The sun., 1878-07-21
RELIEF ron MOTHERS.
Modern Machinery Entering the Nursery and
Quieting the Babes.

Furniture makers have given n deal OF
attention Of late years to the styles OF baby
cradles. Veterans In the business remember
how mothers rojoiced when first the basket
framed cradle wns found in the shops. II looked
so light and airy by the side of the coffin-liko
boxes ON rockers which came down from rcvo-
lutionary times Even now some of these are
made and sold. but not hercabouts. Some
years ago a Boston firm sent q large consign-
mont of them 60 New York. They would not
sell. Tho price was put down. and they were
ornamonted with delicate tinted muslins; but
mothers passed them by with contempt. 1t was
about the time that something new in cradles
WIS being offered and II there is n thing that
mothers do not like and will not have. II IL old
Fashioned goods for their babies. - the willow
No one seems to know how the radical change
in crndl. making first came about That con-
sisted in making the cradle stund upon n solid
standard and then rock 10y swinging upon
piyois. The ideH took, however. for with n lit
tie oi in the pivot the movement Is nots.lnss.
and they are mGrvellOusly easy to swing. This
enables the worn ont mother or IN" nervous
father 10 lie in bed and siil rock the bahy.
with this change n a basis there followed
revolution in cradle making. The basket idea
was almost wholly discarded All cradles We're
hunger pivots.and there wore tire" rocking mo-
tons developed. In one tho rockers WORK un
franc, which rests on the npor, and to which
tho cradle is attached 10y piyota This gives
n motion Iu-t ike that obtained from the old
fashioned floor rocker that II the largest arc
Of motion is at the highcs, point but The baby
tcels no ioltng, for the action j. like swing.
In another class the pivot is fixed in two up-
rights. and the cradle swings from the top.
There are no 'kcrs IN this style. In ethiri
the motion Is back and forth. in the direction Of
the ninnts head and feet. instead uf atrrnily.
This last. however il not successful. II looks
pretty as tho clerk shows II IN th" snlesroom.
and many are sold on that account TINT these
are frequently brought back for an exchange.
Tho complaint is general that the baby doesn't
like II. There are all sorts Of peculiar cnmbun-
ffBUs % movement together
but tho basis " all IL the swinging motion. Tho
latest adds wheels 10 the standard on which the
cradle rests thereby combining the hahy car
riage with the cradle. These are intended for
fortunate babies who are going 10 the noun
tains or the seashore. 50 TINT tho nurse can
whcel them out into the air. and II the baby falls
asleep. II docs not need to he transferred 10 the
cradle 9t ALL Moreover if the ride docs nQt
bring slumber the nurse can sit on a bank
under shady tree and rock the little one %
with Wow ~ giving tho mother some rest
At night some time ago a Connecticut man in
vented the -elf-rockng cradle. Like all the
now, ones. i swung on p,vois but by clock
rocked for am hour alta time The idea was re-
pardrd n good. II the baby cried In tn might.
an that WINS necessary wn- To wind M the clock.
nnd seq u" cradle t. gong, There was 10 h' NJ
more getting NJ In the cold. or stretching tired
nrus out of bed to rock the little ono 20 sleep.
But ~" cloekwork cradle. the makers -ly,
proved an utter failure for two ren@Ous Prn-
ripaly because very few babies were deceived
10y w. This led % the observation that baby
does 20 he rocked. The motion il nothing un-
loss th"re is somcholyto impar IL. The result
was that tho cl1'kwprk motive power was ter-
tHin to gef the hahy to crying. There was an
other dininulty. Unless me- hahy would lio per-
ieftIy -tlll ln tho crailo. tlIs cockwork got
of tho line of gravity was sure to send IA" era
die ON the rock too tnr ONE WY OF the other aud
TINT stopped the works. The clo'kwork cradle
go lou-rr finds a sale. The oradles thut are lest
amy other kind. ar. the standard cradles which
n NDnr These