Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1891-12-17
HARD ON BABIES.
Nine Mothers Out of Ten Infllct Tortures
Upon Their First-Born.


Upon Their First Born.
Babies are subjected to so many
hardships that it is a source Of constant
wonder that some of them do not die.
Young mothers by reason OF their In
experience are generally TO be excused
if they sometimes fail to hide the point
of pin in the garments of their off
spring. They are also to be pardoned
if they occasionally fail to discover
that it is collie and not hunger that
makes baby wake the household in
the small hours of the morning with
its wailing. Nine mothers out of ten,
however, manage to iniict tortures
akin to barbarism upon their first
born, actuated by their intense solici-
tude that fresh air shall not enter their
baby's lungs. OF course they don't
want the dear little thing to catch
cold, and so they put rs much wrapping
around ten pounds of humanity us is
commonly used to envelope an Egypt
ian mummy.
The other day two young women
boarded south-bound cur on State
street at the Madison street crossing.
They looked enough alike to be sisters,
and one of them carried six-weeks'
old baby. She was dowdy miss to
whose tender care the baby had been
confded by it's mother. And the
baby 1t was wrapped in bundle of
flannel thick enough to ward off the
biting air of an Arctic winter, with a
heavy flannel hood tied under its fat
and dimpled chin and a thick white
veil drawn closely across its face. The
car was well crowded with passengers
and the atmosphere was decidedly
close. Before Adams street was reached
the baby was gasping for breath as it
lay on lis nurses knee. To make mat
ters worse the poor little thing was
forced to lie fat on its stomach, while
ceaseless drumming was given its
back By the good right hand of the
dowdy girl. The mother, blissful in
her ignorance. sat all unconscious that
her darling's life was in danger.
Pat, pat, pat pat went the dowdy
girls hand "I think baby's going to
sleep" she contided to the mother Mt
her side Pat, pat, pat, pat the girls
hands went up and down on the baby's
back The little martyr squirmed and
wriggled, finally managing to moan
loud enough to call attention to its con-
dition. "Oh, my! she's waking up" +"
said the dowdy girl, and 4eI636& &was
turned end for erSiisS ol46S Yood,
while the pattihg cop5inusd with a
scarcely perceptible break
"Thirty-secon' street," bawled the
conductor, and the dowdy miss shifted
the patting to her left hand. Her right
arm had tired and she patted just Bit
stronger, pleased no doubt, with the
belief that she was putting the baby tc
sleep. The fact was the baby was in
imminent danger of taking its last long
sleep - -~'--
"Forty-secon' street, called the con
ductor, aud then motherly old woman
betrayed her solicitude for the baby''
welfare 81 think you had better take
that veil off," she said, leaning over tt
the dowdy miss, "for the baby is chok
ing" And she pointed at its purple
face to prove her words, Don't yor
see its mouth full of that veil? Fo
goodness sake, take it off, she addet
with much earnestness The young
mother looked up surprised and ther
alarmed. She hastily removed the vel
and the baby gave a visible sign of re
lief by regaining healthy color. Blu
the dowdy girls hand kept up its rhyth
mic motion. Broad smiles began Il
chase across the faces of the passen
gers and the patting operation was tn
focus for all eyes. One old gentlemal
could stand it no longer "Whats tn
matter with the child?'' he inquire
with much anxiety. "Has it got some
thing stuck in it's wind-pipe?' The
the passengers laughed. The dowd
girl looked insulted, and without deigr
ing to reply continued humping tn
baby's back. At Fifty-second stree
the young mother, the dowdy girl an
the much abused baby got off, and th
motherly old woman, the old gentle
man and all the passengers breathe
easier.
As the car rolled southwark NOR
than one passenger wondered to hin
! self how long baby wontd live If snl
iected to such treatment every day.
Chicago Herald. s,