Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-05-01
Z" Baby's Papa's Csmins!"-A Home
Picture.

i AM aware that all homes can not Dc
made happy in like degree, but the mass
of men and women can make them
selves the pivots around which revolve
so many joys of home that complaint or
discomfort were mean ingratitnde. The
laborer can not afford costly crnserv-
atory nor walk on Persian rugs. As
matter of fact he does not need them;
better still, he does not want them. The
breath of spring, the summers per-
fumes and velvet earth are his in equal
share with Dives, who spends his sur
plus income for artificial luxuries to
stimulate faded sense, and who vainly
regrets the far richer happiness he knew
when his ..feet were bare and his cheeks
were brown" have seen the street.
laborer eating his homely dinner on the
curb with his wife or child sitting by
him in content, when he seemed 10 me
embodied happiness. have known his
coming home at nightfall the signal for
chorus of glad welcomes that millions
of treasure could not buy for the child
| less man-that even he would not forego
! for Dives's Persian rugs and gilded
state.
Last summer I was saunreriDg along
a street little way out of the current
of the city's busy trade. l noticed
cottage with latticed porch, over
which ran a mass of dark green vines.
A flower bed filled all the space between
the house and the neat fence that shut
il from the street, and pretty walk
bordered with common white shells led
up to the side door, through which l
a. tohln snraad and
IDENTIFY waiting somebody's coming. l
confess that the white cloth. the tasteful
arrangement Of the dishes, and bunch
of lilac blossoms (all of which l saw at
glance) impressed me as in charming
keeping with the clean and cozy aspect
of the surroundings. l was so full OF
these things that did not at first notice
what now recall with glow of pleas
ure, and which made me young again
for a month after the event. Standing
: by the open gate was a woman OF per-
haps twenty-three. Her face was elo-
quent of health and radiant with the
double joy of happy wifehood and
motherhood. She wore neatly-htting
calico dress, her hair was cOquettishly
arranged, and her well rounded, erect
, figure expressed the organic grace and
elasticity which belong in the highest
: degree to the type Of women OF which
she is striking representative Held
r high up in her arms was baby glIi
} that might have been two years Old.
> 1t was obviously her first baby. Inc
, soft hair was carefully brushed, and
dainty white dress was set on with .
: pink knot at either shoulder. 1t leaped
| In its mothers arms and clapped its
hands with eager delight on catching
I sight of a figure coming down the walk
5 nearly block distant.
4 ..See." said the mother. "Baby's
4 papa's coming" And "Papa! papa!
? papai, answered the child, accompany
: INC each repetition Of the word with an
t effort to spring into the air.
a The picture held me rooted to the
{ SPOT, and when the husband and father
Y approached near enough Isaw manly.
: proud and happy face, the sight OF
4 which sent the blood dancing through
= nv own veins and revived recoilecuons
a of the time, long gone. when might
: have been one of a like radiant group.
: He wore q blue jean oyersnit and ms
: face was swart with the sooty exaaia-
tions of the forge; but his square sno'l-
d ders, firm tread, clear eye and uncon-
d scious strength were his unmistakaple
: patent of manhood. 1t was not strange
: that the pretty mother at the gate haiiea
f his coming with . beaming lace auu
+ bounding heart. did not wonder tnaI
n his ringing step quickened at the sign.,
q on which even a stranger, with irosteu
}, and sluggish blood, could not look WIN 7,
IS out pleasurable emotion. One neee nos
e enter that cottage TO know that 70 ils
o sweet and wholesome air thrives oieS1
&c and holy union Of hearts and hsnds,