Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-07-02
AIR AND DIRT.

4 keep the babies in the open air,
y .aid n sensible medical man to the
T,other of two pale, delicate-looking
We'll. can't see that they get any
hing but dirt out Of doors. the lady
4 rasnouded, somewhat fretfully.
Mrs Weldon looked ut the tucked
Nd ruflled dresses that her little ones
\ wore the broad ribbon sashes, the elab-
4 rate lace caps, and shook her head
I 5rbiouslV. Dirt and disorder were very
J;sfasteful to her. The children never
vent out with their nurse-a woman
who had been specially selected for
neatness and care-taking qualities
that they did not return the worse for
wear The excuse for this was that
Master Willie-four years old would
nick 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 not under
stand why the clean, well-aired nursery
was not as healthy for children to play
in ne out doors in the dirt. They had
4 drive every pleasant day, and why
wasn't that enough? She believed that
II
and paler and more fretful. The doc
tor was summoned again, aud his
prescription was the usual one-dirt
and air.
So one fine morning the little family
started out with the intention of spend
inc several hours in the park. A baby
carriage was procured at the entrance
for the children, and for half an hour
or more everything progressed in an
orderly manner. Then Master Willie
crew tired and demanded to be allow
ed TO walk. This was the signal for a
Grand outburst from the baby, whe
Staunchlv declined to remain moment
longer than his brother did. Mrs.
Weldon took the latter infant by the
hand, while the nurse led the baby and
propelled the carriage. This arrange
ment was of short duration. Master
Willie spicd bird, aud with almost a
BIRDS quckness, started in pursuit.
In vain did his mother call to him to
return On and on he went, but the
momentum was too great, and before
long Master Willie had collided with
another little boy, falling fiat on his
face in a not oycr-clean spot. There
was a great splash OF mud on his beau
tiful crimson sash, mud on his pretty
cap. mud on his embroidered skirts, and
his poor little nose had met with a very
hard fate indeed A lady who had
Just seated herself on an opposite
bench, aud who also had two little
ones with her, appeared at this crisis
and offered Mrs. Weldon q wash cloth.
II was rs white as snow and just damp
enough for the purpose.
Il always take three or four with me
on such occasions, She said with
smile, holding up the oil silk bag,
which contained these necessary arti-
Giles.
Il believe in dirt she added, "but
it certainly has its place.
Your little ones do not seem to be
much trouble" Mrs. Weldon observed
thoughtfully in the course of their
chat.
IL have reduced this business to
science" said her companion. you
see l used to be very much annoyed
and dissatisfied with my nurse for al
lowing the children to get into so much
dirt, and took the matter into my
own hands. The result was that mot
only found she was not to blame, but
uIU really uOEt ucI NOlh tululIdDl1 III
fact, better than ] could.
"But don't you think ii would be as
well to train children to Keep out of
the dirt?' Mrs. Weldon inquired anxi-
ously. ut doesn't seem to me-" she
added, "that dirt is necessary to q
child's health or happiness"
Il have found out, said the lady,
"that dirt is necessary to my children's
happiness, and for thisreason, and this
reason alone, is necessary to their
health. Think of the strain upon your
nerves, to be necessarily watching
your little ones TO prevent them from
soiling their clothes 1t is impossible
Tor a mother or a nurse to keep from
losing their good nature under such
circumstances. / discovered after
while that my children were simply
little animals, and that to constantly
interfere with their instincts was to do
them grieyous wrong, wrong that
was sure to react upon myself My
little boy would be happy fog half an
hour with a stone that would soil his
dress. To dig a hole in the dirt with
stick aud scoop it out with his little
hands was q pleasure impossible TO eX-
aggerate. If for the sake of his finery
tried to prevent such enjoyment the
result was conflict extremely demon
allzing to both of us. | have known
INN to scream and kick until he was
completely exhausted and would re-
main irritable all the rest of the day.
A morning in the park with my chill
dren and a good nurse to look after
them would make me i'll for week.
Now, under this regime often prefer
10 serve alone. 1t is real rest and COM
Tort to me. "-EleaR0r Kirk, IN Cottage
Hearth.