The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-06-24
BABY's FIRST TOOTH.
BY LETHE

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BY LETHE.
What is all that commotion about
Why is dear little Johnnie-just thre
years old-on tiptoe, crying out, "Do lie
me see! hold me little higher" Dea
old grandpa peering over his spectacle,
trying to get a glimpse of the curiosity
aunt Josie has left her sewing, in cage
expectancy; lastly, we discover the Joy
ous mother, Young in her enthusiasm
and happy satisfaction, leaning over he
little cherub, evidently pleased at hi
progress in something! All, have foun,
out the secret! 1t is baby's first tooth
There lies the little pearl Nesting o,
baby's soft gum, looking as sweet ant
pure as the infant itself.
Oh, baby lips, so guileless, so innocent
you will some day laugh me down, ant
perhaps one of these future days smile a
me for having one tooth, but it will no
be in babyhood it will linger ther'
when age shall have shattered its com
panions to atoms, and the silvered lock.
cling in hallowed glory about my fur
rowed brow. Then will memory lead me
back to days Of yore, and many will be
the tales that l can tell of this "little
curly head" who will then stand before
me grown man, full of aspirations and
youthful, ambitions plans.
Happy childhood Why must we leave
its sunlit stream to ply the troubled sea
Of maturity' The same old story, yet
new to us all; we must all grow old.
What queer feeling it gives to us when
i'll the twilight of life we look at the
little tooth-our first baby tooth-so
carefully wrapped in pink tissue paper
and snugly put away years ago by dar-
ling ma NINA, and reflect that this tiny
bit Of ivory work once occupied place
in the direful chasm that some of us are
endowed with, and which we daintily
term our mouth. / remember once to
have seen rare bit of ivory workman
ship, said to be forty-five years old, that
was carved from baby's first tooth. 1t
represented u miniature shoe, and was
verify wonderful work of art-so small.
yet SO perfect in all its outlines. It was
the carving of an old italian master, and
must needs he viewed through micro
scope to appreciately grasp its beauteons
creation.
There is pretty circumstance con-
nected with the tooth Of famous French
opera cantatrice. She was very en-
trancing and dazzling songstress, and
being universally favorably criticised,
she was somewhat distrait one day when
told by a celebrated critic that her rem
dition of La Fanite, the previous night,
was gorgeous, with bat one exception.
"How could it be ut fault?" was her
earnest inquiry. He replied that one of
her front teeth was trifle longer than
the others, and that it spoiled the beauty
of her mouth; and he implored her to go
with him and have it attended to by
dentist. She consented, with true wo-
manly vanity, and about a fortnight
afterwards there was thrown to her by
the critic, one evening amidst the bril-
liancy aud applause of an enraptured
audience, u magnificent bracelet, which
held, clustered in the centre of mnay
rare jewels, the bit of ivory which not
many days before had nestled with it's
pearly companions beneath her rosebud
lips.
There is something, however, far more
winning, far sweeter about the first little
ivory gem that ever graces an infantile
mouth, and it matters not how prettily
its other rearly associates cling about it,
or how cunningly they court admiration,
they will never have about any of them
the tender thoughts, or could they Care
hope for the hearty welcome that was SO
cheerily ;neted out to Baby's First Tooth.