The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-06-20

ter or maybe a little worse than the
other babies. To her the babies as such
were all alike. They were pretty good
babies, Mrs. Mckinley thinks, ard Will
liam was no more so than the rest.
They were alike, too, in that they
were all good looking, for what mother
would ever admit that her child was
not? To be sure, Mrs. Mckinley re-
luctantly admitted William had that
nose-that straight, long, masterful,
NapoIeonic nose-that ciings to him
yet. In fact he hasn't changed much
except as the years have matured his
form and face, and il anybody can
imagine fifty-two years rolled away
from the Mckinley Of to-day he would
see the squirming, chubby, red-faced,
brown haired Mckinley child that en-
tered home in Niles one day in jan
uary fifty-two years ago.
McKinley's Childhood.
And that is the only way a picture OF
baby Mckinley ever will be made, for
his mother has none, and if any is in
existence she says she does not know
where it is. Mrs Mckinley has none
of the little socks, night gowns, or
baby frocks that William grew up in.
Such as he did not wear out were given
away. His mother said she never be-
lieved in keeping old things. She en-
| ioyed restrospection as much as any
body, but she liked new things, she
said, so saw no use in clinging to the
old and worn out just because they hap
pened to be old.
Even the ettee-cradle is gone, and it
is pity, for as described by Mrs. Nc
Kinley, 1t must have been an imposing
! affair. Perhaps it was sort OF elon-
gated rocking-chair. In the chair part
the mother sat and rocked, while in the
extension, which had sides and head
board, the baby cooed or cried itsell
to sleep.
After baby William came, the Other
little McKinleys took turns at holding
him and putting on his woollen gar
ments for Mrs. Mckinley is a great be
lever in the use of wool, and Is tirml!
convinced that no baby can be success
fully reared without woollen clothing
Her boys and girls grew up in wool
and it is barely possible that tn
grown-up McKinley's. interest IL
American sheep Is due to his early as
ISOLATION with American-grown AM
made wool
Strong Drink Eschewed.
It was rule in the Mckinley house
hold that strong drink must be escheW
ed. When somebody needed a stimu
liant or an aggravated case OF stomac
ache proved especially obstinate, cer
tain mysterious bottle appeared and
small dose was measured out carefully
, There was also little home-mad
! grape wine that was amazingly good
, mince pies and pudding sauce, but
beverages these things were unknown
Thus the lad Mckinley grew up
, thoughtful, loving, dutiful child. Il
was scarcely more than child Whe
he came to his parents, then living
, Poland, to propose the enlistment in tn
!, Union army.
r He was serious child, thoughts
: lad and an earnest student. He PR
s ferred his books to ball. He early b.
: gan to read Robinson Crusoe," "SWi
$ Family Robinson" and the rest, an
|. went to his lessons with patience. +
n had to strive hard for all he learne
r He was an affectionate child and
). liked his own family better than al
o other family. He made friends, but
g preferred his own little brothers al
1t sisters. What is more, he liked u
2, girls, and he liked girls better ths
y boys. There was nothing OF the 70
ohn,,f him