Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-05-27
The Barbarous
Babe
Copyright. by j. B. Lppincott Coz
By E. Ayron.

She was just little iOur-yedr-
girl, whom | had been told on TO
"amuse," as they called II, and as l
thought myself until l sank into my
proper place of comparative insig-
nificance. When we were left alone
we sat looking at each other for some
time in silence, ! seeing a sweet, de-
mure little face with frame OF faxen
curls; but what her wondering eyes
took in I cannot tell, only they made
me feel very large and world-worn.
Would you like to see my baby?"
she said, and, slipping down from her
chair, disappeared beneath the table,
mysterious underworld when one L.
only four.
waited. wondering II I should see
some cherished doll, or perhaps a
cushion baby, but when she came out
her hands were quite empty. although
held out carefully.
Isn't he a dear little mite?" she
asked suddenly, looking down with a
tender mother-love shining In her
eyes, and she began to rock the out
stretched arms, as though they indeed
held little baby.
'Ill put him on the gwound," she
said at last; "he likes to toddle;" and
the fictitious baby was gently set
down. Then she began TO tell me
his history. do you know" she said,
that there was a fire In this baby's
house? He brought away his kitty,
but his mover an faver an bwover an
nurse were all burnt"
Not killed." | calculate, startled
at the completeness of the catastro-
phe.
Burnt to ashes" she assures me
with delicate glee.
And as I SIT wondering over the bar
barity of childhood, hear the soft
little voice say wistfully: MY faver's
coming home on Fursday week"
What will you say when you see
him." ask unthinkingly.
She turns rather red II shall not
say anything. I'll be too happy for
that" she whispers
But before l have realized this
its expression, she looks round to
where the imaginary baby is playing
with the equally imaginary kitten.
Her whole face lights up with look
,yonderful TO see. Those two dear
little tots are playing together so
sweetly," she murmurs; why, the
kitty has got into the waste-paper
basket. Please may I tie your dog,
or he might fwighten the pets?"
So my big collie is dragged off to
a distant corner and there tied up
with a "pretense" cord. but, being a
dog of a gentlemanly disposition, he
seems to find it as binding as the
heaviest of steel chains; or has he too
entered his dream-world, whose shad-
owy boundaries | find so hard to
cross?
And then | hear gentle grooming
and the sound of soft kisses, but see
it is that lucky dream-baby. upon
whom this tenderness is being Law
ished.
DO you know" the real child says
in wondering tones-"do you know
this poor baby of mine had a sister
called Jemima, who was very cwuel
to him. She used always to take away
his bottle. l cannot think how she
could do such thing can you? But
we cut off Jemima's hands and feet"
"Oh, no, we did not" l contradict
startled out of politeness.
"Scuse me, we did," the tender
voice urges; "scuse me. we cut them
off an stewed them. Then we killed
her with scissors"
But as ! demonstrate upon the
enormity of the punishment COM
pared with the crime, the small exc
cutioner relents. and finally adopts
my suggestion of sending the III
fated Jemima to a boarding school
a very strict one. But IL was a
school in South Afwica," she stipu-
lates, and l know she is finding con-
ISOLATION in the thought of there being
stray lions and tigers ready to make
meal of naughty little girls who re-
move babies bottles.
And again | feel that children are
very cruel, and that as we grow older.
what we lose in imagination we surely
gain in tenderness. but my thoughts
are interrupted by a book being
thrust into my hands. and a baby
voice asking for STORY, please"
| select one at random. it is the
Babes in the Wood" but before
have finished the first page I hear
little sound, and. looking up, see
two blue eyes drowned in tears.
Shall | stop" | asked compunc-
tiously, but the baby shakes her head.
But before We reach the end, two
soft arms are flung round my neck
and damp face is pressed to my
cheek.
Poor. poor little wobin we'd
bweastsl" she sobs Unexpectedly.
What lot OF leaves they had to
carrvi"