The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-01

right place from the voices Of the
kings and queens!
A long. low room. benches down
the sides. benches down the middle,
the benches laden with mothers and
the mothers laden with babies.
Such conglomeration OF babies!
Mostly poiIue' babies: babies in every
tint from very white to very red,
chubby babies and thin babies,
blonde babies and brunette. sleepy
babies and wideawakes. growing ba-
bies and bowling ones: but in all that
gathering only three VINO we're not IN
a perfectly healthy condition. thanks
to the ounce Of prevention which Is
proving SO mach better than the
pound Of cure.
The women we're as much diversi-
fed as the babies. for not all the
mothers could be in attendance, 30
with the twins: and little sisters
cane. the proudest one being the mt
tic mother" of five snail steps IN the
stairway of future France.
Content on the faces OF the womeo'
4 cheeHc! cooperation with ta.fT eE-
ranG: 2l-cyS a smile for the visitor,
and cute a lively competition as to
r..,ich bzby might elicit the most ad-
mirot.or-
TIE mothers crowded around and
feId Up tn-ir babies for inspection,
pucl.cA in tarouSh the throng with
proud eon:.ccrcc: and it was very diff
fcu!z indeed not 70 EctrSy an overly
cntii.i-:e-...c choice for 4 little. sn!l-
Eozh-r-. tco. the proudest the one
cf-.l:.di,,site:s came. proud grand
!r--. cAai-L=-<&ccd. G;cr!5-skirned mite
with red checks ard deep dimrieS,
: nd rref=. round. dancing brown eyes
cn: Curly bros:l hair!
a STIR and busting now in the busy
rccc1tior rcoc,. for here came the
director % take charge of US. It was
easy TO sec Why. in volunteering her
.erv:cos fer France this swest-faced
elderly lad-. had chosen the baby de-
/ pertinent, foY she fairly e1;uded moth
crimes.
! cad in her white Uniform and the
! fowi7s white cap with the red cross
/ on the front. she elbowed her suliiinS
was among the waiting ttrong: and
grateful eyes followed her wherever
/ she went. g.,
Two volunteer nurses accompanied
hcr. young women equally fitted Tor
their work. equally enthusiastic.
Their progress through the room
was slow, for they see these babies
every week. and have an Intimate
personal acquaintance with all OF
them, and are very solicitous about
tho bamp little Jules got on the ear
last week. and the bruises little VIC
tcire got from falling downstairs,
which is one Of the regular proceed
ures in any victory.
What little room. this next one:
the consultation room. At a small
table another white-clad volunteer. a
secretary. with book which was
enormously big for the affairs OF such
| tiny clients. and a huge index card
for every baby. containing a record
! of its life. week by week, from its
very first astonished little entry into
| this world to the most recent weigh
! ing. the little cough it had one Tues
! day. three months aSo. which was
gone on the next Tuesday, and every
thing: behind the secretary. the
: scales with which very baby of
France has become so uncomfortably
familiar; in the shining white cup
tcards around the walls, supplies Of
b: ndages and simple remedies, and
testing paraphernalia, and mysterious
looking minor surgical instruments,
and such adjuncts.
But. hush: This is no place for idle
curiosity: no space in this tiny room
for mere useless visitors. because
there is a consultation going on; 80
the two visitors. and the earnest, self
sacrificing woman who was their
guide. and Madam the Director. and
the two nice-looking nurses. pushed
themselves back against two sections
of the wall. in two silent, solemn
rows, and stared.
The patient was a young party by
the name of Pierre. who objected VIC
Iently to having all his clothes remov-
ed. and to being supported on his
stomach in naid-air on a firm, broad
hand. while an ear was pressed
against his spine. He had little SYM
pathy. His mother "a woman in black.
who --as strong and quiet. merely
smiled. though she held up her red
dened hands half hesitantly, ready to
take him back and dress him.
The audience smiled. because he
was such a nice baby. pink and beau
tifu1lv chubby md velvety OF skin,
with tender little creaSes around his
ankles and wrists. and little round
marbles Of toes which tried their best
to shut up like his fists.
The secretary smiled. too. and al
ready began to write the verdict on
the card Of Monsieur Pierre: and the
doctor smiled. because that violent
protest was exactly what she wanted.
The slightest trace OF a wheeze in the
lungs would show in that cry.
Viola! Sound as franc!
Nothing whatsoever the matter
With little Pierre. and he smiled an
eeifcally the moment he had what he
wanted. his clothes back on:
The doctor leaned over and talked
to the mother, quietly. crisply. con-
cisely. and the woman listened atten-