The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-12-05
WOMAN AND HOME.
A Doctors Prescription for Children
---"Air and Dirt"
Women and Flowers-Marrying for
Money-Two Royalties-Balti-
more Belle-Odd Stock
ings-Bric.a.Brac.
Eleanor Kirk in Cottage Hearth.

Eleanor Kirk in Cottage HEARTH
keep the babies in the open air." said q
sensible medical man to the mother of two
pale, delicate looking children.
"Well, can't see that they get anything
but dirt out Of doors" the lady responded,
somewhat fretfully.
"Dirt is good deal better than medicine
for children" the doctor replied.
Mrs. Weldon looked at the tucked and
ruffied dresses that her little ones wore, the
broad ribbon sashes, the elaborate lace caps,
and shook her head obviously. Dirt and dis
order were very distasteful to her. The chill
dren never went out with their nurse-a
woman who had been specially selected for
aeatne S and care-taking qualities-that they
did not return the worse for wear The ex-
:use for this was that Master Willie-4 years
old-would pick up all the stones and sticks
that came in his way, and Baby Ruth al
ways tried TO do just what her brother did.
Mrs. Weldon could not understand why
:he clean, well-aired nursery was not as
healthy for children to play in as out doors
in the dirt. They had a drive every pleas
ant day, and why wasn't that enonghi She
believed that it was, but the children grew
thinner and paler and more fretful The
AOSUOI was SuIliuOuGd dkhlu Dlo pIt-
scription was the usual one-dirt and air.
So one fne morning the little family
started out, with the intention of spending
several hours in the park. A baby carriage
was procured at the entrance for the chill
dren, and for a half hour or more everything
progressed in an orderly manner. Then Mas
ter Willie grew tired, and demanded to be
allowed to work. This was the signal for a
grand outburst from the baby, who staunchly
declined to remain a moment longer than his
brother did Mrs. Weldon took the latter
inf ant by the hand while the nurse led the
baby and propelled the carriage, This al
rangement was Of short duration. Master
Willie spied bird. and with almost birds
quickness started in pursuit.
In vain did his mother call to him to re-
turn. On and on he went, but the momen-
tum was too great, and before long Master
Willie had collided with another little boy,
falling fiat on his face in a not over clean
spot. There was great splash of mud on
his beautiful crimson sash, mud on
his pretty cap, mud on his en-
broidered skirts, and his poor little
nose had met with very hard fate indeed. A
lady who had just seated herself on an oppo-
site bench, and who also had two little ones
with her, appeared at this crisis and offered
Mrs. Weldon a wash cloth. 1t was as white
as snow and just damp enough for the pur-
pose.
II always take three or four with me on
on such occasions" she said with a smile,
holding up the oil silk bag which contained
these most necessary articles.
u believe in dirt" she added, "but it GER
tainly has its place."
"Your little ones do not seem to be much
trouble" Mrs. Weldon observed thought
fully in the course Of their chat
~ have reduced this business to science"
said her companion. "You see l used to be
very much annoyed and dissatisfied with my
nurse for allowing the children to get into so
much dirt, and took the matter into my
own hands. The result was that | not only
found she was not to blame, but had really
done her work admirably; in fact, much
better than / could"
"But don't you think it would be as well to
train children to keep out of the dirt" Mrs
Weldon inquired anxiously. at doesn't
seem to me-" she added, "that dirt is neces-
sary to a child's health or happiness"
II have found out, said the lady, "that
dirt is necessary to my children's happiness,
and for this reason and this alone is neces-
sary to their health. Think Of the strain
upon your nerves, to DO necessarily watch
ing your little ones to prevent them from
soiling their clothes. 1t is impossible for q
mother or nurse to keep from losing their
good nature under such circumstances.
discovered after while that my children
were simply little animals, and that to con-
stantly interfere with their intinct5 was to
do them a grievous wrong, a wrong that
was sure to react upon myself. My little
boy would be happy for half an hour with
q stone that would soil his dress. To dig q
hole in the dirt with stick and scoop 1t out
with his little hands was a pleasure impos-
sible to exaggerate. II for the sake of his
fnery tried to prevent such enjoyment the
result was a conflict extremely demoralizing
to both Of us. have known him to scream
and kick until he was completely exhausted,
and would remain irritable all the rest Of
the day. A morning in the park with my
children and a good nurse to look after them
would make me i'll for a week Now under
this regime, often prefer to serve alone.
1t is real rest and comfort to men