The St. Johns herald., 1896-08-22
Too Carefu! of the Baby.

There are few things that cannot be carried to excess, however excellent they may be, in th.mselves considered. Even a baby may be fused over, and fidgeted over, and taken care of, and coddled, till 1t Is ir danger of growing up a weakling, if it grows up at all. On this point the New York Tribune lately had few sensible paragraphs.
 "When my first child was born," said Mrs. A., "I had the usual young mothers craze for daintily kept baby. The layette was one of those gorgeous gift affairs, with frocks which Victoria, I am sure, would have thought much too fine for the royal children-be- sides every conceivable fantasie in which the most luxurious-minded in- fant could by any possibility be attir- ed. I used to gloat over the sachet- scented, exquisite little belongings, and the moment was up and about after babys birth began to play doll with my small daughter, decking her out in first one thing and then an- other.
 q had one o! those fussy French nurses, immacullte as new pin; and between us we scrubbed and polished up that poor baby until it's marvel it didn't fade awly before our eyes. After a bath in almond meal-softened water, with pleny of Lubin and sweet smelling talcum, she did look a darling in her sheer, beri)boned draperies, and I, foolish mothe,, never noticed her languor and waxn skin.
 "I did take Dte that her hair wouldn't grow; hat worried me, for, no matter how oecomingly dressed, child with bilfard-ball style of coif- fure does not realize the fondest dreams of the maternal heart. 1 sewed dolls crimps in her bonnets, which was all very we'll for outings, but inadequate for home, so finally called in the doc tor.
 "He was grumpy person, very curt and not over-civil at times. 'Bathed too much,' he said, briefly. Look at her skin-all the life washed out of 1t. Too much care given that child. Let her get dirty and stay dirty. Nothing better for children than judicious neg lect.'
 Tt was a new idea and I went to work at it. Very shortly we went to our country place, and l noticed the farmers babies who ate almost any kind of country food, sat In puddles and went bare-headed whether the rain fell or the sun scorched. They were inevitable victims of future dys- pepsia, but the fact remained that. as babies, they were sturdy and rosy, and mine wasn't; and I concluded to try judicious neglect
 q invested in gingham pinafores and stout shoes, dumped a load of clean sand at the side door, and in- augurated a perpetual feast of mud pies. Pauline was instructed not to say Don't save in extreme moments, and baby began to live the life of a young animal left to the beneficent care of sunshine and fresh air, undisturbed save at regular intervals for food and sleep.
 'I bought pig that she might hang over the pen and tickle piggy's back with a stick. It afforded her hours of pure rapture to echo the pigs grunts with her silvery coo, and in some mys- terious fashion the association was conducive to health. 1 never could understand why, only it was. She would always return blooming and serene, and If to nap, slept better after having spent this pleasant period with her porcine friend.
 'I bought chickens that she might feed them, got doves and other pets about the place, finding that animals gave interest but no overstimulus to the baby nerves. In short, 1 never had my wax dolly again; but in the autumn I carried home a blooming, sturdy little maid whose splendid spir- its and perfect hellth more than com peDsated for occasional mud stains and torn pinafores."