Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-10
BtBY-TALK.
BY GAIL HAMILTON.


When the new tovn-house was taken tba
nursery was appointed for the top of the house.
1t was slightly AMI airy and spacious full of
light and sunshine. From it the noble domes
and slender spires. even the far hills and tue
winding river, were clearly visible; and hish
up above library and draving-room and dining
room the children could make as much noise as
thew pleased, arrange their plsythings in sIl
that disorder which is dear to the infantine
heart, and pursue the momentous airs of life
without running the risk of interference from
trivial, frivolous, and cspricious elders. Truly
tkwas happy thought, this establishing the
Nursery at the top Of the house.
But only q happy thought. For practical
results II would seem that the nursery i the one
place the children win not go to. A line of
stereoscOpic views reaches down every stair
case. All the chairs in the chambers are mar
shsled into one railroad train. and am allowed
cricket TO sit on only by sufferance. NY own
room is invaded, my best shawl converted into
tent, all my pretty little shakspeares serve
Is building blocks, and am only too happy Ii
lam not myself pressed into service as architect.
There are children under the dining-room
table, children behind the sofa, children in the
china closet, and, as / live, there is Baby-in-
Brooches at this moment dragging The Other
Baby ont of the best draWing-room cabinet,
where they have been snugly bestowed at hide
and seek! House-top nursery indeed You may
turn 1t into q servants room, or a billard-rOom,
or a studio, but the children are bubbliug ali
over the house, and never by any accident de-
viate into the house-top, unless. possibly, bust
in clay Is waiting there its transition 10 marble,
In which case undoubtedly Baby-in- Breaches
viii catch the general spirit OF criticism, and
"think that eyebrow too high, papa" and stick
billiard cue into it by wsy'of definition, at the
cost of an heur reconstruction by the patient
artist.
1t is a disorderly and reprehensibIe custom
this overflow of the children beyond all bounds
this determined onset of sturdy irrepressibleS:
but 1t cannot be denied that thus do we get de-
hehttul ana unexpected flashes Of fresh indi-
vidual nature.
i go into the blue room of an errand, and be-
hold |! Star-Eyes curled up on the middle of the
aslaen- nndPr a
in my neighboring room 1 hear a velvet voice
calling "CDsnabe!" L hold nv peace, to see
whereunto this thing will grow. Twenty times
she calls "Cusnsbe % in every variety of soft
information, evidently experimenting on her own
voice. Then thud, pause, patter, patter,
pstter, and in she shines, all dewy with sleep,
only a little snip of cambria falling off her
shoulders, but all her fine clothes tucked I'M
der her arm and dropping along the way.
Then, without q word, without invitation from
me, without the least sign of encouragement,
she Climbs into my lap as calmly as il she
owned me, and unto this end was born, and
for this came into the world; and the very as
surance and assumption, which in grown per-
son would be intoleTable, in her are simply
Adaptable. Are shyness and shame, then merely
cOnventiOnalities? Who shall teach Star-Eyes
the dividing line between the charm of self
withdrawal? No one, indeed, flor in the swift
coming years swiftly will come TO her the tre-
mors Of self distrust and timidity and dread of
encroachment; but as yet her universal conf
dence, her absolute impOssibility of intrusion,
are her guarantee of winsOmeness.
Ana now her mantle OF sleep falls OH from
her, and the blue eyes wander about the room
They meet paper doll on the bureau. "Whose
Is that ndice little doll?"
cit is yours. 1t was sent to you in letter."
Then no! for the bureau, and no! for all the
rest of the house; and gathering mp her bestrewn
garments in a struggling wad under her arm,
down the stairs she creeps cautiously, and is
soon again deep in the mysteries of life.
Baby-in- Brooches is fond of his sister after a
high and mighty fashion. When he is glOved
and booted and close buttoned TO the chin in all
N fNy ~ vnfn mt 20 nd ehn hax ha
turns back after the door is closed to hug her
and kiss her and calculate, pretty creature"
Yet she comes in from her play in the yard
quite pale and sgitated, and presses up against
me close, as she asks, eagerly, "HfU Prince
Butler snap Starry's legs Otf2" Prince Butler
is the warlike dog of a warlike general around
the corner. And that little rogue of Baby
in Brooches has been telling her that Prince
Butler will snap her legs OFF! Telling her ?
He tells her under my very eyes. He leaves
his sweetest tidbit at the table to come 70 und
and whisper his awful screed to Star-Eyes. But
Star-Eyes has found a way TO turn his flank,
and now, when the miscresnt approaches her
with his Gorgons and chimeras dire, she simply
puts up her eager face: "WlH Prince Butler
snap Starry's legs OFF,"
"NO, indeed"
Whereupon, turning to her Evil Merodach,
she annihilates him with her "NO, indeedy."
And the little wretch even dsres to practice
upon me. "Cusnabe," he says, as he stands
great looking glass, 81 climbed tree IN the
park to- day."
son no! you did not dare to climb tree and
break your legs?"
sYes, / did. Dangerous tree, too!n
Who wonders that mans inhu mainly to man
makes countless thousands mourn, when Five
year-old instinctively enhances his pleasures by
the mental torture of his interiors? / do not
think we give men half credit enough for their
goodDess-fOr their msgnanimity and tender
ness and benevoleDce when they have those
qualities. We do not know what uphill work
their attainment is to the natural male mind.
We little think what lOngings to be cruel he has
I,ah oul nnr Ia T-I uk.E
spasms of self denial have gone TO the upbuild-
ing of grace in him who was the man-chtld of
nature.
1t is a momentous occasion when Star-Eyes
is first admitted TO the family table during the
temporary absence of nurse. Her decility is
pathetic. "Star-Eyes must not put her hands
on the table," and off they go. "FOld your
hands, Star-Eyes," and the fat little sweet
hands are folded with a solemnity of expression
fully adequate TO a decorate of divinity. do
not wish to use the word humbug, but this poor
midget is tricked by nature into believing that
her department at table Is an important matter.
wonder if the same rule holds good with US.
Are there higher classes of beings to whom our
peccadillOes seem as phenomenal, as innocent,
as interesting, as hers seem to us? She folds her
hands demurely, and is wondrous attractive IN
the attitude; but Baby in Brooches Is eagerly
thrusting both fists into the strawberries
and cream, to the imminent peril of tabecloth
and jacket, and the humiliation OF propriety;
and though in the interest of good morals he
must be reproved, his eager unconventionalism,
his absolute Inconsistencies, are not less at
traetive. And what Is his unquestioning ODE
dience of Star-Eyes's but natural virtue? Her
sphere is limited. Society and morality, speak
ing through their authorized representative,
impose upon her the law of sitting with folded
hands, and that law she unhesitatingly ebeys,
and will obey till she is demoralized by bad ex-
ample. That il, when she finds all the rest OF
us reaching forth our thumbs TO pick out the
plums, she will unfold her own thumbs and ex-
plore and exploit; but at present she has no de-
signs in her Utmost heart but q complete and
devout observance of law. There may be such
thing as original sin, but the sin that see
most Of is acquired sin--Harper's Bazdr.
101I PENNSYLyANIA AVENUE I0JI