Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-03-13
Tic Pretty Baby.

"Isn't he pretty baby. John?
See, Just lock at him." and the
mother holds up the tiny creature
to papa, WHO kisses and fondles
him lovingly.
Eyes, Ka;e, he is a pretty baby,
but Tom was a pretty baby, too,
youremembcr."
YES, Tom was Pretty baby
cvelyb body said So" She chances
across the room alta sunny.taced
4.year old. "hut Willie is not like
Tom. Willie's hair is hight ard his
ewes" looking wiStfully into the
babv'S face, .'are dark. AID so deep.
that when l look in them am al.
most afraid, they have such a far
away light, they seem to see some
thing we cannot"
ooh. nonsense! don'tthink that.
He'll grow up to be Il fine fellow
But. Kate. wonldn'tthink so much
about him, he's a dear, good. little
fellow, but wouldn't worship HIM,
it isn't right"
:'As if l could help it," the moth
er says, rcproachiully, pressing the
Slight form closer antplooE!ng into
the dark eyes yearning'y.
A month passes away, and one
day they stand beside small, white
casket, within which the pretty
babyis sleeping. ALI, the mothers
eyes we're sharp. and when friends
said, s.what beautiful bright eyes
lie has, size saw the far away look
and knew it as the light that never
waS on land or sea.
"Oh, John, joint! she moaned,
81 knew he wasn't long for this
world. l could see it III his eyes.
Oh, my pretty baby"
..Yes, dear. you were right, "SavS
papa, and there is a CULVER in the
firm voice; "it it had pleased God
to have left him with lis we would
have cared for him the best we
could. but we must give him up for
it is His will, aud He knows what
is best for uS.n
sYeS, know ito and she stoops
and cuts a tiny wiSp of hair from
the baby'S head. "Oh, John, you
said | worshipped him. did, oh, l
did, and God forgive me, | cam be
sorry for it now, he was such a
dear, pretty baby
Years pass on. Other babies are
bora. They are pretty babies. ev-
cry one who sees them says that.
but none are like the baby with
the far away look. AS they grow
up they love to gather around
mothers chair, and she never tires
telling of tie dark-eyed baby who
went to live with God. And, when
with childish curiosity they open
the Bible to lock ut the pictures,
and liEd between the leaves a tiny
wisp of hair tied with a white satin
ribbon, theytouch itreverently aud
whisper beneath their breath: 1.-THE
pretty baby"
Years still pass on. The child
rem grow to be sturdy men and wo-
men, and as the mother watches
them she sometimes thinks, IF he
had liscd he would have been such
beautiful man, and then she
smiles and is glad that in Heaven
there is Ito time, and nomatter how
the others may change he is still
the pretty baby.
One day they gather around her
bed, and looking in others face
monrntully whisper:
"She is dying"
She stretches her thin hand TO-
ward The table on which the old
Bible rests, and they say:
''The baby's hair"
they place it in her hand. She
kisses it :enderly and a bright light
comes into the dim old eyes, and
they say:
.'What does she sce?v
She smiles and whispers: "The
pretty baby"
Trey place the wisp of hair on
her breast and told tie wrnkled
lands upon it, and tenderly lay her
by the side Of the pretty baby.