Mrs. Mansfield s Baby

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 156, 27 June 1903, Page 17

Mrs. Mansfield s Baby

YOUNG Mis. Mansfield lay back in her invalid's chair looking very pale and wan. The baby lumself lav asleep m the w hite canopied cradle A slight frown of anxiety wrinkled the forehead of the visitor. Mrs. Harding, it was plaan to see, was a person of Napoleonic decision. • The trouble w ith you is, Daisy, you are completely unnerved. You work too hard You should have a servant who would not only do all the ironing but bathe the child, too " ••Why why. you don't understand' Daisy's voice was like a cry "I love to do his ironing ' I love to bathe him ■ This mv dear, is a form of hysteria. The care of a year-old baby is hard work even for a woman as stiong as 1 Daisy's tears began to flow again 'You know, dear." Mrs. Harding hastened to explain, 'I am glad to take the baby. Ever since I have been identified with the Child Study Society I have longed for the opportunity to observe the development of consciousness myself." Daisy ceased to listen The baby began to en' He even howled "Let him cry," said Mrs. Harding, in slightly raised accents. ''Crying is for babies what walking is for grown people— a natural, healthy all-round exeicise. Observe how the muscles ot his diaphragm — — " • .♦ * ' Goo-oo," gurgled the baby. '•Mamma's own 'lttle darling, mmmurod Daisy oressincr her nose into ins Boris's ttl.ee of Mrs Ha.d.ag nassed the look of courteous dissent thaf was wont to wear at the Browning Club-room and in the parlours of the Ontological Society, and at othei times as she sat in the president's chair of the Child Study Circle. " You had better let me take him now " she said. "You must really rest.' I will call and see yon every da -\Vill you bring baby?" Daisy was Harding, slowly. "I have noticed that he ex cites you and what you need is rest. Does that, sound y cruelP But, dear it is for the best You want to get well don t y °-I'd sacrifice anything to get *ell," sobbed the young mother. "There, there. I knew you would Kiss the baby deal and we 11 go Daisy kissed the baby, and they went. » • • The next day Mrs. Harding called to see Daisy. Mrs. Harding was dissatisfied There was no sign of tears but Saisv was weaker, and all dulness and languor. Bv the bed was a little book 'Our Dai line's Day Book it Tas full of pretty little fanciful sketches of baby at vanous stages ot Ins career. Mis Harding sighed. I have been keeping records, too, she said. 'I tviU read them. I date ,n the margin thus- three hundred and foitv-first day ' not by days of the week or months even, since they aie of unequal length. And I record not only the phenomena observed, but the laws which govern them, if possible. Thus — Law of adduction and abduction. Child discovered playing patacake Experienced no difficulty in adducting hands but sometimes failed toi as lono- as ten seconds m his efforts to abduct them. Expressed pleasuie at success Law of flexion and extension. Child attempted to thiow a kiss Diew m hand readily and imprinted kiss Then, instead ot throwing, let it drop. Seemed dissatisfied, and repeated, with like result. Probably attracted bv yellow hair and white apron of maid "He thought it was I'" cried Daisy Mrs. Harding went on "He always manifested interest when he saw her if she didn't come too close— he s tond of yellow I find— and uttered a peculiar sound " . "What did he say 9 demanded the child's mother feverishly. "As near as I can remember, returned Mis Harding, with a faint red showine through her pallor of mentality, "he said, 'Dah-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma ' so, in the descending scale." t "That's his name for me whispered Daisy sinkine back among her pillows. "Ho w as calling me '" « • • The days went by, and, with Daisy getting whiter and whiter, Mrs. Harding went to see the doctor. He was a slow kindly man, and was clever He looked at Mrs. Harding disconcertingly as she told her story. He stroked his whiskers softly

"To-day " said Mrs, Harding she seems worse, I have done eveivthmg possible. I relieved her of the care of her baby * But, oh 1 doctor, she is not getting better." Her presidential tone broke down. Can we cure hei ? " "Madam," saad the doctor, we can." Mrs. Handing clasped her hands ''How °" she cried. The hand that was caressing the fine growth of whiskers slipped uu foi a moment, and covered the doctor's face "Madam," he said gravely, ' I think she needs her bab\." * * •» '"Daisy" cried Mis. Harding, 'you must get better." The white face looked upw ard so pensively. ''It is something the doctor piescubed," said Mrs Harding Daisy had been asleep, and the empty cradle had been pushed out of sight. Just then a soft, gurgling coo came from the hidden cradle. Daisy sprang up. The light of renewed life was in her eyes. ''Daisy, wait '" She did not wait She ran to the cradle, and lifted him up. She kissed, fondled, and caressed him. She addressed him in English that was far from perfect She buried her face in his chubby bosom and he laughed and seized whole handfuls of her yellow hair. Their laughs rang out together. Mi's. Harding S at and watched them with head bowed and tears falling on to her lap — (Adapted from "Munsev's ")