The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-01
BEN-RY.
By FAITH BRADFORD.



About a week ago, in moment OF
indiscretion. | strayed into baby
show" and made the mistake or say
ing that I couldn't see much difference
In the little dears.
This baby-show did not differ nota-
bly, from others. 1t was held III the
yestry of the Methodist Church IN
suburban town. Thirty-four babes
were entered" and of course all their
mothers were there. as well as many
of their aunts.
did not realize until | got well IN
side that I was the only man, young
or old, In the hall. 1t seems that the
rest of the men were bright enough
to stay away. The place was bower
of young maternity, and Of funny PINK
and baby blue. The air was vocal
with cooling and twittering SOUNDS
Tbirty-four perfectly lovely" BABY
carriages were ranged round IN
semi-circle, each against background
of mink dimity and each containing u
beruffied and bepowdered baby. some
of tho Youngsters were shaking rat
Ties some were grasping wonderful
hotties of white fluid, some were
gurgling and some were leaping near
Iv ont of their nests In an excess oi
gleeful health.
A manufacturer of infants food ha6
offered a prize for the handsomes
baby. and every one OF those young
mothers had high hopes OF taking IL
Some artist should try to depict tn
foolish smile that overspreads man
face when he finds himself. inadvei
tently, amid. such surroundings.
was sneaking toward the door, whe
nine or ten of the mothers, who kne'
me. outfanked my line of retreat an
with much laughter, drew me Dac
to be umpire"
umpIre at a baby-show! Arbit'
and Judge as to which Of thirty-fo'
babies was the prettiest! Think
the consequences! The undyil
friendship of one young mother, al
the eternal enmity and Reproduction
the other thirty-three!
Before l had been led half round I
cooling semicircle l saw my dang
and hit on the trite expedient OF q
claring that they were all SO pre-
that could see no difference IN the
Az the mothers were incredulous,
grew insistent, and declared vel
mently that could not tell the pap
apart.
They tried to instruct me. "Oh,
look at their hair!' cried one.
81 have looked at it." said l.
differs about as much as the down
SO many peaches" >,
i. "Isn't he horrid? But compare Il
eyesy' cried another. :.
"Just like so many beautifui IL
rooseberries," / insisted.
"Oh! Oh-h-h-h! Oh-h-h-h-h!' o.
forth on all sides.
Ladies'" / cried, desperately,
know very well that If these pa
were shifted from carriage TO CARR
while YOU all shut your eyes,
couldn't tell them apart to save
lives. You may think you could
YOU couldn't. Let me tell you
happened at the fire at Noriand
spring! Let me-let-
1t was at this point that
stopped by the mothers. They W
not hear another word. In fact,
turned me out Of the vestry.
Denied the privilege of telling
that story of the fire at Norlar
offer it here to vindicate myself.
Norland was one Of those little
lagos on the borders of the lu
country which are predestined to
ND once in about ten years, or
be fifteen, or with extreme good
twenty. The houses, stores and
were all built of wood, with sf
roofs; and all about were
yards" filed with piles Of be
elapboards, shingles and lumber '
If fire started in one Of these
yards with the wind high, dur
dry week, nothing except the ha
Providence could save the town
At Norland the inevitable hap
one afternoon in May, a year az
was a lumber-yard fire, with
northwest wind, which whirled
ing embers aloft, sowing them
cast over the village and-we
poor people had about twenty N
In which to save what they
There were lots Of babies. a
course they saved the babies
and ran back for other no,
treasures afterward.
Now 1t was the time of the da,
many of the infants were takin
afternoon maps. They were. 81
out of their cradles or cribs
with such of their little wraps,
cts and other clothes as came h
and carried as quickly as
along the "alder brook road" t
ward Of the burning village.