The Opelousas courier., 1886-05-22
The Pretty Baby.

1911 u LIZ q PROXY DoDy1 oNii SSNj
just look at him" and the mother holds
up the tiny creature to papa, who kisses
and fondles him lovingly.
eyes, Kate, he is a pretty baby, but
Tom was a pretty baby, too, you remem'
ber."
eyes, Tom was a pretty baby-every,
body said So" and she glances across the
room at a sunny-faeed, four-year-old,
'but Willie is not like Tom. Willie's
hair is light and his eyes," looking wist.
fully into the baby's face, "are dark, and
so deep, that when | look in them | an
almost afraid, they have such a far away
light, they seem to see something we
cannot"
"Oh, nonsensel don't think that.
He'll grow up to be a fine fellow. But,
Kate, / wouldn't think so much about
him, he's a dear, good, little fellow,
but I wouldn't worship him, it isn't
right"
"As if 1 could help it." the mother
says, reproachfully pressing the light form
closer and looking into the dark eyes
yearningly.
A month passes away, and one day
they stand beside a small, white casket,
within which the pretty baby is sleeping
All, the mothers eyes were sharp, anc
when friends said, "what beautiful
bright eyes he has," she saw the fal
away look and knew it as the light that
never was On land or sea.
ooh, John, john she moaned, u
knew he wasn't long for this world. ]
could see it in his eyes. Oh, my pretty
baby"
Eyes, dear, you were right says
papa, and there is a culver in the firm
voice; ''if it had pleased God to have
left him with us we would have cared
for him the best we could, but we must
give him up, for it is His will, and He
knows what is best for u.s."
Eyes, I know it," and she stoops
and cuts. a tiny wisp of hair from
the baby's head. ooh, John, you
and / worshiped him. l did, oh, I did,
and, God forgive me, / can't be sorry fol-
it now, he was such a dear, pretty baby"
Years pass on. Other babies are born.
They are all pretty babies, every n who
sees them say that, but lone are like the
baby with the far away look. AS they
grow up they love to gather around
mothers chair, and she never tires of tell
ing of the dark-eyed baby who went to
live with God. And, when with childish
curiosity they open the Bible to look at
the pictures, and find between the leaves
a tiny wisp of hair tied with a white satin
ribbon, they touch it reverently and
whisper beneath their breath, 'rThe
pretty baby"
Years still pass on. The children grow
to be sturdy men and women, and as the
mother watches them she sometimes
thinks, eff he had lived he would have
been such a beautiful man." and then she
smiles and is glad that in heaven there
is no time, and no matter how the others
may change he is still the pretty baby.
One day they gathered around her bed,
and looking in each others face MOURN
fully whisper:
'tShe is dying"
She stretches her thin hand toward the
table on which the old Bible rests, and
they say:
1.-THE baby's hair"
They place it in her hand. She kisses
it tenderly and a bright light comes into
the dim old eyes, and they say:
"What does she see 2"
She smiles and whispers: s'The pretty
baby"
They place the wisp of hair on her
breast and fold the wrinkled hands upon
1t, and tenderly lay her by the side of the
pretty baby.-M. Quad.