Evening star., 1895-06-15

W nave more than their
share of discomfort
People seem to think that child, being
small. has less sensitive feelings than a
grown person, and put Sights upon it that
are direct insults and would be resented as
such if the child were cid enough TO as
sert it's dignity in more forceful manner
Especially are babies in long clothes the
victims of ignorance and deliberate care
lessress. All they can do to resent ILL
treatment is to wall, and that only makes
them more Objectionable, so they are hus-
tied out of sight and hearing. sometimes
in the charge of children who are not old
enough to know how to care for them, and
very often a vicious nurse girl is LETT to
exercise her cruelty on them. 1t is so
strange to begin with that mothers are
willing and even eager to put their help
less little ones in the care Of girls who are
so ignorant so uncultured, SO unpre-
possessing altogether that they cannot be
permitted to associate with the older men,
bers of the family who are beyond contami-
nation, yet are left to work at their will
upon the little creatures who are in the
formative period, with minds as plastic as
putty, ready to absorb precept and example
Just as sponge does water, and all in it
that may be unclsan. Not long since
dined with some friends, and it became
necessary at the table to correct the son
of the house for eating with his fingers.
His father reprimanded the little fellow,
who, on being tolc to eat with his fork
responded f1ippantly. fingers was made
before forks
His horrified mothar-for they are gently
bred people-asked him where he had heard
such remark, and where he had been
permitted to eat with his fingers, only to
learn that the Jewel of girl who kept
the children so carefully out of her sight
and was such a comfort to her mistress
n eat will har fin
and had made the historic remark for the
benefit of her small charges, who had OBJ
jected at first to her dipping indiScrimi-
nately into the dishes.
An Ignorant Nurse.
Further investigation proved that while
she Was fond of and kind to the children
the nurse was superstitious and had filled
their heads with a lot of superstitious non
serse which had made them afraid of their
own shadows, and that she had table man.
ners about as refined as a cannibars.
There was nurse wanted" advertise
ment in the papers the next day, but the
damage was done, and it took months to
undo It, Meantime, the children did al
most daily penance, and often got severely
punished for doing as the Jewel of a girl'
had taught them to. When the nurse IS
actually vicious 1t sometimes takes years
to eradicate the evil she teaches the chill
dren in her care.
Passing along through Lafayette Park
one day last week, l heard baby crying
most pitifully, and in one of the by-walks
l found 1t strapped down in its handsome
carriage. the sun pouring down in its face,
and not soul near who seemed to have
charge of it. Its heated little face was dis
torted with suffering which would have
wrung the heart of its rich mamma if she
could have seen it. On examination, found
that It's skirt band had been put around 1t
so tight that 1t was torturing it's tender
flesh, and. to add to its misery had got
rolled into double fold across it's stom-
ach!
Just as got the band Strengthened and
clothes loosened, and the baby had stopped
yelling, .he nurse appeared from another
by-walk, where she had been talking to her
young man." and Indignantly remarks
as she took the quieted child from my
arms, that some folks imperdence was
past believin'. that 1t was!' and whipped
the carriage off in the direction of the Ar
lington. If that baby died that night from
congestion of the brain, or in spasms,
doubtless its loving mother covered it's
white face with tears and surrounded it's
body with blossoms, wondering why Provi-
dence had been so unkind to her, when, in
fact Providence was kind to the child in
taking it away from parents who were so
careless of its tender life. and the mother
was. in one sense, responsible for the little
cne's death.
BE Careful of the Children.
Watch the sleep and diet and clothing Of
your little ones. Thoughtful care just now
may save you> much anxiety and a doctors
bill a little later. If you nurse your baby
be very careful Of your own diet, that you
do not convey Indigestion to it in that way.
If it uses the bottle, scald the bottle, nipple
and tubes every time the bottle Is freshly
filled. A fruitful source of stomach and
bowel trouble is found in foul milk bottles
Never give baby in its first year a
m N of ind Of 40
food. If it does not like milk, or milk does
not agree with it, feed 1t on pulped oat-
meal, or something of that character. and
confine it to that. Don't feed a baby fresh
fruit in hot weather. 1t may agree with
the child. but, more than likely. it will
make it ill., When the baby frets unac-
countably, give it spoonful or two of
pure, cold water Now, don't fill 1t up on
the baby than it is for you.
Keep baby scrupulously clean in hot
weather, but don't battle all the life out of
it. A baby is much more sensitive to cold
than an adult. and should always be
washed in water that is at least of blood
temperature. 1t will not hurt to have 1t
warmer. Use soap sparingly. and always
of the best quality. Once a day, and in the
morning. is the best time for the regular
bath. If the day is very warm and the
baby perspires freely, dip soft, large
cloth In water softened with a pinch of bo-
raX and rub the baby gently all over half
dozen times a day. and then dry it with
soft linen towel. Never use any harsh
towels on baby's tender flesh.
1t is questioned whether tight bands are
ever necessary after a month or two, and
certainly it is cruelty to keep them on a
baby during hot weather, for the pressure
and perspiration almost blister the flesh in
an hour two. A thin, fine woolen shirt
that cannot irritate the flesh is an excellent
preventive of bowel complaints and sudden
colds in warm weather. but If they fret
the baby, simply pin a square of fine fan
mel to the outside Of it's little shirt, that
it will come well down over the chest and
stomach. Don't smother a baby up in a
lot of long heavy clothes in hot weather.
The weight on its legs is enough to retard
its growth and warp it's soft bones.
For Priclzly Heat.
One soft old flannel skirt and a loose slip,
high necked. and long loose sleeves Is
quite enough. Never put napkin on 1t a
second time till it has been rinsed out in
clear. cold water. A small basin for that
special purpose would save you a lot of
trouble in many ways. The instant the
napkin is taken off drop it in the basin of
water, rub and wiring out and hang it In
the sun to dry. Half the number will
answer if you are careful to do this, and
the comfort to the child is almost inestima-