Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-04

Furniture for fodder.
rHH CHINESE WINTER cRADLEs-LIvH BABrks BURIED
IN SNOW AND SAND.
From Drakes Magazine.
The Chinese have queer institution which they
call the winter cradle. 1t is shaped somewhat
ike an hour glass and stands on end. There IL an
opening above and below, and the waist, which Ia
contracted, serves to keep the celestial baby on his
feet. Day after day little almond-shaped eyes
peep over the top OF this cradle and little hands
nurse puts In an appearance Some OF these
winter cradles are made OF w1cker-work ana are
beautifully painted by Chinese women artists. 1t
and then, when two are placed close together and
the occupants declare war and measure arms, two
cradles toll over the noor 70 noises that "bring
The Lapp baby very often has q snow cradle for
Mnen the induigent mother attends church she
makes mole In the snow outside and deposits the
young Laplander therein. 1t Is no uncommon
sight to see circle OF these snow cradles in front
OF q Lapp chapel, and now and then q lot OF
wolves that might meditats raid on tie baby
contingent. The Lapp cradle In material differs
essentially from that used by the Bushman baby,
chucks him therein In the shadow Of some lonely
Dusn; some times the cradle is ready TO hand in
some feathers left by the mighty bird help TO
soften the nest OF the future Bushman warrior.
There Is tribe in the palm region OF the Amazon
leaf turned up around the edges by some native
process makes an excellent cradle, and now and
then II Is made to do service o bath-tub. strong
cordS are formed from the sinews OF another
specie OF palm, and by these this natural cradle Is
swung alongside tree, and the wind rocks the
little TOT 70 sleep. Long ago the Amazonian
motneEs discovered that II was not wise 70 leave
BABY and cradle under a cocoa PALM for the mis-
chievous monkey delighted to drop nuts down.
ward with an unerring precision. An older child
Is stationed near by TO watch the baby during his
SaeStas, and the Chatter OF the monkeys overhead
Is enough to cause speedy migration.
Patagonian babies are kept In cradles made OF
nat pieces OF board. Two pieces OF guanacO skin
are 50 arranged across the cradle that the child
nrnly fastened inside and can be carried thus
the rude huts OF this people these cradles are
hung hammockwtse to the rafters and amid the
smoke that darkens everything, including his
very nature, as 1t seems, the Patagonian infant
passes the nrSt stages OF babyhOOd When the
village migrateS the cradle Is swung from the
sadie, and In swimming stream It floats like q
canoe on the surface, while the horse Is almost
entirely submerged. Sir Francis Head, who saw q
good deal OF Patagonian life years ago, leaves on
record the statement that the Patagonian baby In
his queer cradle is one OF the best natured repre-
sentatives OF the infant world.
One would hardly 60 to Kan1rland for fantas-
TIC cradle and one almost as queer as 1t Is fantaS-
tic at that. Yet he would md such a one there
The kafnr baby, when he comes into the world,
Is put into cradle or bag made OF antelope skin
Win the hair on. This baby castle, narrow
toward the bottom, widens to within q few inches
81 the opening, when 1t again suddenly contracts.
The skin Is turned inward giving the young Kaf1ir
as SOFT bed as some found in the cradles Of
royalty. -Four long strips OF antelope skin are at
tached TO the cradle ana enable the mother to
swing IL on her back after peculiar fashion.