Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-12-04
A LITTLE MOTHER.
The Story of an East Side chiId's De-
votion,

The Story Of an East Side chld's De-
votion.
Lizzie was a little mother" There was
nothing remarkable in that, for the play
ground swarmed with little mothers of
several ages and all sizes 1t could
hardly be otherwise. when one considered
the neighborhood, where Mrs. Arpt, who
lived in the corner house, had ten chill
uren; Mis-. Holmes, just down Marsle
street had ten; Mrs. Barker, nine; Mrs
Ackerman, six, and Lizzes mother, five
The big mothers We're all more or less
busy at one thing and another; if it
wasn't washing it was scrubbing; if not
scruDblng, mending or, ii none OF the
three, there was always something going
on in the street that required their at
tention, and if it wasn't going on it was
likely to go on at any particular minute,
so required a somewhat constant looking
out for from the front door.
And there was always a baby So in
this neighborhood little mothers were
necessity, and they abounded. The pc
culiarity about Lizzie was that she took
the duties OF her position so seriously.
The whole duty of little mother" in
Lizzies eyes was minding the baby.
What first brought her TO the notice of
Miss Frost, teacher at the playground
was the fact that she came regularly
every day, but neither worked nor played
She seemed to think the playground was
happy hunting ground for the baby to
sprawl in, and to hold unlimited space
for the exercise of the baby's lungs.
What is he crying for?" Miss Frost
asked one day, and Lizzie's grave reply
was: Hes gettin' teeth" Miss Frost
never bothered about the baby's crying
after that but she knew from the healthy
screams throughout the summer that to
the last play day the teeth had not been
gotten.
Lizzie WAS savaD apd 1,ar,, sr,ou o,,or
for that age, and she seldom smiled. One
day Miss Frost coming to the playground,
found Lizzie on the street in front of her
mothers house with the baby seated in a
large wicker baby carriage. Miss Frost
took the handle OF the cart, and begged
TO be allowed to roll the baby over to the
grounds
Lizzies mother after a careful warning
that the front spring was broken, looked
smilingly on as Miss Frost trundled the
shaking carriage and heavy baby over
to the playground. Lizzie ran alongside
once within the enclosure, Miss Frost,
elated over her success over the partial
separation of Lizzie and the baby grew
crafty and made a daring determination
that Lizzie should play. 1t was a broiling
August day, Miss Frost was hastily wip.
ing her damp face While Lizzie was wait
ing, serenely calm, with her tiny body
covered with heavy wooden jacket when
unoffending child who did nothing but
play, and was at that moment preparing
for her fourteenth turn in the swing
murmured few honeyed words to her.
put her out and Lizzie in all in the twinlxl-
ing of an eye. great light broke over
Lizzie's face, the big brown eyes shone
she could smile after all; but instantly
shadow fell and she cried, The baby"
But / will take care of the baby" cried
Miss Frost Swing, swing!"
Somebody gave the swing a toss and
Lizzie went flying into the air as happy
as any bird on the wing. Miss Frost went
to the baby, who by this time was getting
some more teeth, and after soothing him,
not having her sense of responsibility
so well developed as Lizzies, deserted her
post and ran to take a look at Lizzies
changed and excited face. But Lizzie at
play was more than human nature could
stand, and the children began to gather
around the baby with cries of Lizzie
White, Lizzie White, come take keer o.
this baby!' who's takin keer o, this
baby?" Miss Frost flew. Il am" she
cried almost fiercely, He's my baby; let
him alone and let Lizzie alone"
She kept so well by the baby after that
that it went fast asleep. But that was a