St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-05-08
Babies.
SHORT CHAPTER FOR MOTHERS AND
NURSES.

\ young mother. who says she is also
foreigner. writes to know what she
can do to strengthen her baby. that Is
seventeen months old, vet does not
show any inclination to walk. and hard
ly to support itself. Poor, wee bonnie
| lambs To be born into so much trou-
/ bic, and find such hard time ut first
merely trying to live. The happy
mother of as bright and healthy "A child
as ever lived writes this, but her abound
ing pleasure in the growth and gladness
of that blessed little creature has only
intensified her wonder and pity over
the weakling specimens of baby hood
that meet one on every hand. \ healthy
baby is the exception not the rule. You
find the pink tinted flesh. that only
deserves Browning's likeness of rose
miSted marble and the clear rivulet-
like eyes. bright as crystal over agate
or forget etme-nots, once ont of twenty
babies that are pale, purple streaked
| It's wind flowers, with Opaque eyes and
lips translucent like thin horn. The
reason why people don't like babies is
they are so unhealthy they must he
always mewling and fretting in that
ra>pimg way that makes tiddle-strings
cross and uncomfoI table. hecause they
are so wretchedly uncomfortable. poor
things They suffer with much unnn-
ticcd patience through sorel tried lit
tie lives till God kindly lets them drop
into little graves that are after all. more
welcome than their mothers bosom.
Why can't We have well babies They
cost too dear. and draw and wind too
1. L L
hc lost to sight behind white head
stones ~ early. \ healthy baby is such
u happy thing. so roguish. 81 full of
good will tu everybody: rich in Tiny
practical Jokes and small. sweet satire.
with il cooling music in its voice that
suit with mummring pigeons. laughing
leaves. and streaming waters, all things
that babies love. They are lovers and
poets, too. from their birth. as any
mother believes who has watched the
little soul come to its windows and take
its calic~t peeps at this world. Bonnie
was little more than six months old
when his nurse took him to the Central
Park. Weeks after his mother took
him again. carrying him she loved
i'll her arms from the cars. As they
entered the shady paths that led To the
W llIoN W dltT. Donnie Sttlt'l 10 Ittbr-
nize the place. and smile of gratitica-
tion stole over his baby face rs he was
taken into the maze of dropping branch
e>. There was no glittering sunlight.
nor bright flowers to catch his eve.
only the deep. soft greens of a hazy
clouded August day. evidently CRATE
tul To the little p"ct-Soul as he lay all
>orhcd in watching them from his
al L A..
color and picturesque form. \ child
three months old will lie studying the
dead gold figures on the wallpaper. or
the carved pinnacles of the hedStead.
Instead of common. crude colors. the
finest and most harmonious ought to he
brought round them. They delight in
large flower paintings and gold orna-
ments, and will desert delicious plum
for Il roSy-cheeked peach. for the sake
of its hlu>hc>. Indeed. Il mother with
heart aud leisure fnr hcI work finds no
c"mpanion>hip 81 refined As that of her
baby. soft sounds and culorS. light.
warmth. and ease are delightful To
grown people. hut they are indiSpcn>-
able to childIcu. How can we learn To
meet their wantS2 What does the wise
instinct of Il mother teach her
\ hahv i Il very tender thing. pen-
pie say: but most of them are very I.
far from knowing how tender. Imagine
how nervous You are in certain states -
when recovering from illness say. when /
the fall of 4 book or the slam of IL door .
makes YOU quivcr and feel faint. as if .
some one gave YOU Il blow. That is
the way Il Young baby feels at its best /
\ pun of wini will set 1t gasping. its
Il. L. 1
makes it >hiver. Il change of summer
ali makes ii turn delih-culd. baby /
Is the most nervous OF beings. and the
tolturc> ii suffers i'll going to sleep and /
being wakcncd 10y careless sounds when .
just dropping OIL are only compar-
able To the same experience of IN older
person during an acute nervous head .
ache. Young babies ought to pass the /
first months of their lives in the country. /
f"r its stiffness no less than its fresh .
air. But where silence is not to be
commanded. baby may be Soothed by .
folding soft napkin, wet in warmiSh .
water. lightly over the top of its head.
its eyes. and ears. 1t Is the best WAY
TO put nervous babies to sleep. have
tried il hundreds of times for a child 81
Irritable that paregoric and soothing
syrup only made ii wider awake \ .
fine towel would he wet and laid over
its head. the ends twisted IL little till it
made Il sort of skull cap. and though
baby sometimes fought against being
hlindtoldcd i'll this way. five minutes
usually sent him of into deep and bliss
tul slumber. The compress cooled the
little frverish brain. ieadencd sound in
his ears. and shut out everything that
took his attention, so that sleep took
him unaware. Tcething babies find
this very comforting: for their heads
are always hot. and there is fevered
heating i'll The arteries each side.
Sense dictates the choice of finest
linen and flannel tor bahy'S clothes.
Rub piece of common flannel on vour
eyelid. and see if it feels entirely agreea-
bic. Now IL baby's body is us tender
all over as your eyelid, and the softcst
dress is necessary to keep it from irffta-
ton. Let its wardrobe he limited if it
must. but let the underclothing he fine
as you can afford. always using your
eye us il test of the suitability of diff
terent fabrics. This touchstone will
discard the foolish vanity of Lace and
embroidery about an infants neck. and
all Starched wear that can possibly
touch its skin. \ row of Hamburger
cdging will fret it like saw-teeth. Shirts
should not he closed in front but lap
over. to he kept in place by the petit
coat band. 1t is inhuman to put pin
anywhere i'll infants clothes but if
they are indispensable according to
ones code. let them he the little nickel