New Britain herald., 1915-11-27
The Crisis of the Next-Door Neigh bor's Baby and What it Revealed.

l
 baby.
 We all realized this when the maid from the apartment across the hall from mine rushed into my living
 room, holding in her arms a tiny
 baby, and blue as if it were already dead.
 'Is the baby deead?" she gasped
 her face convulsed with grief and fear My madam is at the theatre and the baby has been fretty for two
 hours, and just a minute ago he stiff ened out like this. oh, dear! oh dear!" she began to sob.
 Stop that!" Lillian Gales voice rang out like a trumpet '"The baby is not dead. It is in a convulsion Give it to me and run back to your apartment and bring some warm ] blankets"
 1 Of the six people at our little chaf- 1 ing dish supper, so suddenly inter- rupted, she was the only one who knwe what to do. I had been able to quiet Mrs. Lester's hyst by tell l ing her at once that the baby was not i but I was helpless before the babys | danger.
 1 Lillian's orders came thick and fast. Mrs. Graham, quick, get the wash 1 boiler, a foot bath, anything big | enough to put this baby in. Put some l hot water in it and bring it here, with some dry mustard! Dicky, Harry | Frank, one of you phone for doctor. l Daisy stop crying and help me here" As she spoke she had taken the baby from the maid and was deftly l undressing the tiny, rigid body. l rished to the kitchen, to find Katie already filling foot bath, a l relic of my boarding house days, with hot water
 "I hear Miss Graham, I tink I get it ready queeck,' she said as she worked.
 That was splendid, Katie" an- swered gratefully, snatching the mus tard from it's shelf and hurrying back, followed by Katie bearing the tub.
 Daisy. take the baby a minute" Mrs. Underwood laid the unconscious infant in Mrs Lester's trem bling arms and pushing up her loose sleeve to the shoulder, plunged her elbow into the water
 "Just right" she commented "Here,' she held out her hand for the mustard. I handed it to her and sAS Siiooh HDeTal portion Into the water.
 Stir that around so that 1t will dissolve.'' she said. As I did so she took the baby from Mrs. Lester's arms and kneeling, immersed the little body in the hot water.
 Hold him while I rub him." she said to me. I obeyed her, but as I took the baby in my arms she noticed my face. l had never held a baby in 1 my life and I was afraid might l drop or injure 1t.
 'You can't hurt him." she said en- couragingly. "There! One hand under his back; that's right
 Katie She was rubbing the tiny limbs vigorously, yet tenderly, as she spoke.
 "Yes, Missis Underwood Katie dashed forward, eager, alert to help.
 Bring me wollen blanket We can't wait for that idot" How Madge Helped. "All right,' Katie dashed for my bedroom door, but the appearance of the maid laden with blankets stopped ! her. She came back and, snatching blanket from the other girl, held | it ready for Mrs Underwoods need. | Mrs. Underwood looked up an instant ! and smiled at the girl-"and stand right by it ready to hand it to me when tell you.''
 She kept up her rubbing, while I held the baby, afraid even to breathe. The maid had fallen on her knees and was praying silently. Mrs. Lester, her desire to help and her longing to l rush home to her own baby, was beside us. Katie stood like a sentinel | Ut the steam pipe. Dicky was at the | telephone, where I could hear him l trying to get the number of a physi- 1 elan in the next block. MT. Lester and MT. Underwood stood helplessly near him.
 'There," Lillian's voice in it's relief ] betrayed the anxiety she had felt. He's coming out of it. l. I could detect no movement of the l little body and I looked inquiringly at her.
 His eyelids are twitching,' she said in answer to my look. i Even as she spoke the limbs re- | faxed, the terrible blue look faded from the little face, and the baby grasped his way back to life.
 Quick, Katie the blanket. Hold the warm side toward me- 1 Katie rushed forward, obeying l directions like a soldier As she reached Mrs. Underwood's side Lil- lian lifted the baby out of the water and, laying it, dripping as it was, on the warm blanket, wrapped the woolen folds about it, and sitting down in the nearest chair laid the baby fiat on her lap, looking anxi- ously into the tiny face.
 "If you have a hot water bag, Mrs. Graham, fill it and bring it here. | .too