The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26

everything was based on the theory Of
the simple life, but now it is quite the
reverse and the main object is to make
as much OF a showing as is possible in
every conceivable way. And even the
babies have not escaped. There used
10 be a time, and a jolly old time it
was. TOO. when youngsters never both
cred their heads about fuss and feath
ers and friIls and furbelows. They were
subiimely Indifferent as to what they
y wore as long as they We're comfortable
and were allowed to make mud pies
and manufacture drug stores 10 their
hearts content. And their mothers
were perfectly willing to turn them
loose in a red calico or overalls to dab
BILE until they could scarcely tell which
was pie and which was boy.
Imagine pampered darling having
such a royal good time these days. The
average city bred child is not even al
lowed 10 creep because he gets so
awfully dirty, and besides it isn't good
for him, anyway" When he COM
mences TO kick up his heels and tries
10 pitch himself along a walking chair
is promptly invested in and he is bun
died into il and told to do as he
pleases What he pleases is to get
down on all fOurs and crawl about, but
instead he stumbles about in the
wheeling chair and misses a heap CT
fun. But he keeps clean. beautifully
so, and that's the main point nova
days.
When the family move 10 the coun-
try for the summer he is promised all
sorts Of latitude. Does he get it2 Well
q little more sunshine and fresh air
and a rest from ruffies and hand-eIl-
broidered clothes, but the everlasting
nurse maid is at his heels to sec that
he doesn't associate with ordinary
trash and to see that he keeps his hands
and face CLEAN so mammals visitors
won't think she has dirty boy" In
stead Of running about with cap or
no hat at ali, he is constantly con-
fronted with q great tapping affair
that is chic and jaunty. but that defles
freckles and tan ard that returns him
at the end of the season as white and
dainty as ever instead of as brown as
a berry and as sturdy as the country
boys.
Children are every bit as much cEil-
dren now as they were thirty or fifty
wears ago. The baby that crossed the
plains in a water bucket 10 keep it
frorn rolling about the prairie schooner
is not healthier or stronger than the
one of to-day, il the parents woulo
only get ever the idea Of trying to pos
sess show babies instead of real ones.
/ don't believe the average child OF
to-day knows the first thing about
running 8 drug store. And yer "nal
FUN ii was. First collecting the bottles
and corks and then begging little
tea and coffee, some blueing and. IN
feet ANYTHING that would lend bit
Of color and tone up the medicine
counter 70 the proper degree. VINO can
not remember being terrihcally III ana
sending in frantic haste for the doc
tor and submitting smeekly and weakly
"a broad pills and water made white
,.,i+b milk? And then getting tired Of
Dlsving the patient and going home IN
: b,.ff because the doctor persisted in
knowing raore about the medicines
than you do anyhow"
rrav tell where's the harm in inno-
cent play? You hear people say,
well. frankie or Johnnie don't seem
"a care about rough play and I'm so
~Isds anc then the next moment they
ter Won of some prank that fully testi-
ass fhat the spirit is not lacking.
only a few days ago i heard OF
.,o,,ne man Of nearly who broke the
record and all because he was housed
mn and kept like hothouse plant
His mother had dressed him in his
best Rib and tucker and told him to
..sst down and be a good boy until
she changed her dress to make a call.
y,,st as soon as her back was turned