The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-11-22
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

Suppose you were just a man whose
heart was made altogether of love for lit
tie children; a man beloved by every little
codger you met, honored by your fellow
citizens, successful in your private and
business life, but just the same very
human man, what would you do if you
were confronted by nearly two thousand
babies who gurgled seductively in your
car all sorts of sweet nothings. or who
nestled up in your arms and just went to
sleep, or who again just got up and bold
~ demanded certain things of you,-What
would you do?
Now, this isn't a beginning of what
happened to the judges in the Borden
Baby Contest last night, when the little
children's pictures were turned over to
them; for you see. none of them could
bring themselves to believe that the chill
dren were not actually present, so ten
derby and winsomeIy did they smile at
them from everywhere.
1t was with pang that 1 gave them
up TO the judges last night, these little
children of Washington who have come
down out of their pictured poses and told
me so many secrets when we have been
alone together here in The Herald Of
Zee.
Judges Assembled Last Night.
1t must have been because I missed
them so, that went over to see what the
judges were doing with them all after
they assembled last night.
When l went in I found just a group of
serious, silent men, and around them
were piled hundreds of dear babies, await
ing their chance to Ogle their way into a
human heart.
So absorbed were the judges that they
did not hear me open the door, and l stood
watching them in their contemplation of
the pictures; watching the tender smiles
spread over their faces when a particular
ly charming little lad or lass looked back
at them.
The work went on and the men seemed
entirely unconscious of the talk that cir
culated among the picture babies
am going to win the $780, said a
chubby boy, as he wiggled himself so
close TO judge that he was sure that he
would not be kept long waiting.
why, you can't win the first prize |
because l am going to get that a tiny
maid informed him, nudging him vigor-
ously to gain his attention
! am sorry to tell you that the boy
baby ignored her remark. for Just then
a judge reached out for him, and he gig
gled triumphantly over his shoulder at
the little maid.
In moment the children were shout
ing from every corner of the room that
they would each win first prize but the
judges did not seem to hear, for you see
they had not trained their ears to the |
talk of the picture babies as have done /,
for over a month, and so it was that :
they missed the heated argument among |
the little folks. |
Message for Babies.
Suddenly above the quarrel there arose.
a voice like the throbbing of a velvet
flute note.
Hear, little friends hear" begged the !
voice. Il have a message to give you"
All at once the room was still. A small
fair girl, with hair like spun gold, and |
eyes that seemed d bit of heavens own I
blue stood out among them, and the |
children. nearly 1000 in number, turned !
their eyes upon her and waited for her !
voice again.
Il come from the Land of Unborn !
Children" she told them, and I do sol
want a mother. You see, I was to have
had mother, but she was too busy
going to parties and buying fine gowns |
and riding in automobiles. and so / was
afraid TO come because there would not |
have been time for me. I was to have
been your playmates- but ] have never
been born. So listen, you little children
who have a mother, for l bring you
message from the Land of Unborn Chill
dren, and the message is that there is
no prize in all the world so great and
big and wonderful as the love of a
mother. All the gold of all the worldsl
there are, ever will be- is not sol
precious as each baby in this room is TO
his or her mother. These men NAV saw
that you are beautiful and give YOU a
prize of gold, or fine brass bed. or
some other nice thing, but it does not
really matter. Whether you win a prize
Dr. whether you don't, you will still be