The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-05-28
Too Careful of the Baby.

ihSiC dIC lew t1lnBS lndt cannon
be carried to excess, however excel.
lent they may be, in themselves con
sldered Even baby may be fused
over, and hdgeted over, and taken
care of, and codded, till it is in dan.
ger of growing up a weakling, if il
grows up at all. On this point the
New York 7tf6nae lately had few
sensible paragraphs.
"When my first child was born, )"
said Mrs A., 81 had the usual young
mothers craze for a daintily kept
baby. The layette was one of those
gorgeous gift affairs, with frocks which
Victoria, | am sure, would have
thought much too fine for the royal
chlldren-besdes every conceivable
fantasie in which the most luxurious.
minded infant could by any possibili.
ty be attired. used to gloat over
the sachet-scented, exquisite little be.
longings, and the moment | was up
and about after baby's birth began
to play doll with my small daughter,
decking her out in first one thing and
then another.
81 had one of those fussy French
nurses, immaculate as a new pin; and
between us we scrubbed and polished
up that poor baby until it's a marvel
it didn't fade away before our eyes.
After bath in almond meal-softened
water, with plenty of Lubin and sweet
smelling talcum, she did look dar-
ling IN her sheer, beribboned draper
les, and l, foolish mother, never
noticed her languor and waxen skin.
81 did take note that her hair
wouldn't grow; that worried me, for,
no matter how becomingly dressed, a
child with a billiard. ball style of
colffure does not realize the fondest
dreams Of the maternal heart. / sewed
dolls crimps in her bonnets, which
was all very well for outings, but
inadequate for home, so finally l call
ed in the doctor.
SHE was a grumpy person, very
cunt and not over-civil at times.
'Bathed too much, he said, briefly.
Look at her skin-all the life washed
out of it. Too much care given that
child. Let her get dirty and stay dirty.
Nothing better for chilren than judic-
lous neglect.
at was new idea and l 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 | concluded to try
judlclous neglect.
81 invested in glngham pinatores
and stout shoes, dumped load of
clean sand at the side door, and in
augurated perpetual feast of mud
pies. Pauline was instructed not to
say Don't, save.i in extreme moments,
and baby began to live the life of a
young animal left to the benefcient
care of sunshing and fresh air, undis-
turbed save at regular intervals for
food and sleep.
81 bought pig that she might hang
over the pen and tickle piggy's back
with stick. II afforded her hours of
pure rapture to echo the pigs grunts
with her silvery COO, and in some
mysterious fashion the association
was conducive to health. | never
could understand why, only it was
She would always return blooming
and serene, and if to a nap, slept
better after having spent this pleasant
period with her porcine friend.
81 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, l never
had my wax dolly again; but in the
autumn l carried home a blooming,
sturdy little maid whose splendid
spirits and perfect health more than
compensated for occasional mud stains
and torn pinafores.