The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-11-24
BABY.
"A Symposium of the Nursery.

BABY.
"A Symposium of the Nursery.
had not seen my friend Vanessa for a
long time. She used to be my ideal wo-
man-so strong of mind, SO superior to the
vagueness, the ditfusences of her-ONr
sec. When she asserted thing, did not
wait to be convinced; l felt that it was so,
whether it was so or not. When wavered
in my decisions, I made of Vanessa lucky
piece, so to speak, and whether her toss
came down heads" or tails, was always
satisfied. She was trife unsympathetic
to lovers and indulgent parents, and had
rigid views on the subject of household
discipline, but her heart was warm, and
she was friend of friends.
One day Vanessa got married, and then
We went our ways. with much heartache of
parting and many VOWS of constancy. The
years slipped by and our letters grew
scrimpy and tame, but my idea of Vanessa
remained unchanged. When some misogy-
mist sent out his fling at womanish weak
ness. l would always say: "Ah, but you
never knew Vanessa. Now I was to see
my friend again, to sit at her feet, and
Happy thought! Vanessa was coming to
visit me with her year-old baby. wasn't
sure about the baby, but I thought it would
be laid away somewhere when it got troub-
lesome. Vanessa was too wise to let it in
terfere with US. We lived a mile or more
from delightful big village, and l planned
the whole month full of pleasure to suit
Vanessa, whose tastes and habits I knew so
well. I went myself in the carriage to
meet her.
"Ah, how dye DOE" she said, with a
strained sort of smile, when caught sight
of her ut last I couldn't shake hands with
her OF kiss her. for she had the baby in her
arms-at least I suppose it was the baby,
for something squirmel under the mass Of
embroidery and bro En veil she held up to
me. The nurse has gone to see about the
luggage" she said, by way of explanation.
Il wish you could see Baby, but I'm afraid
to uncover his face, lest he might take cold
1t seems very chilly here. Is there any ma
laria in the air?"
fastened to assure her of the health
fitness of the country, and ut last We were
all bundled Il use the word advisably) into
the carriage. Some of the trunks and bags
had to be left for another load, and when
we had gone half dozen blocks Vanessa
became inconsolable because something was
left behind which would be needed for Ba-
neglect. l was aghast, for Vanessa's seren-
lty under such petty trials had been at once
my envy and adj iration. We drove back
to the station and recovered the missing
article, but the drive home was unsat1sfac-
tory. Baby walled necessarily, and Vanes-
sa ignored me entirely in her efforts to en-
terrain him. was amused and astonished
at her stock of "baby talk" I knew what
an accomplished linguist she was, but this
last acquisition seemed more wonderful
than the rest.
There, there, petsie! See little hossie
booful little hossie. Was it mammals own?
Well, well, we'll soon be there. Louise,
give me that blanket. He's quite cold.
Would you mind putting up that window,
I put up the window. banged on it to
amuse Baby. l clapped my hands. tried
to take him, but he howled in derision, and
Vanessa said responsibility:
You shouldn't have tried to take him till
he knew you better. Was he mamma
beauty" etc., etc.
At last we were at home. I took Van
ssa into her room with some pride. There
were fresh flowers everywhere, albright fire
myself I had forgotten nothing.
All, this is nice, isn't tit, Baby?" said Va
nessa, in tone which more than repaid
me. But she had scarcely seated herself
before she said What lovely flowers; but
you won't mind, will you, if I let Louise
take them out? I don't think so strong q
perfume is good for Baby"
The flowers were taken away. Pretty
soon Vanessa began to fidget again. Baby
had been fed, and lay in the nurses arms
blinking at the fire in the solemn, wise way
babies have, apparently in state of com
plete beatitude.
What is it, Vanessa? Is there anything
well, don't want to look inhospitable
dear, and turn you out, but know baby
wants to 60 to sleep, and our talking dis
turbs him, he's 80 nervous. It's too bad
but we'er going to be together nice long
time now. 1t is so good to see you again
And we must read together, and you will
tell me all yo1r plans.
I frightened up Immediately. She acus
glad to see me, then. This was nv Va
nessa 1t was to be our old life told over
again. and the baby was only parenthesis.
But soon found that the biggest part OF
our visit, like Carlyie's "Reminiscences. N
was made of parentheses. In the morn
ing had to 90 into Vanessas room to see
Baby dressed for his walk. Then we all
flung kisses after him in the rapturous
fashion Of the twenty love- sick maidens in
Patience" Then we went to drive some
times; and if Baby was left at hone,
we had little chat about outside matters.
and Vanessa was faint semblance of her
self; but always she carried with her a new.
strange air of responsibility. There was a
serene, self satisfaction about her which il
would scarcely be proper to name egotism,
and yet it called on everybody to make way
Tor her, because she was mother Of Baby.
Holding the wriggling little lump of hu-
manity in her lap. she would gravely de-
iberate between Yale and Harvard for his
higher education. Every year of his non
age had been mapped out with most intr1-
cate lines, even to diet. dress, and deport-
ment. But thatwas in the future. For the
present We could not plan anything for
more than an hour ahead, for there was
danger OF Baby having pain somew ,ere,
to hold his mother beside him. Between
the fear OF his swallowing some indigesti-
bic Plaything, or getting cold, or having the
stomach ache, or catch some Infectious
disease, we were constantly kept
in whirl of anxiety. 1 became as baby
worn as the rest, finding that possibility
Of any OF these calamities made of Vanesso
~ wa Va ~AAsAA AAnAA0S. OuI intercourse
was intensely aggravating-I can use no
other word to describe it. She seemed to
love me still-when she had time; but the
instant the baby claimed her attention. I
was blotted out, and not only I, but the
whole world. Even her husband was a
shadowy being compared with baby, al
though hers had been what is technically
known as a Glove match"
Every day Vanessa would say. why
don't you read aloud to me, as you used to
do" One morning, she picked up NAL
locks New Republic" I haven't read
anything for two years, she said; lis this
good?" ''''
I shrugged my shoulders impartjally. AZ
who should say: IT'S mere matter of
taste.
Il know it will do for our beninninp. At
any rate" she laughed. and don't believe
you've ever looked into it.
Well, I sagely waited till baby was taken
out for bis airing, and then fetched INV
book, and we sat down in COW corner Of
the nursery together. had read. maybe.
three or four pages, which Vanessa seemed
to enjoy, commenting on the matter and
manner in her cleverly caustic way. when
suddenly felt that the author and ma