SO not like any other
thing in all the world. What do you
know, who never had one, of the
little hands against her breast-Of his
lips there, soft and warm-Of the little
nipping nails that hurt 30 cunningly
that the pain was pleasure Of the
long talks he used to have with
mamma, when he said "da," and
ma" and g Ooo," aud "ta-ta,' and
meant so muchf What can you
gncss of the thrills that went through
her when " baby took notice'-wlien
his wonderful good sense taught him
to reach out for an orange, and bob it
with both hands against his nose, and
make vain efforts to swallow it whole
What do you know of the feeling Of
inter possession which nothing else
can give woman but her babyi 1t
is all hers-hers in secret, before any
one else knew OF it--hers while it was
ONLY a dream, a dutter of her own
heart, sob of her own breath-hers
when, faint with pain and worn with
travail, she took it first TO her arms, a
d0wRy handful, that only a woman
dare touch, even then her cOmpensa-
ton for all suffering. 1t looked--it
always does look, to a mothers eyes
like papa 1t is his, too, and he il
hers, but baby is still more her own.
IA husband may have loved before a
little bit of bis heart may have been,
or may he, somebody else's; he may
even once have had anOthers wife
at least there is some one somewhere
who has his friendship, OF ship he
loves, or profession he pursues, or a
dog he pets, or horse he. is fond Of !;
but baby never had but one mother
never can have; nothing has any
claim upon him, nothing could. entice
him from her bosom.
"JuSt little ANIMAL you say.
Yes, OF course; but mothers do not
think SO. canIiot feel so-ougbt not, if
they could.
There are all the wonderful hopes of
all the wonderful world lowering
about baby's head. Nothing is i'm
possible for his future. To be the
best and most beautiful, to be the
greatest, TO overcome all obstacles, to
have friends and no enemies-why
may not this be! The little soul is
new and untainted, the little body has
all growth before it. Its future is
always magnificent. 49,
Baby! baby! In the night its little
cry walked her from dreams to sweet
er thoughts than any dreams could
bold. In the morning perhaps it had
crept up and put its yelEet cheek
against hers, with its tiny touch
thrilling her as the first love kiss did.
She wonders at the women who long
to be no women, that they may strug-
gle fiercely on life's arena By mans
right. She could struggle also for
baby; but there is no joy like being
baby's mother--his baby's mother
whom she loves. And her manctild
lying on her bosom tells her tale,
and sings her song that only moth
ers ever hear; and she knows that
when God made woman the mother of
man he gave her the highest honor
that life holds.
And now-now--bahy is dead
The sweetness is taken from her soul,
the warmth from her heart, For a
while it must seem as though there
We're nothing more for her under the
sun. 1t will never come to pass that
she shall see him boy, aud make for
him little tunics and soft velvet caps.
She shall never pridetully gaze upon
the school-prizes he would have Been
sure to win. Nor shall she look up at
him, taller than her by the head,
broad shouldered and stalwart, ana
be gloriiied in having him for son.
There is nothing now ont a baby
image oil clay put away under coffin
Ind. so go sfs.s+ rtTs
Only baby! All no; more than
that. The beautiful mystery over
which she dreamed is gone. The
yelled hope that fitted down the
future has followed it. The downy
armful has left her, and the little
thing III frocks and red shoes and the
boy, with his shrill, clear voice and
merry ways, and the youth of such
rare promises, and the grand, perfect
man, without fault or blemisli-sO
many things that she had in the past,
or in the present, or that were to
come to her in the future and you
say-you know nothing of it all
"Only baby y
NJ. X. u.