Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-08-04
A Hint for Mothers

- UOIucTS.
1t was one Of my headache days, for
l had been up nearly all night with
baby. who was threatened with Group.
L was nervous and tired, and it seemed
to me that the children were never so
troublesome before. frankie, my little
boy of four years, had been usually
restless. He had looked at his picture
books over and over again, had made
lamplighters for all of the family and
was tired of that His slate and pen
ell had lost their charm, and even my
box of buttons, usually a rare treat,
brought out only on extra occasions,
did not seem to satisfy him.
Going out of doors was out of the
question, as it was cold and stormy; so
1t was mamma, mamma, can't you give
me something to do? and Mamma,
please let me cut papersY or Mamma
what shall 1 do to amuse myself?'
had almost lost all patience with the
little fellow, and was about to set him
down in a chair and make him STAY
there, after the manner of so many
worried mothers, when happy
thought struck me, and it worked so
like charm that send it for the ben
eft of other mothers who are troubled
to find something to keep their little
ones busy and happy at the same time.
L hunted around until [ found a
pretty newspaper picture, represent
ing holiday scene, and two little ad-
vertising chromOs, so common now-a-
days; these pasted on an old box cov-
er, trimmed them off nicely, and cut
each picture into as many pieces rs 1
thought best, and presto, 1 had three
picture puzzles, and as happy a little
boy rs you would wish to see. No
more trouble from frankie. His cards
kept him busy all the afternoon, and
when it was too dark to see, he put
each picture into a seperate envelope,
and these into little box l found for
him; then he sat down in his little rock
ing-chair with his treasures, to wait
as patiently as he knew how till the
lamp was lighted. And then he went
to work again till he could make them
all by himself.
With seven o'clock came his bed
time, and as 1 tucked the happy little
fellow in bed, and bent for my good
night kiss, he looked and said Mamma,
I'm ever so glad you thought of the
pictures;" and so indeed was /, the
darling.
In the morning he was almost the
first one up, and as soon as dressed,
those wonderful pictures were brought
out again, and as sit writing, he is at
his papa's desk, busy at work with
them again. singing and calling, every
now land then for some of us to come
and see. 1t takes so little to make the
children happy that L wonder we do
not oftener tax our ingenuity to think
of something new for them to do, in
stead of impatiently pushing them
aside, and making them unhappy, and
ourselves inwardly ashamed.
Had 1 followed my first impulse,
when my little boy came to me,
should only have made him unhappy,
and would have done much toward
estranging him from me, for it is the
little troubles. listened to and soothed
that bind the hearts of our children
to us more than the great ones. Should
this little waif be the means of belp-
ing some perplexed mother, / shall
not count it lost time that left my
work tc SEM this message.
OF course, do not claim that this
idea is entirely original. 1 took my
cue from some little picture cubes that
/ once saw; but the cubes are not al
ways obtainable, while mine can be
made at any time, and answer the
same purpose. do not write this fol-
the benefit of mothers who have plen-
ty of money to buy toys for their
children whenever they feel disposed
These may. if they will, turn over the
leaf and read the next article. But il
Is for those mothers who, like myself,
are often put to their wits ends to
provide playthings, ar little or no ex.
pense, and as little labor, for the wee
ones in their charge. That these may
receive the full benefit of my expert
ence, is the wish of-One of the Nam.
mas.