Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-05-22

"S'' "uu ihoSt harhohious OuSnb 10 ut
brought round them. They delight il
large flower paintings and gold orna
ments, and will desert delicious plum
for rosy-cheeked peach, for the sake o.
its blushes. Indeed, mother with beari
and leisure for her work finds no com
panionship so refined as that of her baby
Soft sounds and colors, light, warmth
are delightful to grown people, but they
are indispensable to children. How can
we learn to meet their wants? What
does the wise instinct of mother teach
her?
A baby is very tender thing, people
say; but most of them are very far from
knowing how tender. Imagine how ner.
vous you are in certain states-when re-
covering from illness, say, when the fall
of book or the slam of door makes
you culver and feel faint, as if some one
gave you blow. That is the way a
young baby feels at its best. A puff of
wind will set it gasping, its little breath
blown quite away. A noise makes it
shlver, change of summer air makes
it turn death. cold. A BABY is the most
nervous of beings, and the tortues it suE-
fers in going to sleep and being wakened
by careless sounds when just " dropping
off are only comparable to the same
experience of an older person during an
acute nervous headache. Young babies
ought to pass the first months os their
lives in the country, for its stiffness no
less than its fresh air. But where ST.
lence is not to be commanded, baby may
be soothed by folding a 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 it hundreds of times for a
child so irritable that paregoric and
soothing syrup only madeit wider awake.
A fine towel would be wet and laid over
its head, the ends twisted little till it
made sort of skull-cap, and though
baby sometimes fought about being blind
folded in this way, FIVE minutes usually
sent him off into deep and blissful sum-
ber. The compress cooled the little fe-
verish brain, deadened sound in his ears
and shut out every ything that took his at
tention, so that sleep took him unaware
Teething babies find this very comfort
ing; for their heads are always hot,
and there is fevered beating in the arte-
ries each side.
Sense dictates the choice of finest linen
and flannel for baby's clothes. Rub
piece of flannel on your eyelid, and see
if it feels entirely agreeable. Now
baby's body is as tender all over as your
eyelid, and the softest dress is necessary
to keep it from irritation. Let its ward
robe be limited if it must, but let the
underclothing be as fine as you can af.
ford, always using your eye as test of
the suitability of different fabrics. This
toachstone will discard the foolish van
ity of lace and embroidery about an in
fant's neck, and all starched wear that
can possibly touch its skin. A row of
Hamburger edging will fret lit like saw
taofh hirfo oEAnII H. Il
front but lap over, to be kept in place by
the petticoat band. 1t is inhuman to
put pin anywhere in an infants clothes;
but if they are indispensable according
to ones code, let them be the little nick
el-plated or silver clasp-pins that cannot
prick. Put a pin to your eye, and see
how you like the feeling. Have as few
seams as possible, and let them be
smoothly finished, especially under the
arm where they wear most. Put linen
over the heart, but let the bowels be kept
warm by band or barrow-coat, which is
an open petticoat to fold over the body
and legs. Fasten the bands, etc., by
broad tapes or shoulder-straps and but
tons, leaving everything loose, particu-
arly over the chest. The first dresses
should be of the simplest fashion-little
French robes flowing from soft bind
ng, and long-sleeved. With a fine
tucked border and sacqueof white zephyr
)r merino, with rose-colored ribbons,
'aby looks lovely enough for inspection,
ar lovelier than when surrounded by
masses of embroidery and puffings. 1t !
must be kept warm about the stomach
md legs, or straightway collie and crying
re in order. These are best treated by {
Iothing stronger than anise-seed tea, $
YARN fannels, and gentle trotting with the t
oe of ones foot. 1t jars the little frame /
II over when the heel is brought down. I
Babies get their death-colds at the hands r
f careless nurses when they go out in '
heir little carriages. A draft from the a
ack curtain will chill the little rider
rom head to foot. Open parasol car '
iages are best, for though airy, they l
ave no draft soan stona foot twar,,