EDITORIAL 



249 



'gleanings' the happy mother and the 

 bright Httle baby with that wonderous 

 smile that she gave her friends when 

 just eighteen days old. I think some 

 good woman called that first smile that 

 the baby gives her friends a 'three-cor- 

 nered smile.' Just notice that sweet 

 little mouth opened enough to indicate 

 that she too is feeling happy and thank- 

 ful to get just a brief glimpse of this 



He gives us full data about his birth 

 in 1839; and, with other charming fam- 

 ily items, when he and Mrs. Root were 

 married ; when the first daughter, Mrs. 

 Maud Calvert, was born, the day after 

 Abraham Lincoln's death, and adds 

 this astonishing announcement anent 

 the multiplicity of children, grandchil- 

 dren and great-grandchildren : 



"Through a kind and merciful Provi- 



The great-granddaughter and her mother when the baby was only 18 days old. 



great and wonderful world and all the 

 rest of the attendant vast universe. Oh ! 

 what is home without a baby? May I 

 digress just a little right here? 



'T once knew a beautiful woman. 

 She married a bright and educated 

 man ; and as the years passed by he 

 wanted a baby, one or more of them, 

 in his household. Then there was a 

 disagreement in the matter. If I am 

 correct a divorce resulted. She gave 

 her reasons, so far as I can recollect, 

 something like this : 



" 'My good sir, if you thought when 

 you married me that I was going to be 

 mother to a lot of babies, I want to tell 

 you that you are greatly mistaken.' 



"She declined the office of mother- 

 hood, probably because of its cares and 

 burdens. I have heard people talk 

 about living for self, without care or re- 

 gard or feeling of responsibility for 

 anybody else or for coming generations 

 after them." 



dence I am able to say today, June 26. 

 1 91 6, there has been no death among 

 the children, grandchildren, or great- 

 grandchildren up to date." 



This personal literary gem merits 

 careful inspection. Notice how Grand- 

 father dotes upon the three-cornered 

 smile of the baby and the sweetness of 

 that little mouth, although he seems to 

 feel that such revelations are hardly 

 appropriate in a dignified journal, and 

 to a certain extent apologizes. Go on, 

 old Roots, and middle-aged Roots, and 

 tiny Root-lets, and keep. on telling us 

 about your interests, not only in honey- 

 bees but in everything that you talk 

 about in the household, and especially 

 about your hopes and ambitions. I, 

 personally I, want to assure you that 

 I believe you are setting a charming 

 example, not only because you are giv- 

 ing yourself personally to the wide, 

 wide world, but because you have a 

 personality that will stand the strain. 



