Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-01-09
Little Mother.

Lizzie was little mother" There
was nothing remarkable in that. for the
playground swarmed with little mothers
Of several ages and sizes 1t could hard.
~ he otherwise, when one considered
the neighborhood, where Mrs. Arpt, who
lived in the corner house, had ten chill
drcn; Mrs. Holmes, just down Marslo
street, had ten Mrs. Barker nine: Mrs.
Alderman. six, and Lizzic's mother, five.
The big mothers were ali more or less
busy at one thing and another IL il
wasn't washing it was scrubbinE: if not
scrubbing, mending, or. il none of the
three, there was always something going
on in the street that required their at
tcntion, aud if it wasn't going on, il was
likely TO go on at any particular minute,
50 required a somewhat constant looking
ont for from the front door
And there was always a baby. So in
This neighborhood little mothers were Il
necessity, and they Uboundrd The pc
cuIiarity about Lizzie was that She took
the duties of her position SO seriously.
The whole duty of n little mother" IN
Lizzic's eyes was minding the baby.
What first brought her 10 the notice
Of Miss Frost, Teacher at the play
ground, was the fact that she came regu.
larly every day, bHt neither worked nor
played. She seemed 10 think the .,'t,s
ground was . happy hunting ground for
the baby to sprawl IN, aud to hold nv
limited 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: He's gcttiu' teeth" Miss Frost
never bothered about the haby's crying
after that; but she knew from the
healthy screams throughout the summer
that to the last play day the teeth bad
not been gotten
Lizzie was small. aud very small even
for chat age, aud She seldom smiled. One
dag Miss Frost. coming Ia the play
ground found Lizzie on the street in
front Of her mothers house with the
baby seated ia "A large wicker baby car
riage. Miss Frost took the handle 81 the
cart and begged to- be allowed to roll
he baby over to the grounds.
Lizzie's mother, after careful warn.
ing that the front spring was broken,
looked smilingly on as Miss Frost trin-
died the shaking carriage aud heavy baby
over to the playground. Lizzie ran
alongside. Once within the enclosure.
Miss Frost, elatvd with n~r success ~
the partial separation Of Lizzie and tn"
baby, grew crafty. and made daring
determination that LiZzie should play.
II was a brGiiing August day Mis-, Frost
was hastily Wiping her damp face while
Liz, WIS waiting, sercnely calm. with
her ',iy body covered with heavy wood
en- .teket. when suddenly Miss Frost
pOunced down upon an uuOlfendiHg child
who did nothing int play. and was ut
that moment preparing for her fourteenth
time IN the swing, mnrmurrd !, IS
honeyed words 10 her, put her ont aud
Lizzie IN. all in the twinkling Of an eye.
4 great light broke over Lizzio's face
the big, brown eyes sh0ne she could
smile after all; but instantly shadow
fell. and she cried "thc baby" "But |
! will take care Of the baby" cried Mis-.
Frost Swing swing"
Somebody gave the swing Il toss. and
Lizzie went flying into the air. rs happy
as any bird Oh the wing. Miss Frost
went so the baby. who by this time wa.
getting some more teeth and after
soothing him. not having her sense OF re-
! spOnIhllty 50 well developed rs Lizzie,
I deserted her post and ran 10 look at Liz
/ zie's changed and excited face. But Liz
( Zic NJ play was more than human natur,
/ could stand. aud the children began Il
| gather around the baby with cries o
Lizzie White, Lizzie White come tax,