Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-03-19
Maternal ignorance.

Stant0n's lecturing tours she had oc-
casion to visit Mt. Vernon, Iowa, which
point she reached late one very cold
Sunday night AS the train rolled off
she found herself alone in the dark
ness, the depot deserted and locked a
gainst all travellers. To stay there
was to freeze,eto go somewhere else
was to fall into some ditch or trap she
knew not of. Thinking perhaps some
one might be asleep inside, she began
to pound upon the doors and win
dows. Receiving no answer her only
resource was to scream. So she shout
ed Halo Hallo!' loud and long.
Just as she began to despair of being
heard, the sound of footsteps gladden.
ed her heart, and soon strong young
man appeared. He was thetelegraph
operator, and lived half way between
the town and the depot. As Mrs.
Stanton was advertised to speak there
she did not need much of an introduc-
ton. The young man readily under
stood the situation, and taking key
out of his pocket said: will you sit
in the depot until go up to the town
and get sleigh, or would you prefer
to walk? p Shivering with cold and
fearing to stay alone, she chose the
latter. 1t was slow work, as the
snow was deep and the wind was
strong. Her companion lightened her
discomforts, however, by describing
his lite in the army, battles, prisons,
hospitals, care of the sick, etc., which
led to the following
'One year ago I married a pretty
Southern girl, and now we have ba
by month old, and, poor little thing,
it cries all the time, and we feel so
sorry for it that sometimes we all cry
together. Do you know anything a
bout babies ? said he, stopping sud
denly, as if propounding a most mo-
mentous question
Yes said I, L know all about
them. I have read all the authorities,
from DR.. Andrew Combe down to
Mrs. Winslow's soothing syrup, and |
have made a practical application of
my knowledge on seven of my own
children
Inspired with confidence in my
wonderful attainments in this depart
ment of knowledge, he said If |
should bring a sleigh tomorrow
morning, would you go and see my
wife and baby and tell us what to do?'
I replied: I should be happy to
show my gratitude to you for all your
kindness by doing something for your
wife and baby in return
Accordingly, the next morning we
drove to his home. / found sweet
looking, pale young mother, weary
and worn with the care of child that
seemed to be in great suffering, wiring
Cling and twisting like an eel. She
said it never seemed at ease day or
night. Taking it in my arms | soon
saw that it was bandaged as tight as
q drum from its arms to its hips. |
took every pin out, leaving all the
clothing loose, rubbed its little back
and breast gently, and laid it out on
an even surface on the bed, at peace,
where it slept quietly all the time I re-
mained, and, as the father told me the
next day, long after, the first comfort
able nap the poor little soul had since
it was born.
1 sat long time, telling the young
mother how to take care of herself and
her baby, and the reason for all my
directions. I have asked many moth
ers why they bandaged their children,
and they never yet heard one good
reason. To show how ignorant they
are, one told me her nurse said baby
must be bandaged, as it would be in
danger of falling apart if not tightly
pinned together. I replied that it was
rather remarkable that kittens and
puppies should have been made so as
to hold together and the human family
left wholly at the mercy ola bandage.
The next day at Cedar Rapids was
relating my Mt. Vernon experience to
one Of my sons, when l remembered
that had not told the young mother
to give her baby water every day.
Now said I, that poor baby will
suffer with thirst. They will give
the dog and cat and canary bird wa
ter, but they will never think of the