, 1889-06-22
TENDING THE BABY.
HOW THE ROSES PALE AND DIE
UPON THE MOTHERS CHEEK.

Tho Jolly Fun John Had Playing and
Romping with His HeIr-Getting an In
sight Into the Daily Worries That Fall
to Many women-Here's n Lesson.
How the mothers arms and back ache
after caring for this pink and white tyr
Amy, so helpless and yet so exacting.
Our homes are not all provided with
COOK, nursemaid and housemaid. Not
to disguise the fact, n majority of the
little ones are nurtured by the mother,
who combines all these offices in her own
patient person. II the domestic machin-
cry runs smoothly, in many homes, it is
because the house mother Is the pivot
upon which swing so many activities.
IT is of those homes without wealth, yet
with refinement, that ! write, where
Gums in addition and subtraction, mostly
subtraction, must be done every week.
1t is here the babies gather. The storks
seem to be fond of these humble homes.
for they never forget them. The hero
isms of life are largely by the fresides.
The angels of tho children see and tell
the Father on high These mothers who
have so much TO do and bear, with a
narrow income at their disposal, need
our sympathy.
JOHNS DAY OF SOLID FUN.
l believe tho majority of men think
the care Of a baby is chiid's play. They
come home from shop and office and SEQ
the rosebud fresh, in its dainty white,
and think what m easy time Kate has,
with such a cherub to play with. 1t
surely cannot he work to toss and rock
and sing 10 this little man, with shining
eyes And yet the house mother looks
tired. Tho tears arc almost Mt tho eyes,
the mouth trembles, and John. stupidity
kind, wonders what it is all about.
Blu his eyes are opened Mt last. He
has tho influenza and must stay ut home
from the Office. What jolly fun it will
DO to play with that son and heir. Kate
hall go to her cousins for tho day. Leo
can SEQ TO tho kitchen. And so the good
wife departs, with many cautions and
warnings to John, as TO collie, food and
naps, the baby meanwhile Growing lus-
lily as the mother gives 1t n good-by
.aress. John wonders why Kate grows
I'D so fast, she is really fading. Poor
woman, she has not been out on n jaunt
like this for months.
Tho baby for the first half hour is an
nigel. What fun it is to dandle him
bout. Now he drops Off in a nap and
'ohn viii read tho paper. But just MS
he is deep in tho leading article, obliyi-
Gus TO babies, there is n moan, then a
cry and John comes 10 his senses. How
no cries, how red In the face he getsl
What does possess tho child? lie takes
him on his knee, he rocks him, he tum-
blos him, and now at last he walks with
him, but still he cries, his little lips look
ing 80 grieved. Leo comes In and in
quires about dinner. Mistress always
secs to that by this time John is in n
profuse perspiration. The ''sweat" the
doctor ordered is his, In the order oil ma
ture. He is finally summoned to n
''picked up dinner. What a contrast it
is to the inviting board of Kate. How
does she get time to attend to it2 he asks
himself. But how hat baby criesl In
fact he yells Justify at last. Leo puts her
head into tho door to inquire If he has
had his milk. Zoundsl John had for
gotten it entirely. Kate had charged
him TO warm it Mt IL. The baby was
hungry; the poor little fellow was suffer
ing from any empty stomach. He got
his milk and now is asleep, with n little
shadow on his bright face.
KATE Al THIS EVERY DAY."
Johns conscience troubles him. Ho
Is always cross when he is hungry. No
wonder the little colt cried. Now he
takes up that article again, feeling a lit
tic misused with his dinner of scraps"
He has forgotten all about the blessed
heir when he hears a little moan. The
dinner came too late, and n forenoon of
crying, with 10 nourishment, will have
its effect And now tho cherub cries.
Mercy, what a voicel uo has the collie.
He twists and wriggles and rolls. John
gives him catnip tea, and he is easy for a
minute, then he begins again, and finally
he takes him up and marches up and
down the house, singing at the top of his
voice, My heavenly homo is bright and
fatr." Ills back aches, man rs he is; his
arms are tired and his head buzzes like a
machine. What does possess the child
He certainly will cry himself to death.
After an noun and n half of this play the
baby drops n an exhausted sleep, and
John lays him down. lie does not read
the paper as he sits down. lie has 1t
wrong side up, but he says to himself.
Kate has this every day" and then no
docs a good deal Of thinking. lie is a
sensible man. He has found out how
much play there is in minding a baby.
When Kate comes home rested and
looking younger than she has for years,
with news and chat of her visit, a very
humble man receives her. There is pity
and admiration mingled in his glance,
h baby receives his attention every
day after this; at odd moments, when at
home, he takes him and becomes quite
expert in tending his son and heir.
Such is the mothers experience with
her baby. Let us not allow, because of
her great love to her child, the roses to
pale and die upon her ~cheek.-"A Coun-
try Farson" in Good Housekeeping.
As to Hand Shaking.
George Bancroft is said to be nortir,,.