The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-13
WOMAN AND HOME.
A Doctors Prescription for Children
Air and Dirt"
Women aud FiOWers-WaErying for
FEOney-TwO RoyaIties-Esaltia
more ReIIe-Odd Stock
incS-Erlc-a-RraC.


Keep the babies i'll the open air, said
sensible medical man to the mother of two
pale, delicate looking children.
Well l can't see that they get anything
but dirt out of doors, the lady responded,
somewhat fretfully.
Dirt is a good deal better than medicine
for children, the doctor replied.
Mrs Weldon looked at the tucked and
rrlifed 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
drcn never went out with their nuTse-a
woman who had been specially selected for
neatne and care-taIing qualities-that they
did not return tho worse for Wear. The ex-
cnse for this was that Master Willio-4 years
old-would pick up all the stones and sticks
that cane in his way, and Baby Ruth al
was tried to do just what her brother did
Mrs Weldon could not understand why
the clean, well-sirei 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 enough? She
believed that it was, Int the children grew
thinner and paler and more fretful The
doctor was summoned again and his pre-
scription was the usual one-dirt and air.
So one Cna 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 lf-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 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 ar
rangement was OF short duration. Master
Willie spied bird, and with almost birds
| quickness started i'll pursuit.
In vain did his mother call to him to re-
| turn. On and on ne went, but the momen-
tum was too great, and before long Master
Willie had collidei 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 q wash cloth. 1t was rs white
as snow and just damp enough for the pur-
| pose.
Il always take three or four with me on
on such occasions" she said with smile,
| holding up the oil silk bag which contained
these most necessary articles.
Il 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
| Il have reduced this business to science, y
said her companion. "You see ] used to be
very much annoyed and dissatisfied with my
nurse for allowing the children to get into sc
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, muct
better than could
"But don't you think it would be as well tC
train children to keep out of the dirtp Mrs
Weldon inquired anxiously. at doesn't
seem to me-" she added, that dirt is neces
sarv 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 strair
| upon your nerves, to be necessarily watch
ing your little ones to prevent them from
soiiing their clothes 1t is impossible for
mother or nurse to keep from losing the
good nature under such circumstances.
discovered after while that my children
We're simply little animals, and that to con
stantly interfere with their intinets was t,
do them a grievous wrong, wrong thu
was sure to react upon myself My littt
boy would he Happy for half an hour wit
stone that would soil his dress To dig
hole III the dirt with stick and scoop it on
with his little hands was pleasure impos
sible to exaggerate. If for the sake of hi
finery / tried to prevent such enjoyment tt
result was conflict extremely demoraEzin,
! to both of U.s. have known him to scream
and kick until he was completely exhausted
and would remain irri. "ble ali the rest O
the day. A morning in the park with IA
children and a good nurse to look after ther
would make me i'll for week. Now Gnde
this regime, often prefer to serve alent
1t is a real rest and comfort to me"