Show i A PLAYROOM some good suggestions for making happy well I 1 just did not enjoy my visit there one bit for one of us had to hold baby every minute to keep her out of mischief there was not even an empty spool offered her to play with so said a young mother to me awhile ago and it is a fairly good text for tha preachment of some notions as to a duty owed to even other folks babies wo know very well and have been amused sometimes at seeing how nervous people feel lest other folks babies do damage to some of their possessions our little folks are very unfortunate in always doing their worst when they alro roost un io cuu v c T j bess and to mothers I 1 confess 1 do not care to work harder to get a visit than 1 do at home it is a good plan to take along a few favorite toys and a picture book when going where there is no children then let baby find them for itself in the handbag and it is tolerably sure to enjoy them and be content there is one caution in place right here if baby is not allowed to touch everything it will not want to do so away from home and every mother can provide her child with some half dozen light toys or a picture book as its go visiting toys just as she keeps a special dress or apron far state occasions now the other side af the case it is a small matter and as more evil is wrought from want of thought than ever want of heart a suggestion may be acceptable in every well regulated house there should be a box or basket into which the housekeeper may toss picture almanacs a stump of lead pencil some large empty spools noton a string but a ball of string with them an empty spool bos and a few large odd buttons bits of bright calico or silk and a split clothes pin or two or if she feels generous half a dozen good clothes pins some advertising cards and an empty salt bag or even a paper bag or two then if a child comes in the whole lot can be set out without a pang to be used and abused at will all clean things easily gathered up and tucked away for the next time and not any the worse if finger marked or brokenfor brok enor torn for the diversion of the next child if time admits the elthes pins may be dres the calico scraps and make cunning dollies for baby girls once a basket is set apart for such a purpose many odds and ends will find their way into it if you actually have nothing to give to a child to amuse it an hour it is worth a moments consideration and a dozen corn cobs will do to begin with right away A raisin bos makes a good stool for a child if a bit of carpet is neatly tacked over it adds to its appearance and comfort or if it has a lid fitted over all the edges it may be used as a place of deposit for the aforesaid scraps as well as for a atoo I 1 how I 1 have always longed to build a giouse in which one lower room could be set apart for the children where they could have a long low table for odd papers and pencils and slates and books and knives and tools of all sorts in table drawers that should pull out on one side for the boys the other side for girls a drawer for each child and in it all their trash shelves around the walls for collections of things children admire and cull from the family refuse comfortable low chairs and lounges and cushions and places for pot cats and dogs too I 1 should enjoy it as much as the little folks but cannot realize it as the actual necessities of life come first and the little folks find room and grow up and push out into the great world to their life work we so hope they may never find any place where they can say greater enjoyment is found than at home with their childish plays |