St. Landry democrat., 1889-11-02
THE SOCIETY'S BABY.


tn baby a rapturous hug.
Little sweetheart, SO it was" added
Nollie Evans, in triumph, at having dis
covered a dimple in the wee creatures
chin.
Wanted Daisy to take her, didn't her?''
asked Daisy Long, trying to get possession
of the small lump of humanity as she
spoke. "Lovy dovy so her was. Blessed p
and catching the baby in her arms she
tossed 1t with the self-reliance that only a
girl who has tossed a half-dozen small
brothers and sisters possesses. The other
girls looked their envy.
'ESuch pretty baby H' this from Tansy
Wild.
"It's Just dreadful to think of sending
her to an asylum p
''It't Just dreadful to think any body
could leave such darling on any ones
doorsteps = declared Bessie White indig-
nantlv.
That's So" chorused twenty girlish
voices. ''Just dreadful"
''But papa says he can't keep the little
thing" sighed Chris Holden.
eff we only could, you know-but it's
no use"
"Ol-h, girls I've got an idea p inter-
rupted Daisy, waving the baby wildly in
the air in her excitement.
isn't it just providential our Band
met here to-day, though If it hadn't we
wouldn't have known about the little
splendid, would we, pink a-posy. But let's
adopt her ourselves, girls"
"Oh-b- h p sighed the girls.
eff we could p cried Tansy.
''We can" decided Daisy. "Our mothers
will be willing. Aren't they always say
ing they wish we'd do some real work? and
won't taking care of our baby be work /?
Well make baby clothes and-but who
will keep her? Where will her home be {?
"And Miss Daisy stopped in dsmay.
81 know" cried Tansy, coming to the
rescue, after moments thought
"Why, girls It's splendid. Aunt Madge
hasn't any baby-hers died last winter, you
know-and I'll coax her to take care of our
baby for US. She will, know"
Then such confusion reigned as the
Band deliberated on the ways and means
of providing for the small, helpless dar
ling, that Queen Baby grew frightened,
and by royal cry silenced the busy
tongues.
"Lets name our society the Royal
Household" proposed Nellie when quiet
YVES at last restored, land call our baby the
Queen instead of president then she can
have her prime minister to attend to all
State affairs, and motion that Tansy be
elected for that Office. The yeas have
it,"
':Goosie p laughed Tansy, "you didn't
ask for the contra minded to vote. But
thank you ever SO much, only I'm afraid
1 shan't do as well as some one else
would" -
"Why not name our baby Queeniel"
asked pretty Grace Lawton, hesitatingly;
"only wouldn't Ladies of the Royal
Household be little the prettier name?"
she added
eyes," agreed this most amiable council.
"And let's call her Queenie, as Grace
says" pleaded Chris. ''It's lovely name"
81 suppose" confessed Daisy, reluc-
family, II suppose, girls, that we had bet
ter find out for certainty whether we can
keep her, before we plan any further.
And you see your Aunt Madge, Tansy,
dear, this very night"
s'Tlme for the Band to disband,"
called the president, as the clock struck
four, land not bit Of work done this
afternoon. But don't care"
And the others echoed, ''Nor l."
But ali the mothers to whom the plan
of Queenie's adoption was mentioned, with
hardly an exception, looked very doubt
fully on the scheme. If they undertook
the duty it must be carried on for years,
until the baby was of an age to care for
herself, and that, said the mothers, would
necessitate more self denial than, in their
own opinion, their daughters were capable
of. However, as each girl declared that
she was really in earnest, they at length
~ h-,4
Aunt Madge. She said she couldn't take
charge of the little waif-it would seem as
though she had forgotten her own lost
darling should she do so.
The next day was Sunday, and rightly
named, too, it was, for never was there
more perfect day. Dear old DR.. kenzie
preached the sermon-and such sermon !
At the very mention of the text our twenty
girls. seated here and there about the
church, felt thrill of pleasure, for the
words were these:
"Whoso shall receive one such little
child in My name receiveth Me"
To be sure the good pastor had no inten-
ton of referring to the child in whom the
girls were interested new 3rtheless, that
sermon settled the problem of Queenie's
{ 4doption, for DR.. Kepzie, after dwelling
on the Godlike lowliness of Christ, in
thus announcing himself as the friend of
helpless, ignorant child, said slowly:
.s1ss,ssAnd this is charity. this is love, that
we give a cup of cold water, if we can
give no more, to the least of His little
ones. And the charity-the love-is greater
when we manifest it toward the least and
most helpless. Yet not only child is
meant when reference is made to the lit
tie ones'-for all the sheep are weak and
small in the eyes of the Good Shepherd,
and in receiving one.s such you receive Him
who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Let us pray
And Aunt Madge, with bowed head and
fearful eyes, whispered softly, @You may
tell them that will take care of your baby,
TansY."
So the Ladies' of the Royal Household"
began their work.
As the far-se-ing mothers had prophe-
sled, many an act of self-denial was prac-
tised by the ladies" as the DAYS went by
For, with tiny shoes and stockings, fam
nels and dainty dresses to be bought, there
was little money to be spent for creams and
candies; while "spare" time was fully oc-