St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-09-28
Travelling With Children.

"Why do these babies all cry so ?"
asked wearied excursionist of his neigh
Dor. Every baby on this car is crying"
The man questioned happened to be a
medical student and a close observer.
His quick eye glanced from child to child.
Don't you see," he answered, "it is
because every child here is mserably I'M
comfortable. The parents are just tired
out, and the strongest OF them are carry
the babies all twistywise."
1t was as he said. Why should not the
poor babies be complaining. held in arms
trembling with fatigue? Yet where else
could they have been laid? There is no
other place provided.
A little later in that same journey
another family party entered the car.
Here. escorted by mother father and
nurse, was baby enjoying makeshilt
travelling seat that anticipated the day
when all corporations will see fit to pro-
vide some such device to meet the emer-
gency of travelling with a child. OF
course that particular baby may have
been marvel of g0od-nature to begin
with, bat the natural inference is that
the virtue lay in the basket wherein it
was carried, where it was kept during
the whole journey-foY the inakeshift
seat was merely carrying. basket, a
common bassinet, that really seemed too
matter-0f fact to cause sach magic re-
suits. 1t was lined with soft pads; it
was just long enough to hold the baby,
which might have been anywhere from
FIVE to eight months old, and just short
enough for easy carrying. Ms the car
was crowded, the nurse at first sat with
the basket on her knees until it could be
placed in the seat beside her ard oppo-
site the parents. 1t was plain that the
basket and the baby were old compan-
ions, for it was at home there as one in
his own castle. When it wanted to sit
up the curving basket-sid held it steady
as no arms could have held, and when
sleep overcame the little creature it
tumbled its small heavy head over into
its pads and closed its eyes. The motion
of the cars, broken by the unyiedipg
basket, was to that baby but pleasant
lullaby. There was no unquiet in its
easy resting-place, and when it woke it
was to still lie there placid and smiling
hiChIuS It's UdIc tccI COnteuIculy. Except
when it was fed, and for loving word
and smile now and then, baby was let
alone-that shibboleth of good nursing
1t was showed nothing ont of the win.
dow or IN the car, and what was evi.
IDENTIFY the old accustomed rattle and ia.
vorite doll were it's only playthings
Thus the unaccustome excitement and
motion, the new faces, and the strange
place were nulli6ed by the familiar be
longings. The result was, this is a true
saying, perfectly placid baby doing its
hundred miles without a cry, but with
wood-pigeon cooings and kittenlikt
slumbers and big restful eyes which tolt
OF the quiet mind behind. IF you hav,
one, take it and rum" as these parent.
were running; but why not run after tn,
sam. fashion-with baby, as it were, un
der your cloak?
The less baby feels, sees, and hears il
its journeyings the less weary it is, ant
as consequence the less it cries. Nor il
baby the only gamer by silence, for sh'
whose baby cries least in travelling is in
deed the one whose temporary neighbour
rise up and call her blessed.-[ Harper
Bazaar.