The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-11-23
TIE BABY'S PICTURE.
WHEN 1T is TAKEN ALL ITS RELA.
TNEs WANT TO BOSS THE JOB.

WHEN 1T is TAKEN ALL ITS RELA-
TIvEs WANT TO BOSS THE JOB.
The Numerous Kinsfolk Always Disagree
| on Little Details of Dress aud Posture.
Consequently q Rank Injustice Is Gcner-
ally Done the Subject.
The taking of the baby's first photo
graph is an occurrence in the family only
second in interest to the advent of the
baby ITSELF The average infant makes
ltsfirst acquaintance with photographing
apparatus when it has attained months
of existence. For days before it is car
rled out to be posed before the camera
its small features are studied closely to
discover some signs of expression. Its
mamma talks all the sweet nothings in
the vocabulary of adoring mothers to it
i'll the hope of eliciting some facial signal
OF Intelligent response. If by any chance
its lips part in anything resembling q
smile she is seized with transports of JOY.
She will tell its fond father that she real
ly believes baby knew what she was
talking about. The fond father will then
try his hand at developing its embryo
consciousness. He FUCKERS his mouth
and whistles to his offspring. He claps
his hands and snaps his fingers to attract
Its attention and awaken its interest.
AT THE FAST OPPORTUNITY.
If the baby gives any heed to his pleas
ing endeavors its mother will clasp it
Joyfully to her bosom and spring upon
the poor mites unsuspecting cars the
query which daily affords babies all over
the land untold perplexity:
docs c little Blessed sing want to 60
by-by wild e mamma and have e picture
taken? Does it? So it does. Well, it
sail go by-by and dit pity picture of
Its own, owny, tweet little self for its
papa"
1t is stoical baby, indeed, that is not
thrown into paroxysms of fear at the
sound of this strange language and the
vague threat it contains.
AS the weeks of its existence round to-
ward six it finds itself the object of con-
tlnual observation and comment. 1t is
held first in one light and then in an
other. 1t is chucked under tho chin to
make it simulate glee it cannot feel. 1t
hears continual remarks about itself. If
it has the blessing of a grandma the good
soul trots it on her knee until it forgets
its trouble and sleep overtakes its wcaried
brain. Then she will stretch its tiny
form ON pillow placed in her lap, and
just as it is about to sink into blissful
slumber it will hear her voice saving:
Now, Julia, think the baby would look
pretticr lying this way when he has his
picture taken than any other"
"Just the first pleasant day wc must
take it to the photographers" declares
the admiring aunt. Old ladies usually ad-
wise the mother to have 'the little thing
taken without a stitch on it," but she
usually demurs at this. She fears it will
catch cold, and will wait until it is
somewhat older to perpetuate its young
anatomy on card board.
Finally, when the momentous day ar
rives and the baby is at last carried to
the photographers gallery and turned
over to the mercies of the operator, she
finds out that there are but two ways of
taking a very small babe. 1t can be
laid on cushion or it can be held in
range OF the camera by some adult in
dividual. Few mothers are willing to
submit this delicate undertaking to any
one else, and insist that no heads but
their own shall support their darling.
They seldom wish to ho photographed
with the baby, and if they consent to
this arrangement invariably turn their
faces to one side, absorbed in contem-
plating the child. Usually they are
concealed behind table or curtain dra-
perry, and nothing is seen in the photo
graph but a small dot Of humanity in a
long, white robe, with rather puck
cred expression, if any, on its counten-
ancc, as if engaged in the solution of the
awful conundrum which has been puz-
zling it from the first two weeks of its
earthly life,
The day Of crying babies, laughing
babies, kicking babies, and babies gener-
ally afflicted with antics is over in the
photograph world. The instantaneous
method has worked a complete rcvolu-
ton. Before the child can recover from
its amazement at its strange surround
ings and alter its expression into one of
joy or wailing the photograph is taken.
Theavcrage baby y'sexpression, therefore,
as seen in photographs, is simply one of
contemplative astonishment. The other
babies are seen no longer in photog-
raphers' collections
Il attribute the recent craze for having
babies photographed nude" said man
who has been taking pictures for more
years than most of the mothers have
lived, ''to q higher development of art
appreciation. There is nothing SO lovely
in existence as that emblem of innocence,
a cherub, and many mothers are wise
enough to have their babies photographed
so as to display all their infantile lowell
ness.
GA part of a photographers outfit in
the time preceding the introduction of
present methods of photography was a
lot of noise producing toys, drum, music
box and harmonica. When these failed
some one wildly shook a bright colored
cloth to keep the baby quiet.
"The majority of women have but one
anxiety about their babies photographs.
1t is the same they evince about their
own. 1t is to have the picture pretty, no
matter how ugly or i'll featured the child.
We are in the habit continually of max
ing lovely pictures of exceedingly homely
babies. 1fthey are cross eyed we straight
en- their eyes, If their noses are crooked
or their mouths one sided we correct that
error, too. Women are usually very SEN
sitive about the physical Deficiencies of
their offspring, and seem to try to reach
the ideal of what they wish the child
might be through the skill of the mega
tive retoucher. He can convert child
as i'll favored as the one which turned
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