The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-10-01
A Connecticut Baby-Show.

Killingly had baby-show. 1t came
off in the Congregational church at Day
vile, quiet little village in the town of
Killngly-quiet but for the cars of the
Norwich and Worcester road, which
thunder by the door dozen times day,
more or less including the night The
railroad and the wooden mills are the
backbone and main stay of Dayville A
few miles northwest of here is the beaut-
full town of Woodstock. home of the
beautiful Bowen of blessed Beecher
memory. If | were OF the interviewing"
stripe | should so over to interview him
OF his housekeeper But started to write
about babies and not about Bowen OF
Beecher
There were little babies and big babies
sweet tempers and squally tempers-
light babies and dark babies-blondes and
brunettes. Among the latter was one OF
the African type, with a little round head
like bullet and eyes ditto. There was
baby from Brooklyn, n Y >, and one from
Providence. The handsomest baby of all,
and the most richly dressed, too, was
baby by the name Of Richmond from
Brooklyn, Conn. but its mother refused
to enter it on the list Of prize contestants,
not wishing to put it on exhibition or to
make a prize-bady of it. Over fifty babies
were entered on the list, and forty one
We're present. Foul of the fifty died be-
fore the day arrived When they were
all collected, photograph of the whole
lot was taken in the arms of mothers and
nurses, sitting on the front steps OF the
church. But the task Of arranging forty
one babies to be photographed all at once
proved rather formidable Fifteen or
twenty at a time could be managed very
comfortably; but as fast as these were got
into position, fifteen or twenty others
threw up their arms OF heels and squealed.
Some doubled up their fists and punched
their mothers in the face. | volun-
teered to hold small Emphatic in
FAINT, which kept on its good be-
havior. l tried to get the little African,
but it was otherwise engaged The
baby that sat Just behind me, drool-
ing into the back of my neck, fastened
beth fists into my hair and set up a lustv
howl, in concert with another one on the
left, who had for some time been sound
ing all the notes Of the gamut The indie
tatigable photographer kept up the flag
ging spirits of the baby tenders, and his
own too, procuring fresh plates. as fast as
one was spoiled by this restless mass OF
babies. AT last it was announced that a
passable picture was taken, and the babies
adjourned to the inside of the church for
refreshments and prizes. There were
three classes of babies, and prize for the
handsomest OF each class. The first class
included those between two and three
years OF age; the second those between
one and two; and the third, those I'm der
no.
each c!ass-nine judges in all On the
County Transcript, Mr. Stone, was one of
the Judges; the other two were ladies'
one from Wisconsin, and the other from
Hartford. On the second class. Miss Sarah
Harris, of East Putnam, and Mr.. Everett
Stone, of the Putnam Patriot, and Mr..
Isaac Hutchings, of Danielsonville, were
Judges. | didn't learn the names of the
others The child that drew the first
prize-a solid silver cup lined with gold
was bright, blue-eyed little girl by the
name of Mary Jane Hallowell. The second
prlze-a silver knife, fork, and spoon
was drawn by a one-vear older, a little
French girl named Exilder Latieur. whose
parents live in Killingly, her father
following the brickmaking business. The
third prize-a silver napkin-rng-wa
drawn by bright little Putnam baby,
named Champlain. Whether boy or girl
| didn't learn. A baby-judge doesn't oc-
cupy the pleasantest position in the world
If there are forty babies to Judge, YOU
must inevitably roll the feelings Of thirty
nine mothers, for each one thinks her own
the handsomest, as every crow thinks its
own the whitest. "Ihat baby got the
prize" said the woman, curling up the
hair of little dot of thing ''1hat baby
got the prize? Humph! | know good
many handsomer than that one.'
And she gave vigorous brush to each
curl, as if to emphasize the fact that her
baby was handsomest prize or no prize
But IT mothers don't want to get rolled
up, they should keep away from baby
shows, unless others have passed the yer
diet OF beauty on her child beforehand
tor what mother is competent to Judge of
her own childs defects? She sees beau
ties and lovable qualities, where others see
only the opposite. That is what is called
one Of the tailings of human nature But
is ii failing? No, it is the beautiful chart
ty that embraces The race, for we all have
mothers, or have had. and fortunate it is
tor the homely, the foolish and the de-
formed, That they come into an all-embrac-
ing love that diminishes not at defects
physical or mental, but broods these with
the same divine charity that it does the
more pertect-the charity and love that
draws no lines of distinction
There were some fine specimens OF baby
humanity at this show, but there were al
SO good many of a pimping tendency,
showing lack Of blood and yigor. and
general tendency to deterioration in the
types OF humanity When people bring
as much knowledge and science to bear
on the production and rearing of human
beings as are now brought to bear on the
raising of horses, sheep and cattle, baby
shows Of higher type than have ever
yet been known, can be inaugurated
Then Will be seen the perfect physical
health that includes perfect physical