The Poisoned Baby

"Bring a glass of water and some vinegar"

       Shesa hastened away with the neighbor, for she knew that any delay might cost the baby's life. She could hear the little girl's agonizing screams.

       "Ibee, run for the doctor," she called. "We must work until the doctor comes," she said to the distracted mother. She was wise enough to realize that it would be best to keep the mother busy.

       ''What kind of poison do you know?" asked Shesa anxiously, as they ran up the steps of the porch.

       "Lye," answered the mother briefly. ''The maid was scrubbing the kitchen steps, and left the can of lye on the floor. Baby came along, saying 'dink, dink,' and before Sally Ann could get into the door, baby had swallowed a mouthful. It couldn't have been very strong, for Sally Ann had filled up the can with water."

       Shesa took the baby on her lap and looked into its poor little burnt mouth.

       "Bring a glass of water and some vinegar." she ordered. When they came, she diluted the vinegar with water giving the baby a teaspoonful at a time.

       "Bring the juice of a lemon," she said. This she diluted, giving it to the baby in the same way.

       It must have stopped some of the suffering, for the little one began to seem more comfortable.

       "Now, the beaten white of an egg in water," she said at length. Of this she gave the baby a tablespoonful; then a tablespoonful of olive oil, holding its little mouth shut to make it swallow.

       By the time the doctor arrived, the baby had fallen asleep on Shesa's lap.

       ''You have saved this baby's life, Miss Brave," said the doctor. " If it hadn't been for prompt action, the child might have died."

"You have saved this baby's
life," Miss Brave.

       "People are so careless with poisons," he went on. "Poisons should never be placed within the reach of little children. All bottles should be labeled plainly, and the stoppers should be tied about with a piece of gauze not very attractive, I admit, but one of the best safeguards against making a mistake as to the 'right bottle.' Poisons should not be kept in the general medicine closet, but in a place by themselves unless we except iodine, which has such a decided odor that it may be kept in a more accessible place, ready for its many uses."

       After complimenting Shesa again on her treatment of the baby, and leaving some medicines for both the baby and the baby's mother, the doctor went away.

       Shesa was met by her mother as she started home.

       "We are all so anxious, dear," she said, "to learn how the baby is."

       "The baby's all right," smiled Shesa.

       "How thankful Ima will be!" exclaimed her mother. "It brings tears to my eyes to see how interested that dear boy is in everybody, thinking so little about his own misfortunes. Think of a young man just at his age losing an arm!"

       "Father told me that last night when he tried to express a little sympathy, Ima said, 'Well, Father, it is a loss; but you know, I have one arm left!' Shesa replied.

       "Wasn't that wonderful!" exclaimed Mrs. Brave.

       "It certainly is wonderful how bravely he takes his troubles," replied Shesa. "Father said he thought that it really required more bravery to fed that way than to go to the battlefield."

       By this time they had reached home, and Sheaa, had to tell everybody about the saving of the life of the poisoned baby.

Introduction: Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, The Poisoned Baby,  19