The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-02
MAJOR SCHOTTGUHN'S BABY.

There was a time, In his bOyhOOd days
when the Major thought Sunday dreary
clay. No work, no play, everything SOL
emn, prim clothes, church bells, dull ser
mon, a momentary relief in the air after
church; more bells. Sunday school; more
bells, more dull sermon, supper, to bed,
weary with monotony; and then the JOY
GUS awakening on Monday morning, the
hum Of busy life resumed, the grass green
CT, the sun brighter, the birds blither, and
all the world natural again. But as the
Major grew older, and came to take up
his share Of the responsibilities that fall to
men, Sunday appeared to him in a differ
ent light, and he began to realize the
wisdom Of that provision of Providence
which gives one days rest in seven, and
still later, so keen was his enjoyment of
the day that he looked forward to Satur-
day night as Il time when he should di-
vest himself Of all his little petty cares
and troubles as of a coat, to be left be-
hind him for full six and thirty hours and
lie walked up Broadway already enjoying
in anticipation the quiet delig hts Of the
morrow, and caring not whether the earth
would be flooded with sunshine or with
rain; and when the morrow came, the
church bells sang tune which increasing
years had ever melloWed, and even in the
clangor of the city's many bells it was
easy to single out one whose voice was
pleasant because it was like that of the
church Of his boyhood.
And after the baby came what an add
ed pleasure in the day! Here was treas
ure that neither money nor influence
could buy, piquant joy with reverend
ing changes and ever-novel and delight
tul phases Of development, though, to be
sure, it was something Of bother, too,
when, for instance it would reach ny from
the Majors knee and pull his neck-tie out
ofjoint, Or suddenly and violently twitch
his moustache, or do one of the thousand
unexpected things that only baby does.
1t was only week ago to-day that Mrs.
Schottguhn, whose incessant labors had
not permitted her to finish the darning of
a stocking begun on Saturday night,
asked the Major to hold the baby for
few minutes, whick task he cheefully
undertook. From the first the baby's eyes
have been taken by the Majors shirt
studs. Two months ago her brain had
not reached that stage of directing and
controlling power which would enable
her to put finger squarely upon them;
her whole little hand flew up and down
the shirt front, satisfied if it touched
stud in its sweep; now, with evident de-
light, she reaches straight for one, and
holds it firmly; two months hence she
will, with corresponding increase Of in
telllgcnce, be able to Hllscrcw them all
and throw them on the loor handy to be
stepped on.
At last she grew tired and frctful.
"Philip," said Mrs. Schottg,lhn, as she
measured off necdlcful Of darning COT
ton, why don't you let hcr have her play
things" and then Philip put her in a
high chair, and so wcdgcd her UP against
a table that she couldn't fail without up
setting table, chair, and all, which was
impossible, and set before her on the
table her playthings, of which the fol-
lowing is an accurate list:
One basket.
One rubber doll.
One iron clock key.
One paper box.
One rubber ring.
One piece of white wax.
One tin pail cover.
One pair shears, will, spool stuck
over the points.
One rubber rattle box.
One pair little WOODEN shoes, outgrown,
such as mothers lay away in bureau
drawers.
One red apple.
One silver spoon.
One string of button moulds
Two pieces flannel listing-onc red
one blue.