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Show Teaching the Baby to Follow Through - By JAMES J. MONTGOMERY. Father (.who has Just returned from a golf lesson) It's funny to me that I kid hasn't learned to walk ) t. Here he Is a year old snd still creeping about I on the floor. Why don't you get hlra Ion his feet? Mother I was Just going to tell you. He walked today two steps. Isn't that I wonderful? Father If he can walk two steps he can walk a block. All he. needs Is a; little confidence. Have you been doing do-ing anything to help him? Mother I put bis little hands on Ihe chain rung, and once he let go and walked those two steps like a little hero. After he bumped his precious nose, though, he wouldn't try It again. Father That Juet the trouble. He lost heart after one little fullure. and you let him get away with It. What kind of a man do you expect hlin to be If he la permitted to be a quitter 'now? How can he fight the battles I of life If ho Is allowed to grow up a toward? What sort of a golf game ' will he play if lie drops the game the 'first lime he foozles'.' Why don't' l you teach him to walk? I Mother Well, he Is so youne;, and ' so timid Just a baby-Father baby-Father That's the trouble. He'll he a baby Just as long ss you baby him. It's time ho was stepping out i now. If you don't want to teach him to walk. 1 will. Mother Well, perhaps you ought to. I Hut youusn'J be cross with him. v Father Trust me for that. It la Impossible to tench nnybody anything without Infinite patience. You ought to see how -entle that golf pro Is with some of Ihe dubs he la trying to teach. Never gets ruffled, no matter whst they do. Come here. bshy. Come here, I say. COME IlKKE! Can't you hear nie? Mother There, you havs hurt his little feelings. 8e, he Is trying to creep under the chair and hide from you. Father Perhaps 1 was a little haaty. Itnt he seems so dumb. Here, dnrllns. come to father. The baby proceeds toward the chnlr and father retrieves hlin and places him In a stsndlng position posi-tion beside a chalr.l Now, that's ths first position, baby. Now have confidence con-fidence In father, and In yourself. You can walk If you try. Just walk now for father. Itaby Wudge. Kathet W'hut does "Wudge" mean? Mother That he is ufrald. You've frlghte&ed him. io try not to be so roush. Father All right. Now are. Toshy. Took at father. Ilo like father does. No, don't stumble out like that. Keep little eyes on the feet. That's the Important Im-portant thing. Now follow through with them see? Like father one after another that'a the baby. Tlahy-i-Wudget Father What did you say "Wudge" msnnt? Mother When he says It that way It means he doesn't want to do what you want him to do. Father Listen, baby, father wnnts to help you. Just pivot your little right leg at the hip and awing It forward for-ward slowly like father no. don't press there's no hurry. Keep your Utile head down and your little eye on your little feet. Like father, now, look. Ruby Wudge. I Falher Loose btiby. loose don't tighten up. Now bring the foot back very, very slowly no, don't use your liody, Just your little legs. Now for-wa for-wa rd see. Baby (Who has tsken father's advise ad-vise and landed' on his nose) Wow! Father Can't expect too much nt once, but keep your confidence. That'a the Important thing. Now pivot little leg again and go back alowly. Htart 'the awing from the hip snd snnp the ankles Just the least mite when you come through. Watch father, Hahy Wudge. Father You'll like It In a minute, once you get the swing. He ths sofa over there? You'll be walking way over to that sofa In a minute If you'll only do what father telle you. Baby- Wudge. WUIWIE1 Father Confound It. how do you eg. peet to learn to walk If you lose your temper? Don't you know thst NOBODY NO-BODY who amounts to anything ever loses his temper? Can't you r!EK thst losing your temper will put you off your swing and keep you from ever learning how to do It? Bahy Wow! Mother Aren't you just a little harsh with him? You know It's all so new. He never walked but two steps In all his little life. Father Well, he never will wslk but two steps If he don't pay some attention atten-tion to whst I'm telling him. Here I'm giving him the benefit of all my experience and he just stands there and gaiea st me. Come now, bsby, look at father, and do just aa father "Iocs keep your hesd down. Pivot your right foot at the hip. Follow through. Hnap the ankle Just a mil. Set down the foot on the floor. Keep your eye on It. Now Baby (Pitching forward on a rocking rock-ing horse) Wow WOW WOKOW! Mother Never mind, mother's precious. prec-ious. Molher kiss the place snd make It well. Pretty soon urns learn to walk, not now. Baby not big, smsrt man Ilka father. (Catches him up) Father Well, of course. If you're going go-ing to make a mollycoddle out of him he ll NKVKK learn to walk. I could teach him In ten minutes If you'd let me. it's easy enough If ths little simpleton sim-pleton would only do what hs'a told, and learn to concentrats but hs won't, so 1 suppose hell creep till hs votes. Oooilby. I'm going back to I the club for another lesson. Mother How did you do this morning, morn-ing, dear. Father--.Rotten. That professional Is such s chukiehead. He Insists that I can't learn to play unless I do the way he does, which nobody could do. Why the poor fish doesn't know how he does It himself (Copyright, 1!;. by ths Bell Syndicate Syndi-cate Inc.) |