The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-02-17
THE FIRST BATTLE.
BY Grace Lois Ruarc.


Me want Taty!"
We'll, you can't have your Katy I'M
Ill tomorrow. Doesn't baby want KATY
TO have a most beautiful time?"
Most booful time" cooed the wee
girl 70 herself, as she delyed into (
work basket.
No. no! Grille mustn't! Mother:
going to church now; she can't lei
baby have the basket. Here, take the
nice dolly"
No" smiled the little imp; ole
dolly-baby want buttons.
ITO think that that poor girl takes
care of that child every moment OF
the day for ten shllings a week Nc
wonder She needed Il rest" thought the
mother. There there, play on the
moor with the buttons; but baby mus
put them all back in the bag,
Baby put back" assured her daugh
ter.
Dear me! a quarter past ten. Why
do they have services at eleven? Anc
IT takes fifteen minutes to reach thai
church, She hastily finished her hair
ana turned TO put on a new gown. stop
ping 4 moment to watch her little one
The chubby mite was spuatted on tn,
floor, heaping the buttons into high
piles, then throwing them down witt
one fell Swoop, whispering to herself
BABY put back Baby put back"
collar when the baby announced from
the doorway: Me done!"
An right, lovekins. Put the little
buttons back in the bag, dearie"
But the baby only smiled. ant
swayed back and forth Me done,
she repeated.
!, a suggestion of a struggle shot
through the mothers mind. What
should | do if she wouldn't put then,
back > And they 10,
them conquer you the first time" she
thought.
ID a look ut the baby treasured her:
the little shapeless lips curved into 4
smile. the blue eyes laughing at her
mo, the child WAS only playing.
Come, deare, mother hasn't time t,
play now. See how they go in and
Baby was won. Gleefuly she put
them all in. iinglng them together
then dumped them ali out, delightine
in the noise. Putting them back the
second time seemed to take away the
novelty. When half through she strug-
gled onto he" fat little legs and start
ed TO run from the room.
Her mother had been Watching her
fondly while pulling on her gloves.
Come back, little daughter" she
said; here are more on the floor"
Baby seed" Baby wasn't smiling
now: her lips We're determined Baby
won't put back buttons! Baby done.
Mrs. Warning coaXed and wheedled,
to no avail. Finally she carried the
child back and set he. down beside
those awful buttons.
Baby must!'
Baby wOn't!''
The mother tried again She glanced
at the clock--eeven,
baby you must put those buttons
BACK! You've made mother late for
church"
Baby sat perfectly still.
Then YOU must go and sit in the
next room quite alone"
But in spite of this awful threat
baby sa, quite still and looked calmly
at her mother.
Meta Warning braccd herself ana took
Off her gloves. She gathered the baby
in her arms and carried her into the
next room. Baby kept as still as a
mouse: but when the door WAS shut.
there issued 81 torrent of wailing and
weeping from the small prisoner. Mrs.
'Waring glanced again at the clock:
then she took off her hat and wraps.
The baby was quite astonished sit
ting in the empty room. Never before
had such walls failed 70 bring the
soft hearted mummy to the door Me
will be dood, me will be dood," she
Very well. if YOU will be good"
The mother placed her beside the
buttons again. The child. still sob
bling. put them in one by one Each
button was dropped in slower than the
preceding one; finally, only four re-
annined. Baby tried to get up
All in" she wheedled
BY now her mother had decided that
Ibis first battle must be hers. There
are four more" she sternly said.
''All IN" baby replied
He" mother put her back in the
empty ROOM No sobs this time. Baby
had decided TO win. too! AT last the
silence orercame Der Baby Dit IN
buttons, she announced
The door opened. and baby SLOWLY
put in two more. Baby kick in oder
buttons" And baby started to per
form the difficult feat-for two fat legs
are not SO very steady when one is
not three and IL half
No. baby will put them in with her
hand"
Baby was becoming hysterica), and
her mother was on the verge of tears.
If the floor could only swallow those
Two buttons
Mo-" decided baby
Back to the empty room she was car
sied, Sobbing convulsively The time
seemed hours to the poor mother out
s1ere Win a bag and two buttons and
baby did not ask 10 come out.
will baby pick up the buttons If
mother opens the door now" she asked
at last.
What if baby should say mo-"
Baby pit up buttons. now"
gulped out the little sinner
One button in. Baby was wailina.
and drawing her breath in deep gas,Js.
That last button. Each eyed ii. then
looked at the other. Baby reached out.
took it gingerly between her 1inge-s $,
and dropped it into the bag.
Mothers precious lamb!"
Mrs. Warning WAS crying as hard as
baby. Baby. exhausted by her long
ftruggle stretched out her arms. Her
mother picked her UP, hugging h,.r
tight.
"Wock baby" sobbed the little peni
1ant.
SO the mother rocked her. strohinc
the feverish head She crooned baby's
best loved lullaby. one which she had
composed in ambitious days. before the
precious charge had come to her.
ltabys tears were drying on her cheeks.
her heavy eyes We're half closed
Mrs. Waning laid her in her tinv
white bed ana looked down on her
What battles YOU will have to fight
baby inne," she said, and tiptoed soft
~ away.