Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-08-18

10y Ill Why, i believe INC happlest'
most quietly cuntenlcd moments ui my
! hlo have Leen those in which, with my
baby at my breast, have watched the
placid, peaceful illIe face and icit how
| naturally the lIie giving u'"riNhmrn
IRON my own veins brought >Ircusth and
vitality TO my child, just as u iluwer
draws its freshness aud bloom as we'll as
Is vciy iilo from the ever flowing Juices
uf tho parent stalk"
'Ihe bright eyes we've misty with the
tender remembrance. and their owner
laughed loS, happy lauSh,as size addc'
cheeriiy, alter n moments pause: Bat /
don't expect every body 10 leel just a. |
do about il. The truth is, love my
babies So dearly that the confinement anu
care necessitated by my nursing duties
never seemed hardship lo me. Aa
hours exercise in my flower. garden. II
walk down street or II social call on n
friend M Ike al the change that | crave;
aud I'm always gladler Ia get back 10 my
darlugs than was 10 leave them
"Such maternal devotion is very beauti
tai, OF course" and there was little
sarcastic emphasis, unconscious, perhaps.
upon the last words. "but all people are
not constituted alike. |. Tor instance,
should be miserable il was Obliged to
deny myself The pleasure and recreation
that have been accustomed 10 find IN
society. was never intended by nature
tor nursery-maid."
"Or moltcr.n added the visitor. men.
tally, as she walked briskly homewardi )
her heart was lu,l OF plying wonderment
at this, TO her, strange phase of mother
hood.
Ono by one the years slipped by, and
the delicate, puny infant was no" fully
grown, but still delicate. girl; tair and
white as lily, but with no glow OF
health upon the soft, pearly cheek. no
irec and healthy development OF the slight.
girlish torn.
Nature heeds no golden rule" abuse
her laws aud she is sure to pay you back
In Your own coin. and when the mother,
in her bliud vanity, LEFT the tender neck
and arms Of her child exposed to the chill
,iraughts that even sumner, in our north
ern cline. so often brings, protecting the
lower limbs with only Il single thickness
Of linen. tucked aud ruillrd most olaJ-
oryiely. to be sure. but terribly cold or
all that. and compressed the yet unde.
ycloped form into vice OF whaiebone
and steel, as n necessity the circulation
in the cxlremilics become sluggish aud
slow. cold feet and headaches become too
common 10 receive much notice, 4 w"al
back and short breath were "nothiug.
grpNipg girls were ALWAYS complain
inc" was the mother, carelrSs comment.
a~. with anxious. ureni,tiag cate >Uy
-rouicd thc shades aud styles test hde"
20 set of her child, fragile beauty; often
90 her uoth,r'y devotion, suting np la'
into the wee hours OF the night 10 finish
some new and dainty Samrut with which
tn dazzle lhc ewes al cnvious out,idr,s,
while. needless ol the weared school
,iri', tired brain ard throbbing temples.
,ir,niv insisted upon The music lesson with
~ tour hours ot daily practice IN dark
ened parlor, from which the healIh-giviug
sunshine was as vigorously excluded rs 81
pcnni.css suiior would hav1 been, aud
where only stray Whit OF the sweet,
free air outside ever penetrated. And
here. Tor long, weary hours, the poor girl
sat, practising. over and over, that tedious
array of notes, with dull, apathetic per
s,stcncy more like the steady unconditional
perseverance OF Il machine than the will
ing. liyht hearted effort OF an ambitious.
healthlul child.
Strangers looked with aduiring eyes
upon the quiet hammered, daintily dress
ell girl, aud voted her II "perlecl little
lady :" over neat mammas held her up rs
a model to their own hoydenish, be
cause natu.s,l and healthy, daughters;
and even her teachers excused and passed
over many an impcrlectly learned lesson,
in consideration, as they kindly ex'
pre- ssed it, .'of her extreme delicacy and
physical disability for aoy extra exer-
ton"
When her classmates in botany were
ranging field and wood, drinking in
health and strength al ever pore in their
Jealous search for The floral treasures that
were to servo rs illustrations" ot that
beautiful science, she, alone, sal at home
busy with her music or her crochet work,
mot strong enough" her mother had
decided, Ito take such tramps that were
OF no earthly use, burning the girls faces
until they looked like lot OF Indians,
and tearing their clothes to shreds.
SO the little lady" sat listlessly through
the long hours, and thought with secret
pang oil discomfort aud longing OF the
good times that everybody else was
allowed 10 share in, until the qucrulous
complaint iound words.
Il do wish / could ever 90 anywhere,
afoot and without gloves, rs the other
girls do"
Mrs. Hamburger laughed indulgently.
BE Il good girl" she coaxed, "and