The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-11-23
A FIRST EXPERIENCE.
Tootsy- w'ootsy Baby Begins His Roig
Over the verdant Household.

A FIRST EXPERIENCE.
Tootsy- -wootsy Baby Begins His Roign
Over the verdant Household.
Mrs. Filter and both grandmothers
and all the great aunts have gone, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles verdant arc to
spend their first night alone with theix
flrst-born, q lusty youth, now FIVE weeks
old. M. and Mrs. Charles are nervous
and anxious. The babby is serenely in.
different, and wholly non-committal as
to the programme he has mapped out for
himself.
"What If any thing should happen?"
said Mrs. Charles, for the nineteenth
time, as she and Charles lie down for
the night but not 'in peace to Sleep"
so, / guess he'll be all right" says
Charles.
"You have every thing where you can
put your hand right on it at moments
notice?"
"Yes, dear"
"The catnip in case of collie, you
know"
"Yes, dear"
sand hisfcod for the nightall ready?"
eyes, it's all right"
81 wonder if there's alcohol enough in
che spirit lamp to last all night?"
80, yes; it's full"
so, dear, don't believe left his bot
tie full of soda and water; and it must be
left so as to keep it sweet, Mamma said
DO get up and see!''
Charles gets up and finds the bottle all
right. He lies down wearily. Silence
for ten minutes; then
"Charles, did Mamma and the nurse
say that his milk should be two-thirds
or three-fourths water? I'm so afraiC
I've made a mistake. I've got it written
down some place. Do get up and see.
it's on piece of paper in the left HAND
small drawer of the bureau. l wouldn't
make a mistake about his food for the
acorld. 1t might ruin his precious little
stomach"
Charles reports that the milk should
be about two-thirds water until baby is
| five or six weeks old.
"Whdt if he should have the croup?"
asks Mrs. Charles, with gasp, at clever
o'clock.
"Babies of his age don't have Group"
"You sure?"
| ue 81.
so, I'm so glad. But, o, dear, if he
should have spasm!"
81 guess he won't"
'How can you speak so calmly about
it? should go ctM if he did!'
At 1880 Charles begins his first nap.
At 11:35 his wife asks anxiously:
SO, Charles, do you think he's breath
ing all right?"
Charles ear is held over baby's red
and wrinkled little mouth.
"Why, yes; guess so, dear"
so, don't you hno0?"
"Why, yes; l feel quite sure"
"It seemed to me that he wasn't, and I
was so worried! Charles Verdant, i should
die if any thing should happen to this
| baby! Do you think the room is quite
warm enough? Do get up and look at
the thermometer! Babyhood says the
temperature should not be less than fifty
for a young baby"
cts just fifty-four," says Charles, as
he stands enveloped in blanket, night
lamp in hand, before the thermometer.
"See what time 1t is"
"Fifteen minutes until twelve"
HE must have his bottle at twelve.
We might as we'll get up now, so as to
give ourselves plenty of time to get it
ready carefuAy. Bring in the milk.
do wonder if the milkman does bring us
milk from one cow. Baby must not have
mixed milk"
At precisely twelve o'clock the in
viting-looking rubber cap on baby's bot
tie is slipped between his red gums and
Charles drops down wearily.
"Mercy, Charles Verdant! You almost
rolled on the baby I'm so afraid you
sofH roll on him some night and Kill him!
Such things lure happened. Why don't
ne take his dinner?"
'He's asleep, L guess"
81 ao0nder if he's we'll? DO bring tho
lamp
! Charles brings the lamp.
what makes him twitch his mouth
and wrinkle up his brow like that?"
80, all babies do, / guess"
"Idon't tbelieveit. o, Charles, shouldn't
you go for Mammal"
80, no, dear; he's all right"
so, I'm afrdid he isn't! We'd neCer
forgive ourselves if any thing happened
to him. You'd better go for Mamma (who
lives three miles away)."
"it's nothing but little gripping in
his stomach
''oh, the poor, poor little precious dar-
ling! Does his own little tummick hurt
him? Mamma won't ht it hurt him
the naughty, naughty pain! Charles, get
up and warm that catnip, and light the
fire in the range, and heat this flannel
shawl hot, and be ready to GO for mamma
and the doctor at a moments notice!
am so worried. You should better get
Bridget up. We may need her help any
moment. Bring me the powder-box and
two small and one large safety pins.
Light the gas. Look at the thermometer
again. Only forty-ntne! Go right down
and shake up the furnace! Don't take
your eyes off baby for an instant while
dress"
The gray dawn of the morning finds
Mr.. and Mrs. Verdant and Bridget hoy
ering over the kitchen range. They
have been lowering there most of the
night But one person in that anxious
household has slept sweetly and peace
fully, and that person is-the baby
Zenas Dane, in Puck.