Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-09-16
PANSIES FOR THOUGHTS.

pANSIES tOR IHUUUHIS.
A HAPPY young family-father, mother
and baby-came to live in a great city one
May. Their home was one of the many
houses in a line, all alike, with little or
namental balcony at one side, bay-win-
dow at the other, and a tiny grass-plot in
front which grandiloquently called itself
the gardenn' Opposite was a row of
houses very similar, and the jewellers on
both sides came to take a lively interest
in this family.
Very soon their refined taste evinced
itself Vines peeped through the deecy
curtains Of the bay-window, and canary's
cage hung from the center. The piazza
became gay with baskets and stands of
flowers. Passers-by had glimpses of
books and pictures, and piano, where,
every evening when Rob Roy came home,
the clear touch and tuneful voice Of Helen,
his wife, was heard.
Thus they commended themselves to
the cultivated of the street, who cast ia
yOrable eyes upon them as fit partakers of
geStbetiscfeS thee.
But a greater company by far, the
mothers, approved them for the adulatiOn
of the baby. And the baby was surely as
lovely a one as heart could wish. A wee,
round, delicately-fashioned creature, pref,
ty from the top of the head, crowned with
little rings of sunny hair, to the rose-pinlk
sOles of her feet; with great smiling blue
eyes, a dainty little nose, and an actual
sweet, cherry mouth, not the imbecile
aperture for the reception of lacteals
which goes by the name of the average
baby face. You will observe [ use the
feminine pronoun. If baby is pretty,
girl? If it is a Dutch cherub, with a
splendid physique and a lumpish de-
meanor, which the little impostor tries to
palm off as dignity (deceiving only his
next of kin thereby, is it not-bear me
out, Q mothers of the herd-always'a boy ?
When the baby went to drive in her
perambulatOr her course through the
street was a royal progress. One loyalist
after another stayed her chariot to do Ter
homage. They kissed her, of course
they reioiced to find her tendrils would
soon become curls; they peered into her
mouth and gave each other intelligence
concerning her latest tooth; they pointed
out the dimples in her cheek, the two that
indented her shoulders, the many that
dwelt at her elbow and round her wrist
and in her hands. Her most enthusiastic
subjects counted her toes, examining each
shining nail, scrutiniZed her fairy ears
and besoUght her to show them her
tongue. When she condescendingly
stretched ii forth they whispered breath
lessly, She knowsr'
Baby was friendly creature, sweet
tempered as we'll as merry, and she pa
tiently aired her gifts and graces before
her people; but she was artful, too, and
kept her sweetest wiles for home
What famous day it was when she
took her first steps! We saw the exhibit
ton, and ii was as good as a Christmas
pantomime. At Rob Roy's ring Heller
opened the door, and, the greeting kiss
given, led him to the balcony and plunged
at once into description, quite intelligi
BILE to Us from her gestures, how she haC
set the baby against the wall and knelt
before her with open arms to lure her tc
come to her, and how baby, after some
hesitancy, suddenly flew to her, and she
had tried two or three times to make sure
she could do it, and how there was nc
mistake. Then Rob shook his head and
put on the most incredulous teasing ex
preston, and Helen, persisting, looked
very pretty with her bloom heightened
and ripping brown lock straying int
her earnest eyes. Asseveration provin!
vain, she went off for the champion walk
er Of the universe.
Baby came, fifty arrayed for the solem
nitv in short white frock much befrillet
and blue sash tied in big butterfly boy
behind She greeted her father wit
effusion, but when he derisively requisite
her company for promenade in the par
she grew calm. Being put in position tn
kneeling pair-for Rob the skepti
straightway became devotee-enticed he
TO them by all their arts. But none
these Establishments moved baby until sh
chose TO set out. Closely pressing herse
against the wall, she watched her paren
Tor minute with tranquil and cunnin
smile. Then catching herdress, danseus
wise, at each side she advanced, not {
hitherto with the skimming motion of Il