The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-30
Mr.. psDDicoRD's DAY IN BED.
He Takes the Doctors Advice and Cd
tains Some Interesting Results


II think I'll stay in bed today" re-
marked John Henry PedcicorS when
the alarm clock went of at a few
mornings ago. Il dent feel very well,
and I read a few days since an article
by prominent physician, IN which he
said that if people would go to bed
and stay there whole day in every
month. and keep quiet, they would live
to good old age"
well, l think / would" said Mrs
John Henry Peddicord encouragingly.
"You have been complaining of severe
headache for several days, and / have
become quite anxious about you So
John Henry turned over on his pillow
and settled himself for his unwonted
luxury.
He had just got to sleep again when
the baby woke up. The baby had not
read the learned article by the promi-
nent physician, and it would have had
no effect on her if she had. She was
opposed to sleep on general principles,
at any time, day or night, and only sue
cubmed at the latter time from dire ne
cessity, when she could no longer prop
her eyes open. But stay in bed all day:
Never!
Baby's waking was the signal for her
mamma TO rise.
John Henry, love-" said Mrs. Peddi-
cord, "as you are not going to get up, I
think I'll let you amuse baby while
dress. The girl is busy this morning;
it's ironing morning, you know. It'll be
such help"
So while Mrs. Peddicord dressed, John
Henry Peddicord tried to amuse the
baby, but the attempt was not q gigan-
tic success. The baby wanted to get up
and begin its days work, but John Hen
ry, having resolved to put into practice
the prominent physicians theory, could
not accede to the infants demand,
though it was supported by much heavy
wailing.
To assist in the general work of anus
ing baby, Mrs. John Henry Peddicord
unloaded on the bed varied assortment
of toys. There were dolls, tin wagons,
locomotives, building blocks and the
like.
By the aid of these adjuncts to infan-
tile paciication and the expenditure Of
more vital force than an entire days
work at the Office would consume, John
Henry kept the baby in state of COM
parative quiet for ten minutes, and the
word comparative is used advisedly.
By this time Mrs. John Henry Peddi-
cord was dressed.
III take the baby now and dress her."
she said. I'm sure she hasn't bothered
you much, love. SEES dust as dood as
dold: sc is mommer's little toddles."
The second half of Mrs. John Henry's
remarks was addressed to the baby, not
to John Henry.
"Mommer" took the baby, and John
Henry snuggled into his pillow for an
other snooze. He had scarcely got to
sleep when he was awakened by the wife
of his bosom.
''I'll go and bring up your breakfast,
love, If you'll just mind the baby while
go downstairs for it. There's the
O1Cdhlosob btll AoW- DdOY VIII UC SOOd,
I'm sure. III set her on the bed and
you can play with her."
But baby had some conscientious scru-
pies about going to bed just after dress
ing, and she filed several emphatic pro-
tests, which the disappearance of her
mamma did not tend to render less en-
ergetic.
This time John Henry's efforts to as
suage the grief Of his child were utterly
unavailing. He endeavored to explain
to her that the features of Edna, the
chubby rubber doll, were worthy Of
more than casual glance, but baby
would not listen. Equally unavailing
were his efforts to point out the wonder
full beauties of a "choo-chOo" locomotive.
But finally Mrs. John Henry came to
her lords assistance and carried off the
baby, while he sat up in bed, propped
with pillows. ate his buttered toast and
his boiled eggs, drank his coffee. and
thought that the prominent physicians
idea was not such bad one aft all
His breakfast eaten, John Henry Ped
dicord lay and dozed and lazily dreamed
for perhaps half an hour, when his wife
invaded the bedroom again.
She had an idea.
John Henry" she said, "Ive no end
of shopping to do, and just believe III
go today, while you are at home. No
one can take care of the baby as well as
you. | feel so much safer when You are
home with baby dear, and you won't
mind, will you. lover
John Henry groaned inwardly.
Oh. no; he wouldn't mind at all. And
he didn't for a whole half hour after
Mrs. Peddicord had disappeared. The
baby had been fed. and for the space of
thirty minutes thereafter was a model of
angelic sweetness. Then came a change,
however and the infant became more
exacting
John Henry performed various gym
nastic evolutions on the bed for his audi
ence Of one infant, which were duly APP
plauded until the spectator desired a
change of programme and made her de-
sire known very promptly.
After Mrs. Peddicord had been gone
an hour John Henry thought this thing
of staying at home TO rest was delusion
and a snare, and he tried TO concoct q |
good reason for foregoing his resolution
of following the prominent physicians
advice.
"To be sure" he thought. there's
that business with Sparrowgrass / ought |
10 have attended to months ago. He lives !
in FrogviTe, fifteen miles away, over
very rough road"
Iobr H. D.5I;eo-d drasoad ~,