The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-11
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II is a crime TO bring up children. Or,
If not a crime, it is huge mistake. Al
any rate, it is the biggest waste OF
time in the world. for, if left properly
alone, children will come up by them
selves quite as we'll as any one can
bring them.
The Pettisons brought up their first
three children with such a terrific eX-
penditure of force all round that, when
brought up. the brought as well as the
bringers were prematurely old. They
let the fourth child alone; not because
they believed it best, but because she
did Moreover, by then the parent Pet
tisons were awfully tired.
Pink was the fourth PettisOn's name
and wasn't. Had she been a boy and
received the name of John Ernest, after
a wealthy English cousin, she would
have received also the heirship to that
cousins property. Making the best OF
a woeful business, her father and moth
er named the baby Johanna Ernestine-
which was worth just a hundred dollars
that sum TO be hers upon the cousins
death. He was a healthy man, too.
For some reason or other Johanna
E.rnestine decided that her name should
be pronounced Pink. And she succeed
ed. 1t took her years TO make her
name good. But little matter like
a fight was nothing at all TO Pink
. She had been a fighter since infancy
in her fifteenth month undermining the
sternest bulwark in her mothers
stronghold of education. If there was
one thing Mrs. Pettison would not toll
crate il was baby talk. so when Pink
christened her milk bottle her billie
boggin' the trouble commenced.
Bottle. Say bottle commanded
Mrs. PottiSOu fOreuSicallv
1T is more than q matter Of a mere
silly name she explained to her hus-
bald. 1T is whole principle More
over, IF l allow her TO have her way in
this instance each succeeding conflict
OF authority will be made more difficult.
j must conquer now
You must" agreed Mr. Pettison.
equally solemn. equally aghast.
So to Johanna Ernest:ne was offered
a bottle" at her next feeding. which
upon being hailed as billie bosgin. ''
was promptly removed Pink went
empty-and kicked and screamed. At
ter another three hours-hungIy, rebel
lious hOurs-the bottle was hailed still
more violently as a billie boggin. Again
IL was removed. Being emptier. Pink
kicked and screamed more furiously. A
third attempt was no less failure.
When the time came for the fourth
feeding, what with hunger and passion
the baby had worked herself into a fe-
yer and was having for her -boggin
in real delirium
Not being a monster. the heartbroken
If fad-ridden mother gave in.
Here is your bottle, dear" she whis-
pered
oh. billie-boggin.' muttered the
baby clutching it ravenously
outsiders who heard the Pettisons re-
questinS the nurse to prepare Pink s
billie-boggin' never dreamed Of the
1rightful struggles the words inferred
There wasn't a nurse after few
years. Poverty was another factor
which aided in Pink's liberation. The
Petusons came down nj the world. Not
everybody knew It. because Mrs. PET
1ison bell we'd in putting her best foot
foremost-as she expressed it: and that
foot was so much i'm evidence even
after the crash came that neighbors
Coutented themselves by merely Won
dering how in the world the Pettisons
got along as they did and Mr.. Pettisou
out of his job too
For fact, they did not get along:
but, just as stars apparently shine for.
thousands of years after they have died
In heaven, 50 can. family, though So
Cially and financially extinct. MANAGE
10 twinkle along for quite a time on
the reserves Of the attic trunks and the
contents of the kitchen cupboard ana
the root cellar.
Mrs. Pettison being obliged TO loox
after her house. had very little time for
personal encounter with her Youngest
which kept Pink's disposition i'm a
pleasant and unruffled condition. Thu
chllds insides profited too There was
no money to buy thrice cooked cereals
and predigested foods: consequently
Pink had to do her own digesting-
something none of the others could.
The third Pettison was especially weak
in this regard, being a semi-invalid.
Constantia referred TO herself sighingly
so often as perfect wreck" that Pink
heartlessly dubbed her the p. W."
but evened up by giving her a world Of
affectionate care.
No one seemed to appreciate the grav-
fly of their need except the youngest
The others were stupidity hopeful over
nothing. Mrs. Pettison was to rent
A)oms: Rex was 10 enter the ministry:
egina, mis- twin sister. was to sing IN
choir, while Constantia was TO at
to the housekeeping. Mr. Petit
Iould have TO get something to do
But-the pride of none OF them
stand advertising their rooms.
tlthed the ministry; Regina was
erably shy TO even opeI her
n a public place: Constantia
,ys too busy massaging her liv-
re any time or inclination left
keeping; ard, saddest of all.
on, in his wary middle age.
the clerk that he was when
I'D to every position open to
fere hundreds of high school
lsDd able to take it at a few
seK- The mental worry of
from the others like water
$ back, and settled in lines
re on the small, pale face