The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-10-22
OUR OWN BABY"
What "Pheegis" Thought About 1t.
BY MRS. KNoNE DE PLUME.

BY MRS. KNoNE DE PLUME.
/ must have my say out, and then ] shall
feel better, for bo,tled-up indignation is ra-
pidly getting me into 4 STATE Il mind border
ing en- insanity. As my husband see, 6t to
unbosom his private grHfs and troubles 10
the public ear, say, why net let the public
ear hear the other si6e OF tie matter? am
sure one must be as much a matter of in
terest ~ the other. Who would have thought
when married Knome that eighteen mon rs
of welded life would 81 transform him? He
was at one time all that wss charming; he
is now irritable, peevi,h and torme-tipg;
and the cause, the wIefched cause OF ali
1 affirm it is 'Our Own Baby" supplement-
ed by-yes, very much supplemented by
my mother-in-law?
spring Of pleasure" So it is. But l appeal
to all mothers and wives when ask if il is
likely to be weil-spring of pleasure when
you have husband and mo;her.in- Law
continually squabbling over it, dosing il
with camphor, paregoric and squil if il
even opens its eyes little wider than usual
or gives Little sno:e, in his sleep: waking il
from i.s first pesceful slumber a, night for
fear it has been drugged; trot,ing him to
sleep when it wants TO be awake and
play, for fear its brain is unduly
excited; starving it one day because there
are few cases OF scarlet fever, and it might
become an endemic and the baby might
take it. and had better be prepared for it by
low diet; s:uffing it the next day because il
looks pale and must be running down in
strength and needs tonins up; worrying one
week because it don't cut lis teeth and il
backward, aud the ne1t week because it dee,
cbt enc and is fretful: chasing after the doc
tor every day and on the slightest Provoca'
tior, with the only effect Of making the doc
tor mad and disguised; the next week lay.
ing in 4 stock Of every medicine under ths
sur. and pouring it down my unfortunate
baby's throat by the quart if it even Laughs
or sneezss. II it laughs, 1t is historical;
il it coughs. 1t is consuup ive;" If it crier
| lit il fevtrish - il it eatl, 1t has an IN
natural cravin, for food" II it DOESN'T eat
1T is wasting away" o., good gracious
what can the poor little thing do? 1 wish
each have a large enough dose of paregorie
TO put them to sleep until or own baby Is
at least cid enough to cay when he is sick-
and my mOthsr-in-law should have the
larger dose Of the two. Perhaps they might
see then that the despised ''Pneegie," who
knows nothing about children, eoald take
care OF her own baby; and what good time
baby and l would havel
Now nome thinks that bis mother doe
US great favor by living with u, and his
brothers have actually made him think that
they deny themselves the pleasure Of hav-
ing their mother live with them because he
is the young, 81, and therefore has not had as
much care Il her as they have had.
What stuff! What does great grown-up
man want his mother to take care Of him
for when he has got a wife? believe my
mother-i in law thinks that can't do thing !
Why, actually. you wonld not believe il,
know, bu, X nome had to have mustard
plaster on the other night. lie needed it
more than the baby ever did, and my moth
er-iu-law insisted, yss, insisted, upon making
that plaster and putting it on herself! Now,
certainly don't care anything afout max.
ing mustard-plasei; it is not an employ
meat either fascinating or exciting; but l
appeal to any wife, if she would stand calm
" by and see her mother-in-law make one
ard put it on her husband, without protest
Of some sort? did not protest, but mixed
mustard a. fas, As she did. We each ap-
pealed to knome, but re would say nothing,
he j, so afraid that mother will leave N.
l cried and che cried. and X nome swore and
screamed with pain. 20 it ended BY cur each
clspp:ng plaster on him: and hope they
burned him well for not taking my part!
The next day my mother-inlaw said
"Knome. / wish you would look me up a
to-day a humble cot in some retired spOt,
and will retire TO It and relieve you Of my
presence, as my care is net appreciated"
Knome groaned. suggested that l
would relieve him Of the burden Of looking
up the humble COT, and that i had seen two
or three offered fer rent the day before.
Mother-in-law said: ''Iphgenia, may you
never know how sharper than q seIpsnrs
tooth it is to hsve q thsnslts, child!'
Knome took his hs, and fled.
1t is needless for me to say that the hun
bic cot is 20. Yet found, nor ever will be, in
my opinion; but il some change does no.
take place soon in the affairs Of this family
the public ear will soon hear more # The
private griefs Of Iphigenia and SOUR own
RARyD