Year: 1875

do the days work of fifty pairs OF hands In an
hour; for the plumpest babies, for fowls OF
the greatest ovarian fecundity, for rare dogs
aud the most charming of singing birds, for
the choicest of fruits and the most brilliant of
flowers, or, finally. for the best specimens of
college rhetoric. At Detroit last week, the
show was a triple miscellany of Babies. Dogs,
and Poultry.


For our own part VIC must admit, though
we hardly know why, that there is something
unpleasant about the idea of a Prize Baby
carrying off the laurels by virtue of avolrdu-
pos. Do not the mothers love the lean ones
quite as well, and even little betterl
poor, wee thing, mostly bones, and small bones
at the best, wailing through the toimcnt5 OF
dentitiOn, so helpless that even Nature seems
to have forgotten it, though 1t would not have
the least chance of a premium. may have
plenty Of compensating affection in the homo
to which God sent it TO teach lessons OF ten
der pity and glad self-sacrifce. Always it is
upon exhibition there, and every day it takes
premiums of rattlcs and rings. The next
biggest child is its beast of burden;
and all household cares are deferred
to its own-the cooking, the sweeping,
and the washing. The weary father,
swearing in q suppressed and quiet way, will
carry it about all night in his arms. Day by
day it grows leancr and leaner; and should
fate take it after ALL it is ever spoken OF as
cherub, has pretty little headstone, flowers
in broken pitcher on its short grave, and
four lines in the local newspaper. Poor mite
1t would have had no chance with the big ba-
bies of the show but it was nicer every way
than the little bursting Jumps of adipose with
faces made meaningless by their abnormal
plumpness, and with legs ike the least appe-
tizing Of German sausages. Yet we are Will
ing to admit that row of prize babies is not
without its charms. The parental pride which
brought these specimens to the Fair is an
earnest of care and good treatment. No an
imal of any value is so much at the mercy In
its infancy of caprice and convenience as
man. We train horses, hogs, sheep, and neat
cattle. putting on flesh here and taking it Off
there, and talking endlessly about this strain,
and all that; it is only our own frames OF
which we are neglectful, so that man or
woman of perfect physical development Is an
exception. 1t is well to be a deal more care
full in such matters, and to begin with the
newborn.


Considering in whose image we are all made,
it is q little unpleasant TO lind the babies
exhibited with the dogs and the hens-the
sDaniols and stag-hOund3, the DOrkinSs ana
the Bantams. Ole child is OF more value than
a thousand black k-aud-tans, though every one
of them weighed less than ten pounds. Yet,
in spite of hydrophOba, the dog is an interest
ing animal, and by his fidelity, intelligence


4. Lo Il 70
his nocturnal hOwls, and leads us to forgive
his passionate appetite for mutton. lie divides
our affection with the cat or the canary-blrd,
and Is often invested By our fond fancy with
instructive intelligence which would hardly
stand the test of scientific scrutiny NO
domestic animal, however, degenerates so
rapidly through neglect, and no vagabOnd Is
more of a nuisance than homeless dog. 1t
is right therefore, that he should be an OBJ
ject of interest and candidate for premiums


or poultry, we do not find that we have
much to say These feathered frequenters OF
the barn-yard are most inspiring, we must
admit, in a roasted state or considered as the
producers of eggs for the morning meal. Sull,
the rule holds OF the fttest in the best OF Its
kind. An old hen is not usually regarded as
a marvel OF intelligence, and a somewhat
draggled old age awaits the rooster who Is
spared the spit. Nevertheless, in the strength
of his prime, arrayed like Solomon in all his
glory, and making salutation to the morn, he
is q gorgeous and impressive creature. SO we
can imagine many duller shows than show
of roOsters, or for that matter of dogs, or
even of babies.