National Republican., 1882-07-08
NEGLECTED. INFANTS,
How They Arc SIIstreAted aud IIi-C1othed
-Lichsn for Babies nnd Little Folk.


To tho Editor OF THE REPUBLICAN;
The babies-God bless thoml Like leaves they
are falling as early buds nipped by sudden frost;
and parents weep and wonder, and friends con-
dole and write bad poetry, while Doctor shakes
his head wisely and says in mercy, Cholera in
fantum," &c, &C., when he ought in truth and
justice to say short sleeves, bare legs, and sour
milk, sir or madam. Take a walk through any
one Of the broad streets leading to the Avenue, or
enter passing car on that thoroughfare and note
Il / am wrong See the naked arms and legs Of
three and five years old exposed below lace ruff
fes, tucks, and dainty insertings to the sudden
changes of our variable climate 1--WE can journey
from tho equator to the poles thermometrically In
twelve hous) by fond, foolish mothers, for the
sake of exhibiting the dimpled elbows and knees
of the sweet unconscious little models. Or watch
as bo @ draaSst laSs p of Rs milk
and water, drawn through foul rubber tube,
reaches Its empty stomach; and IL after while
that baby or the one at your side
RENDs THE AIR WITH EAR-sPLITTING sHRIEKs,
evolved from cramped diaphragm, don't make
yourself ridiculous by trying to whistle Yankee
Doodle" and "old Hundred in tho same key,
or risk choking IL with the head of your cane, and
pray do not scowl at the poor nurse who vainly
attempts to quiet 1t by vigorous bouncing up and
ao% uegps ps a. sgea lies
"Drat it when she leaves the car TO seek the
friendly shade ofsome,near park, where the infant
whence it Is carried home to be slowly poisoned
by somebody's soothing syrup; but tear Leaf
from your notebook, and having written on IT,
madame you are killing the baby with cold sour
milk and water, give It to the nurse. will give
you a true precedent: Last winter when bangs"
were in the length of fashion Just clearing the
lower lids OF chldren's eyes, coming down Four
teenth street in n car, noticed fine child Of
six or seven summers in charge of her brother, q
lad of ten twelve years. The girl carried her
head slightly on one side and ut intervals would
III the banged hair carefully from her eyes and
then pat 1t down with nervous motion
AS THOUGH SHE FEARED REPRoAcH
A hur n 1nnl ms n tha n nor nd of n
car kept gancing ut her from time to time as the
car stopped 10 admit or drop passenger. We
reached street and IL evident our little folk
belonged in the vicinity of franklin Square; they
were preparing to leave. The gentleman took u
yncant seat opposite. spoke kindly TO the boy, and
lifting the hat of the little maid brushed the
"bangs" back and set the hat firmly over them.
"1ell your mamma doctor says you will lose your
sight If you wear your hair that way" He pulled
the strap and walked of, followed by the grateful
looks of nearly all in the car. That man may
| never have donated a nickel to Chrstianize the
almond eyed heather, who adulterate our tea on
the howery banks of the Whang Ho, or bought q
smuggled sealskin sacque to forward the good
work in Alaska, but he is missionary. Major
King cannot arrest parents an nurses for taking
babies on long rides through the city when the
weather is hot and gorging them with cold sour
| milk and water, or parading with cruel pride to
the admiring gaze of n careless public the chubby
nudity of tender little ones in the chilly draughts
that refresh our city. In heinterest of humanity,
wish he could. FAITH LICHEN.