Concerning Wee Matilda

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VII, Issue 3, 1 July 1914, Page 131

Concerning Wee Matilda

Marianne Pagden

THE LOVE THAT KILLS.

Hush ! Don't make a sound ! for Aunt Matilda has forgotten to pull down the blind, and soon the lovely sun will peep m at me to bid me good morning. No doubt Aunt (the dear, kind soul !) thinks I shall sleep better for shutting out the bright rays, but oh! if she only knew how I love to see him creeping up the side of my bassinet, she would surely let him m ! I wonder why she doesn't leave the window open ? ah, I remember now, my Mamma thought her little darling might take cold. Dear, dear, who ever heard of a little fresh air hurting a baby ! How glad I am to be at last m my little crib, with everything about me so still and quiet ; and so would you, if you had been plunged into a bath, too warm to be comfortable, fussed ovei and bundled about, then rolled up tightly m a binder which made you feel all hot and stuffy !

But all those little trials are over for to-day, so I must be bright and happy to greet the sun when he conies peeping m. Ah, here he is, and I crow with delight as I stretch out my little hands to catch him. But, alas S my cries have brought Aunt Matilda m post haste, and down comes the blind with a snap sharp enough to break any sun loving baby's spirit. I raise my voice m protest, but Aunt has vanished, and there is only a buzzing fly to hear my tale of woe ; and even he is too busy to pay any attention to me, m endeavouring to find an exit that he might follow our friend's bright rays.

I weep on bitterly until Aunt Matilda returns carrying my feeding bottle, although she must know I am not hungry, for it is only an hour and a half since my breakfast time ; anyway, I shall try to take it just to please her.

" Oh, dear," I sigh, as I finish the last drop, "my binder is so very tight. May I have it off lor a little while ? " But Aunt pays no attention to my request, she simply tucks me up tightly m my blanket and bids me "go by -by." How, I would like to see her go by-by with a binder on, which every minute threatens to burst.

But wait! Something terrible is happening : there is a lump right m my throat. Whatever shall Ido ! Ah, one big effort on my part, and up comes the disturber of my inward peace, just like a spout, saturating my bib, frock and pinafore, and leaving great clots of milk on my pillow and blanket.

My parents, on healing of this shocking disaster, snatch me from my cradle, bundle me about from one to the other, smother me from head to foot with kisses and tears, and yet all I am asking for is air ! air !

My father declares I am not properly fed, so takes me to the breakfast-table where he tempts me with scraps of biscuit and sips of coffee from his cup. How he laughs as he tosses me up time after time into the air until my poor little stomach feels as if it has turned a double somersault. % # * ♦ How time slips by. Why it is nearly a month since my first bad vomiting ; and oh, how frightened I was ! and even now I shudder when I feel them coming on, although it is an every-day occurrence. I am feeling very tiled and languid this hot afternoon as I sit propped up m my go-cart watching my father smoke his third cigar, and I am wondeiing m my little mind why he doesn't open the door to let out the horrid fumes which are getting down my throat, so T raise my voice to ask, but he simply picks up my dummy which has fallen upon the flooi, dips it into a sugar basin standing conveniently near and replaces it m my mouth. " Oh dear ! what is the good of anything !" I cry. " Nobody seems to understand baby language here." :{ Oh, don't they ! " a little voice replies, "am I not anybody ? " I look around eagerly, for the speaker, and find perched on the edge of my eider-down quilt a big buzzing tfy, who is brushing his wing with his back legs. " So I'm not anybody, eh ? " he repeats, " but, I say, you're looking pretty seedy

on it, anyhow. Why don't you come out into the fresh air and sunshine and get well and strong " " Wouldn't I just love to ! " I cry, " but I cannot fly, like you." ' T know that," he laughs satirically, " although man has for many years tiied to imitate us ; but don't let us waste time like this. Just jump upon my back and I shall carry you off to green fields, where there is plenty of fresh air and sunshine, then on to the woods, where the birds will give you a right royal welcome." Why ! can I believe it ! lam scrambling on to his back ; and away we fly up and up until we come to a. tiny cloudlet upon which he gently places me, then suddenly he disappears into the air. I turn my head to see where he has gone to, when to my astonishment, I find I am m Aunt Matilda's fond embrace, and a stranger is bending anxiously -over me. "Ah! J: he cries, as I meet his gaze, " cheer up, my little friend ; only wait until we have you comfortably settled at Karitane." Karitane ! Now, where is that ? Ah! I must ask my friend the fly when next we meet. HEALTH THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR. Oh, what a glorious scene meets my eye as I peep ovei the edge of my bassinet, for I can see a great stretch of cloudless blue and the tops of big, green trees over head, and the morning air fans my cheeks. Dear, dear, wherever can I be ? and why hasn't Aunt Matilda closed the windows this morning. Things have turned quite upside down, for as I make another effort to peep above my blanket, I find, much to my astonishment, that all the pretty pink and white frills have vanished from my cot. ' Well, I must admit/ I say aloud, as I turn and twist ," that this bed is very comfortable, for if I've twisted once I've twisted a dozen times, and never a blanket has slipped from my legs." : ' Ha,, ha ! I should think not," says a familiar voice from on high. "If you had seen how cunningly you were placed m that cosy nest of yours you wouldn't wonder. Go and stretch your legs to your heart's content, and never fear of even one little toe escaping from its warm nook into the cold air."

You cannot imagine how my heart bounds with joy as I recognise the buzz of my old friend the fly, and on looking up I can see him resting on a wee branch of a shrub near the verandah rail.

" Come here ! Come here ! " I ciy m my excitement, : ' right on to my cot, for I have such a lot to say to you."

" Thanks very much for your invitation," my fly replies, " but if it makes no difference to you I much prefer staying on this leaf, as I do not wish to force my company where it is not welcome, for I have heard myself referred to on several occasions by Karitane folks as a germ carrier. Germ-car-rier, indeed ! and me of all flies ! Why, my landlady, Mrs. Jonathan Bluebottle, herself has remarked time after time that I am the most respectable fly she has ever iented a cabbage stump to, m her dust heap. But, of course, we all have a perfect right to our own opinions, so I shall just stay here on this leaf, and they can flourish their carbolics and disinfectants around to their hearts' content."

" Oh dear," I cry, v I am so sorry that you feel so bad about it. Don't go away."

' Oh, no ! " he answers, " I shall certainly pop over occasionally to see how you are faring, for haven't I watched you day after day m that isolation ward struggling for dear life. My ! what a struggle it was and how you had those nurses on the go night and day, for three whole weeks ! And I must admit, although there is no love lost between us, that they do know how to save the babies. " Yes," he continues, " I had a splendid view of you every morning from the top of the laurel hedge, and by standing on my tip-toes I could see your bassinet through the top of the open window. Ah, never was there such a fight before ! but at last your nurses gained the day, and here you are once again on the right road to health and strength.

''' So it stands to reason, my little friend," continues my fly, covering a yawn with his left wing, " that you and I shall never agree upon the subject of Karitane, for the simple reason that while they spend the whole of their time, thought and energy on preserving your life, they never miss an opportunity of trying to send me to an early grave." He rubs his head thoughtfully with one leg for a few seconds, then, stretching his wings as if ready for flight,

cries out m his old cheery way again, " Oh, well, good-bye for the present ; look out for me on the next fine day," and he is gone

I now turn my thoughts to my surroundings, for I know that I am an inmate of the Karitane Harris Hospital for sick babies, and there is no room for doubt, for here is a nurse coming to take me to my morning bath. As she raises me m her arms I take the opportunity of looking around, and to my surprise find that my little crib is only cne of a row standing upon a wooden trestle on a wide verandah. And no wonder my blankets behaved so beautifully, for all our little beds are made like envelopes with the bottom flap safely gummed down and the top left open where our little heads peep out to get the morning sun. I am quickly rolled m my fluffy blanket and hurried away to the nursery, where there appears to be great excitement. There are babies galore m all stages of dressing and undressing, and two crowing m their baths. lam greatly relieved to find I am not going to be bathed before a great blazing fire, for although there is a fire here m the nursery the baths aie a fair distance from it, and they are all let into a bench, just high enough for nurse to hold us comfortably.

Standing along the walls are dozens of baskets on legs, from which my nurse selects one for me, and what a proud little baby I am when I espy a white, ticket dangling to the handle with " Wee Matilda " written on it, and a blue ribbon attached. Inside my basket are clean clothes for me, a long-sleeved silky singlet, a woollen one also, petticoat, frock and bib complete, and the sweetest little woollen jacket, which I know will suit me beautifully. I have never had such a bath before. First of all, Nurse washed the bath with a cloth dipped into boiling water, then she places a clean towel at the bottom of the bath and then the taps are turned on. I am rather nervous, I must admit, for I haven't quite forgotten my baths of old, and I am wondering if this one will be too hot or too cold for my liking, when I notice a glass stick with numbers written on it floating m the water. Nurse calls it a thermometer and carefully reads the numbers before she takes it out. I hear her say to herself :i Ninety-nine, a hundred — exactly ! Now we're ready." And m one act she has my

singlet and nightie off, and I am splashing and crowing m the comfiest bath any little baby could ever wish for. I must certainly tell Aunt Matilda about that thermometer !

I am once more tucked up cosily m my little blanket bed, and as I am just dropping off to sleep I remember two things : First, that my nurse didn't smother me with nasty, horrid soap, and hush, don't tell anyone ! she has forgotten to put on my binder !

' Binder, did you say,? " asks my neighbour, and as I turn my head towards the sound, I see two very blue eyes peeping at me through the wicker-work of the next bassinet.

' I was just remarking," I say nervously, ' that my nurse has forgotten my binder." : ' For which I am very thankful," I add. ' I guess you are," comes back m reply, ' but never fear ! for they are quite out of date here. Of course, you know that we Karitane babies lead the fashion — well, as far as health and comfort are concerned. We are expected to kick up our legs and turn our bodies if we wish to, so that our muscles have a chance to develop that we might grow into strong, sturdy boys and girls."

As my neighbour finishes speaking there is a loud cry from the far end of the verandah, accompanied by a demand for breakfast.

' Who is that making such a noise? ' I ask of my neighbour.

'Oh, that is John," she replies, shaking hei head thoughtfully, " A very popular fellow, but very impatient : expects plenty of attention, and lets everyone know it if he doesn't get enough."

;i He is laughing and talking now to that pretty nurse with the fluffy hair," I remark as I crane my neck to get a peep at John.

" Oh, trust him," she answers. "He is a regular ladies' man, and flirts outrageously with everyone. Why, I've heard him make the same pretty speeches and give the same fetching smile to the matron doAvn to the latest probationer, and when there is nobody about, he actually has the impudience to try them on me, but for all that I like John ; only I do wish he would give up his wily ways."

Oui conversation was brought to a close by the appearance of our feeding bottles, and we both felt quite ready for them

after our morning dip. "Ob ! " I remark, as I look with disappointment at my half filled bottle, "my aunt Matilda used to give me my bottle full."

' Yes, and made you sick," says the sharp little voice at my side ; so I settle down to my allowance of humanised milk, and thoroughly enjoy it. Now, I believe that baby is right and I have had enough to be comfortable, so, as I finish nay last drop, I just mention to my nurse that my dummy with a little sugar on it would be most acceptable ; but she only laughs, and lifts me up, bassinet and all, and carries me out into the garden, and places me under a shelter where I get all the warmth of the sun without his direct rays shining on me. After complaining for a few moments about my lost comforter, I am overcome at last by the fresh morning air, and I drop off into a peaceful sleep, accompanied by the songs of the birds m the old pear tree near at hand. I am suddenly awakened from my refreshing slumbei by John's shrill cry asking if anyone can tell him the time. ' Yes," conies back m leply, "it is a quarter to orange-juice time, so, John, do be patient." " Patient I like that," he cries, ' I am just longing to get into the kicker to show that new baby how high humanised milk can kick his legs. 3 The kicker? " I ask enquiringly, what

is that ? ' But before my question is answered we""are all being carried oft" to the nursery, where there have been made great alterations since bathing time. Covering most of the floor space is a big blanket, around which is placed a white boarding, and after orange juice has been handed round to the company and our frocks well pinned up out of the way, we are all placed m this enclosure to stretch our legs and enjoy ourselves to our hearts' content. Oh, dear, this is fine ! " I cry, as I make a desperate attempt to push Arabella Jones with my toe, ; it is much better than being propped up m a high chair, but just look at Ernest ; he is rolling over and over ; now he is next to John, and they are laughing at one another." * :|i * And so time goes on. Each day my legs grow stronger, and my weight and appetite both steadily increase, and never m this wide world was there a happier or more contented baby ; but very soon I must bid farewell to Karitane to make room for another little sufferer who wants to be helped back to health and strength and I am sure if you could only see how happy and well cared for we all are here, you would, everyone of you, do your very best to help our good friends of Karitane to ' Save the Babies.' "