Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-09-04
Edifh's First Letter.

Every body knows that mothers lay by
as precious store the first little stock
ings the baby wore, and regard them
with even-increasing pride if the baby
lives, and cherish them as sacred
souvenirs if the baby dies; and the
Major has often wondered whether men
have any joy that is the counterpart of
this one that seems peculiar to women.
When May days began to lengthen
and brighten, Mrs. Shotgun took the
baby of into the country, where it might
have, during the eventfui second year
of childhood, the benefit of fresh air and
food and ample playground, with green
grass TO roll upon. Daily the Major re-
ceives letters containing bulletins show
ing how the infant is fiourishing, and
detailing also some of its remarkable adj
ventures. For instance, one day last
week came this:
"This morning Edith strayed into the
kitchen while l was In the dining room,
and the first | knew 1 heard an awful
scream, and little Edie came running in
with her right hand dreadfully burned.
How she did it don't know, but she
must have put her hand right on the
stove, for the whole palm is one great
blister. She takes it bravely, and 1
have got the hand all done up in cotton
batting and flannel, and every now and
then she holds it up to me like a tiny
white boxing glove, and says plaintive-
ly, Burner, burner"
Baby's hand must have healed rapid
ly, for two days later this came:
"while Edith was standing on the
back steps this morning, trying to catch
butterfly, she fell OFF, and it didn't
hurt her bit, but mother says it will
cost as much as seven dollars TO replace
the pots and plants that Edith fell upon,
baby is so heavy, you know.
And she is developing traits that in
other peoples children would doubtless
indicate an alarming and precocious
ferocity, but which i'm this case seem
only to show a rare degree of courage.
Here is a bulletin that says: "Baby
caught fly this morning, and tore it in
pieces" Another: "Edie stepped on
IN ugly spider and crushed it," and on
the same day it is recorded that she
''said Papa in her sleep"
Yesterday there came a letter that
was bulkier than usual, and the Major,
as he opened the envelope, wondered
what was in it. A little piece of brown
paper dropped out, covered all over
with pencillings of no character or
meaning, but softly drawn, evidently
by the baby; and reading along down
the letter the Major came to the daily
bulletin: "As l sit here writing the
baby is on the floor, quiet, for a wonder,
and busily engaged with a piece of
brown paper and pencil; and 1 ask
her what she is doing, and she says
Write papa and here is the baby's
letter, enclosed in mine"
So this little piece of brown paper,
scribbled all over with soft pencillings,
is Elith's first letter, and to papa; and
it must be confessed that the Major is
very proud of it, and he puts it care
fully with the picture of Edith that he
carries in his pocket, and thinks to
himself that he has, may be, found the
of that peculiar joy of wo
men, and been admitted 10 the highest
order of umanity. Cynthia treasures
the little stockings; Philip treasures no
less the letter written in a hand that
none but him can decipher, and as he
reads it over again he thinks between the
lines that, after all, this is very
pleasant world to live in.