Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-20
THE NEW INTEREST
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CHAPTER 81
? Alice felt she was not accomplish
ing all she wanted to by adopting the
little waif. And yet she couldn't do
otherwise. There was something in
her that urged her to take the child,
and the desire was stronger than her
reason.
"Of course. she's going to be a
care" Alice told her Mother when
they sat talking about the prospec-
tive adoption. ITS going to mean
hours n hours every day devoted
TO looking after her. I'll lave to
learn how to take care OF a baby.
for one thing. Mrs. Godfrey gave me
a splendid book written by the fore
most doctor on children's health In
the country"
"Of course. / can look after her
for YOU" Mrs. Fairbanks offered,
anxious as always to give Alice her
way. But the girl shook her head
NO, you'll ave q certain amount
Of care, of course, that can't be help
ed. But I'm going to do most of it
So, in the course of q few weeks.
the deserted baby arrived at its per-
manent home. Berenice. as Alice
called her. adopting the foreign spell
ing Of that attractive name, was real
ly & pretty baby.
Though goodness knows she was
homely enough whenxI first met
0eI, AlAGt EtlAtdihtu lttiiAbA OAtSAN W
Clara when this chum called to see
the new member of the family. She
was thin as a rail. n gray. and her
hands had that dreadful appearance
of bird claws that we see often in the
babies in Shantytown."
"Is she much trouble?" Clara ask
ed. holding out n finger awkwardly
and watching the baby's hands curl
around it.
mo, not much" Alice answered.
"Of course, I'm pretty green at it.
I've Joined the Little Mothers class
es Mrs. Godfrey has at the settlement
house and you should see the num-
Der of things I'm learning to do
You always were pretty efficient.
] thought you must know most
everything by this time," Clara an
swered smiling1y. Can / hold the
baby?"
NO" Alice answered with an air
of great wisdom. The essence OF
knowledge in bringing up a baby IS
to let it alone. Berenice has her bath
and her bottle and then she maps. If
she needs care during the morning
while I'm at the garden work at the
settlement house. Mother gives 1t to
her
ooh, Clara" she broke off to
laugh. you should see Mother and
the baby! It's been years since she
had one, of course. and she can't get
used to new ways. Berenice has a
bath at q certain temperature and l
have a bath Thermometer that hoats
in the tub to show when it's warm
enough-Mrs. Marlowe gave 1t TO
Berenice as a present. Mother says
she used to stick her elbow in the
water, and if it didn't scald her, it
wasn't too no for mel
She went on, telling h events OF
the new baby's day, bottles and maps,
fresh air, more maps, loose clothlng
that left her legs free to kick. aD-
sence of all excitement and coddling.
no rocking, no jumping up and down
TO bring out a crow of delight-and
to bring Oh Indigestion.
Mrs. Marlowe had a doctor for
her, and he has given the ormu
for preparing her milk" Alice went
on, her tone unconsciously assuming
hat lofty air of great wisdom when
all young mothers display.
Clara listened with interest ana
sometimes with amusement. This
was q new Alice, this girl who held
the tiny child in her arms. and ca
ressed her so gently, who carried ner
upstairs to bed and who sat with her
head turned to one side TO eaten any
possible sound that might snow bere-
nice was wakeful.
Its awfully funny" was Claras
way of telling her mother about H..
II use to think last year when DAVID
Thorne was SO crazy over Allce, anu
they were to get married, that TINS
summer / would be visiting them IN
the country and that Alice wouio
have a baby, she always adored chill
dren so. And here she Is with a oapy
sure enough. only a gypsy family a
to come along and desert the chlld
so Alice could show another side or
her generous heart