Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-09-29
DO THEY PAY,

gother Perfect, but They Do Pay.
Sometimes just think children don't
pay" said one Of my careworn and dis
touraged neighbors one day. what do
you think about itp"
"Well, don't know" replied, and my
conscience smote me even while spoke.
But then said in mental self reproach
and self excuse for saying it, IT know
didn't pay" and don't think did.
But when it comes to my own BARNS
do they paya
Well, they are "a sight of trouble" In
deed they are, and they cost time and
money and pain and sorrow.
There are three of them and they are
little things still, and my friends who have
older children tell me that need not ex-
pect a time to come when my babies will
be "less trouble than they are now. l
cannot expect a time to come when they
will not be source of care and anxiety
and hope and fear-no, not even when they
have gone forth to homes of their own and
have their own little ones around them.
Do they pay now2 Here am wearing
old clothes and trying to brush up my hat
to make it look new that my Johnny and
Sammy may have new kits and REFERS
and hats and shoes and look as well as
other children. They do kick out shoes SO
dreadfully, and they haven't the first COM
junction of conscience about it, either.
They tear and smash and destroy and are
into everything" particularly the baby.
Does 2-year-old baby pay for itself up
to the time it reaches that interesting agef
Sometimes I think not / thought so yes
terday when my own baby slipped into my
study and scrubbed" the carpet and his
best white dress with my bottle of ink. He
was playing in the coal hod ten minutes
after clean dress was put on him, and
later in the day he pasted fifty cents worth
of postage stamps on the parlor wall and
poured dollars worth of the choicest
white Rose" perfumery out of the win
dow ''to see it VAIN"
Then he dug out the center of nicely
baked loaf of cake, and was found in the
middle of the dining room table with the
sugar bowl between his legs and most of
the contents in his stomach
He has already cost over 500 in doctors
bills, and feel that am right in attrib-
uting my few gray hairs to the misery
endured walking the floor with him at
night during the first year of his life
What has he ever done to pay me for
thatp
All! hear his little feet pattering along
out in the hall. l hear his little ripple of
laughter because he has escaped from his
mother and has found his way up to my
study at forbidden hour. But the door is
closed. The worthless little vagabond
can't get in, and I won't open it for him
No, l won't. I can't be disturbed when
Pm writing. He can just cry if he wants
to. won't be bothered for-"rat, tat, tat, !"
go his dimpled knuckles on the door.
sit in silence.
"Rat-tat-tat"
I sit perfectly still.
Papa"
No reply.
"Peeze, papa"
Grim silence.
"Baby tum in-peeze, papa"
He shall not come in.
"My papa"
l write on
"Papa," says the little voice; IT lub my
papa. Peeze let baby imp
am not quite brute and throw open
the door. In he comes with outstretched
little arms, with shining eyes, with laugh
ing face. catch him up into my arms,
and his warm, soft little arms 20 around
my neck, the not very clean little cheek is
laid close to mine. the baby voice says
sweetly:
81 hub my papa"
Does he Payp aca-.----a--.----s-..
Well, guess he doesI He has cost me
many anxious days and nights He has
cost me time and money and care and self
sacrifice. He may cost me pain and sor-
row. He has cost much. But he has paid
for it all again and again and again in
whispering those three little words into
my ears, II hub papa"
Our children pay when their very first
feeble little cries fill our hearts With the
mother love and the father love that ought
never to fail among all earthly passions
Do your children pay?-J. H. D. in De-
troit Free Press