THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 
 c?-^\ 
 
 
 ^Y'^7 3<r^ 
 
 /
 
 S f evens on s Baby Book 
 
 BEING THE RECORD OF 
 
 THE SAYINGS AND DOINGS 
 
 OF ROBERT LOUIS BALFOUR STEVENSON 
 
 SON OF 
 
 THOMAS STEVENSON, C.E. 
 
 AND MARGARET ISABELLA BALFOUR 
 
 OR STEVENSON 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 PRINTED FOR JOHN HOWELL 
 
 BY JOHN HENRY NASH 
 
 1922
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY JOHN HOWELL, SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 PUBLISHED NOVEMBER, I 922 
 
 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
 IMPERIAL AND INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT SECURED 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED IN ALL COUNTRIES
 
 ■58H- 
 
 TO ALL CHILDREN, 
 
 BIG AND LITTLE, WHO LOVE STEVENSON, 
 
 THIS PUBLICATION IS 
 
 DEDICATED. 
 
 948G5S
 
 A Note to the Reader 
 
 THIS Baby Recordwas meant by theyouhg 
 mother who wrote it^as ail such Records 
 are^to keep ^f or memory s sake^an account 
 of the first years of her adored child, A few of 
 the notes were added by her in later years. 
 
 What gives this Record extraordinary value^ 
 what sets it apart from countless others^ under- 
 taken in the same sweet cause^ is that it proved 
 to be the first chapter of the biography of one of 
 the best-loved men who ever lived; and^ it will 
 not need to bepointedout^the contentsforeshadow 
 in spirit ^originality and imagination the great 
 man the wee laddie was to become. 
 
 The mother was Margaret Isabella Balfour 
 Stevenson and the babe was Robert Louis Bal- 
 four Stevenson, With every passing year this 
 Baby Record grew a more precious possession to 
 the mother. On her deaths which followed soon 
 after that of her famous son^ the Record passed 
 into the keeping of her sister ^fane Whyte Bal- 
 four^ the "Auntie'' of the ''Child's Garden of
 
 Verse,''' But '' Auntie''' was already old. It was 
 her concern to give this precious volume to one 
 who would regard it with equal affeEiion, She 
 chose another young mother^ a relative by mar- 
 riageywhoj too^ had a little son. 
 
 Since then many years have passed, The Baby 
 Record^always in the new owner s keeping^has 
 traveled far ; sometimes in a satchel on trains 
 and ocean steamers^ again hidden in dark bank 
 vaults in widely dispersed cities. 
 
 Now, after long treasuring, it as a personal 
 possession, it is offered in fee simple that it may 
 reach many other lovers of Robert Louis Ste- 
 venson. Katharine D. Osbourne.
 
 s^ w 
 
 3(1119 
 
 m 
 
 BY 
 
 R. I. W. 
 
 ■W- 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Field 6- Tuer, The Leadenhall Press, B.C. 
 
 Simpkin, Marshall & Co. ; Hamilton, Adams &- Co. 
 
 New York : Scribner 6* Wel/ord, y^j 6* j^^, Broadway. 
 
 tCOPYRIOHT
 
 "PTiEFcACE. 
 
 C4$ young mothers delight in nothing more 
 than the comparisons of their children's early 
 attainments^ no excuse is needed in deditating 
 to them this concise registry of their darling's 
 doings. 
 
 The record will in many cases prove an 
 invaluable aid to the doctor in the treatment 
 of illnesses in later life.
 
 lAiY'^ l^iE@I^P,
 
 THB RKCORD OF 
 
 ui4^>/jCU//l,f<^..y:M./^^
 
 
 8
 
 BIRTH. 
 
 Tlace of 'BzV//z..!&/5fe^<Mi^/^*&.^ 
 
 Time of ^irthkdf.cM?k^./.7^hn^l^^'^l-^^\ 
 
 Weight 
 
 Length 
 
 'Breadth 
 
 Colour of SyesMisJ^C^llA^tLlmlfi^^ 
 
 Colour of Hair..h:i^^..l^i/l~.(><&^i^^^.UdH^.(^m 
 
 V^urse's 7<iame..hrXl.S.CW/e/X^. 
 
 'Doctor's 7<iame...Q/X...lb.^.C4:£f^.i:t^. 
 
 NAMKS. 
 
 Surname. .M>wi^:U.i£J^^i^. 
 
 Christian V^ames. . ../2/?Af<£l^.y=^^ 
 
 Tet V^ames3.^Zc£da^/id(/l.r...Shut^^
 
 
 lo
 
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 12
 
 EARIvY INCIDENTS. 
 
 J{: 
 
 First JourneyM.C.^U<^^6^.hi(^'^<:^:1^ 
 
 First Crawl..^h.su.'l)'^..l^^-:^^^^ 
 
 First Walk.ik^^^A!^..C*<^^J.^J^.a^^\^ 
 
 First Word h{kh:^l(?..rr...r^iP.-.('^. 
 
 First Hair Cutting 
 
 First Sentence, 
 
 First Visit to the Sea. 
 
 First ^de. 
 
 CHARACTKRISXICB. 
 
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 \6
 
 VACCINATION. 
 
 4. 
 
 ^y whom performed ..^r.jJ.f^.Cj^4<^:^-rrr. 
 
 -bateJcJc.i^^B.^^J.^:^! 
 
 *I{f marks , 
 
 FOODS. 
 
 Qdt nine months 
 
 Qdt twelve months ; 
 
 Qdt eighteen months fy^ 
 
 Qdt two years 
 
 li.emarks 
 
 ^Weight and Gro^csrtli. 
 
 Groivth at two years .'}.A^€J^:..^...Cii:i^Jt^U^Cf</^^^ 
 Weight at two years. ..A-j'..(<y^n^.. :. 
 
 17
 
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 iS
 
 BOYS* AMUSEMVIKNTS. 
 
 4> 
 
 First Cricket cMatck. 
 
 ^lace in the Field. 
 
 Score 
 
 First Foot-'Ball match. 
 
 'Place. 
 
 First Game of Chess. 
 
 First Game of Lawn Tennis.. 
 
 First Game of liacquets.. 
 
 First Game of Fives. 
 
 First 'giving oMatch. 
 
 'Pet QAnimats..ii!1t]&^^:<r.(^.S./C4^^Xi^i^^ 
 
 '9u/ 
 
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 22
 
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 23
 
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 24 I
 
 TKETTH. 
 
 
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 Third Lower Tooth 
 
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 'Date of Completion. I/.. T...^. 
 
 Remarks 
 
 B2 
 
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 First Tooth LostJu^a:./'rS:6.^ -^C^/lil / 
 
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 27
 
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 28
 
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 3^
 
 THE 
 
 TRANSCRIPTION OFTHE 
 
 TEXT OF 
 
 Stevensorfs Baby Book
 
 THE RECORD OF THE SAYINGS 
 AND DOINGS OF 
 
 Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson 
 
 WRITTEN BY HIS MOTHER 
 MARGARET ISABELLA BALFOUR OR STEVENSON 
 
 \_See pages 8 and io.'\ 
 
 Mrs. Sayers was sent for about i a. m. on the lo*'' of De- 
 cember. Tom and I had seen baby washed for the first time 
 on the evening before andTom had remarked" I trust it may 
 never fall to my lot to wash a baby." When I was told that 
 Mrs. S. was sent for I began to cry saying"! have never even 
 washed him yet "to which Tom replied"Toots, such non- 
 sense, I'll wash the child myself " which made me laugh 
 when I remembered his solemn speech made a few hours 
 before. Mrs. Alan Stevenson's nurse Guest came twice a day 
 to wash him till we got a Mrs. Thomson, a widow, as nurse. 
 She stayed three months and was very unsatisfadory, and 
 at last we found out that she drank, so we sent her away and 
 got a very lively aftive woman called Mackenzie, a capital 
 worker. She stayed until he was 1 8 months old and then 
 "Alison Cunningham" to whom the " Child's Garden of 
 Verse" is dedicated, came. 
 
 ISeepageg.'] Birth 
 
 Place of Birth: 8 Howard Place, Edinburgh. 
 
 T'/;w.?o/5/rM;Wednesdayi3'\Novemberi85oati.3op.m. 
 
 Color of Eyes: Blue at first turning to hazel. 
 
 Color of Hair: Very fair almost none at first. 
 
 Nurse's Name: Mrs. Sayers. 
 
 Doctor s Name: Dr. Malcolm. 
 
 39
 
 Names 
 
 Surname: Stevenson. 
 
 Christian Names: Robert Louis Balfour. 
 
 Pet Names: Boulihasker, Smoutie, Baron Broadnose, Sig- 
 nor Sprucki, otherwise, Maister Sprook and many others, 
 but Smoutie stuck to him until he was about 15. 
 
 \See page Ji.~\ 
 First Prayer. "Jesus tender Shepherd." 
 
 lSeepagei2.'] 18^1 
 
 March 2J''': Short Coated. 
 
 June 10''': Says Bab-Bab. 
 
 June 20'^: Got Shoes on. 
 
 June 2f^:WGa.ned. 
 
 June 2/'^: Can creep backwards. 
 
 Junejo'^: Sits up alone and can creep forwards. 
 
 July if^: 8 months old, pulls himself up by the sides of his 
 bed. 
 
 July 2g'^: Pulls himself up by a stool. 
 
 August 2^'^: Smo\xt\Q climbed up the stairs at Portobello 
 (18 steps) His father followed him all the way with a very 
 proud face. This month he also learns to shew how big he 
 is— clap his hands (the backs) read a book and eat a piece- 
 got boots on. 
 
 September i^'^: Stands alone for the first time and begins to 
 evince a decided partiality for eggs. 
 
 \_Seepage13.'] Early Incidents 
 
 First Journey: to Colinton Manse at three months old. 
 First Crawl: Junt 27"" backwards, 30^*" forwards. 
 First IValk : 0(5tober4"' walks3 steps alone. 1 1"" fairly off. 
 First JVord:]\xnt lo"", Bab-Bab. 
 
 4-0
 
 [Seepage 14.] Additional — 18/1 
 
 November ij'^: Our darling boy a whole year old to-day. 
 He is running about famously, calls Tom "Mama" and 
 warms his hands at the fire, blows out lights and talks a 
 great deal in an unknown tongue besides numerous other 
 accomplishments of a like nature. 
 
 November 22"'^: Baby deprived of his bottle. 
 
 1852 
 
 January ij'^: Smout gives up his forenoon sleep and calls 
 books "oufs" because he expedls to find pidiures of dogs 
 in them. 
 
 July: This month we spent three days at Burntisland where 
 Smout made many friends particularly Mr. Laidlaw the 
 landlord of the Inn, with whom he walked about on the 
 most intimate terms. 
 
 August: Portobello. Smout went to English Chapel on 1 5*'' 
 and behaved uncommonly well. He comes into prayers 
 every morning now. Mr. D. Constable says that Smout 
 understands pidures better than any child of his age that 
 he ever saw. 
 
 September: Smoutbegins to be fond of stories and sometimes 
 asks to be told about "the big stick" meaning Cain and 
 Abel, that, and Daniel among the "growlers" are his fa- 
 vourites. 
 
 05lober y'^: Smout walked all the way to Saxecoburg Hall 
 and back with me to call on Aunt Marion. 
 
 Otiober 2y^: Smout knows all the story of Eve and Uncle 
 Tom, besides a great many out of the Bible, including the 
 flood and the burning bush. He remembers them won- 
 derfully well. 
 
 4-1
 
 November 'j*^: SmoutinColinton Church with Cummy. He 
 sat in the front Gallery as grave as a judge the whole time. 
 When asked who preached, he said " Gatty ( Grandfather) 
 and a man"(the precentor). When he was shown my pic- 
 ture with curls, which I have given up, he said "Mama 
 brushing her hair to make it all tidy." When he saw his 
 shadow on the wall,he said "The shadow hands all dirty." 
 
 \SeepageiS.'\ 
 
 OSioher 4*^: Smout walked 3 steps alone. 
 
 October 11'^: Almost fairly off now. 
 
 December 14*^: Poor Smout very ill— a feverish cold— Dr. 
 Hunter scarifies his gums. 
 
 December 16'^: HesaysAggieandDea(Jane)andtriesMary. 
 He mourns over the poor drowned boy in the nursery 
 and scolds "naughty Oliver" (little statuette of Oliver 
 Cromwell). 
 
 Diary 0/1852 lost, found later. 
 
 1853 
 
 January 4'^: Smout said " Mama call me Meddlesome Mat- 
 ty because my touch everysing." 
 
 January 8'^: Smout told Papa he had been in the mantelpiece 
 gardens (experimental). 
 
 January 10'^: When Smout was told Grandpapa has got a 
 coach with a cover he said "Is it a banket?" 
 
 January //'''.• Smout said "What will follow me, Cummy ? " 
 alluding to the last verse of the 23"^ Psalm. 
 
 January 22"^ : Smout at his first party at Forth Street. He 
 was very good and shouted with delight when he saw the 
 magic lantern. 
 
 4.2
 
 [Seepages i6 an J i8.'] 18/3 
 
 January 2J'''': Smout's first words this morning were "Did 
 Uncle David show it to me, Mama ? " He was at Church at 
 Free St. Bernards to-day and behaved remarkably well. 
 
 January 2^^: Smout at the Zoological Gardens — highly 
 pleased and very courageous — he went close to the"Eel- 
 infault" and even in the tiger house said "My not fight- 
 ened." 
 
 January Ji": Smout begins to walk up stairs like a biped. 
 
 February 77"" ; Smout begins to say a prayer as well as his 
 hymn. After Smout went out he expressed great distress 
 because he had not made "an elegant bow to Mama." 
 
 February ig'^: When Smout forgets to s,z.y please he correds 
 himself and says " Oh that is the pittie way to ask it." 
 
 March 6'^: Smout's Canary dies. 
 
 March f^ : To-day Cummy buried it in the back green and 
 Smout came and told me that"She put dirt upon it." 
 
 March S'^: When Smout says his prayers he asks "Is my 
 speaking to God?" 
 
 March 10'^: Dear little Smout very ill with an attack of 
 croup. He had on a mustard plaster on his chest and two 
 leeches on his dear little foot— when he saw the blood he 
 said"Coveritup,coveritup. "The bites had to be burned 
 with caustic. He was very patient, dear little man, but ac- 
 cused Cummy of hurting him. 
 
 March if^: Better but pallid. 
 
 March 20*^: Cummy fears Smout's affli^ion has not done him 
 good as he is much averse to prayers, hymns and all good 
 things. 
 
 April y^: When I was telling Smout about the naughty 
 woman pouring the ointment on Christ he said" But Ma- 
 ma why did God make the woman so naughty?" 
 
 4-3
 
 April i^'^: Colinton Manse. Smout is so happy in dear 
 Grandpapa's house that he says he will not go home again. 
 
 April i6*^: Auntie was telling Smout about an owl, and said 
 that it could not see in the daylight; he immediately said 
 "Oh auntie, you might put up the gas for it." 
 
 yf^nV //'''.• Smout at Church and behaved very well. Johnnie 
 and Noona are quite surprised because Smout says prayers 
 out of his head. This is because he puts in the name of 
 everybody in the house of his own accord. 
 
 April 2 y^ : Home to-day. Smout in great dispair his only 
 comfort being that he will see Bo and Mary. 
 
 \_Seepagej7.'] Vaccination 
 
 By whom performed :T>T. Malcolm. 
 D«/^; JulyI8^I85I. 
 
 Weight and Growth 
 
 Growth at two years, 1 feet 9 inches. 
 Weight at two years, 27 lbs. 
 
 ISeepageiQ.^ Amusemcnts 
 
 Pet Animals 
 Coolin,aSkye terrier was given to him just before he was 7 
 years old and was his constant companion ever after. Cool- 
 in could play at hide and seek and do many tricks. 
 
 \_See page 20.^ 
 
 May 20'^: Smout at Free Church, Bridge of Allan withCum- 
 my and was very good. He got a sweetie before he went 
 in and kept it in his hand the whole time. The servant in 
 our lodgings thinks he should be "put in the papers" as 
 something extraordinary. 
 
 June ij'^: On the way to Church, Smout made the an- 
 nouncement that he "liked the white ministers best." 
 
 4-4-
 
 June 28'^: Smout at Logie Church with us, he said he saw 
 "Two babies getting their faces washed." 
 
 July 24'^: Smout at Pilrig Church with Cummy when he 
 came home he told us "The furthest down minister (the 
 precentor) roared as loud as ever he could." 
 
 Smout's favourite occupation is "making a Church" He 
 makes a pulpit with a chair and stool and reads sitting and 
 then stands up and sings by turns. 
 
 August : Went to St. Andrews.There was a cat in the house 
 (Bell Street) which delighted Smout very much, when it 
 purred he said it was singing "joyful." 
 
 August 4'^: Smout is delighted with the ruins of the Bish- 
 op's palace and the story of"Caudel Betel" and the bottle 
 dungeon. He gets a bit of paper tied to a string, standing 
 on a chair and shews the way the man shews the dungeon. 
 
 ^Seepage 21.] Datcs of Sickness 
 
 Mumps. July 23"*, 1855. Very easily well on the 28'\ 
 
 ^Seepages 22 and 2 J. '\ 
 
 August 11*^: Smout's weight— 2 stone, i-lb. He rides on a 
 donkey almost every day and likes it. He rides beautifully 
 without being held on. 
 
 September: At Prestonpans we have a donkey of our own 
 and Smout calls it"Sashy."The weather is so cold and 
 windy that he is very seldom able to ride on it. 
 
 O^ober /"; Smout's height is 2 ft., 11^ ins. He is a great 
 chatter-box and speaks very distindtly. He knows a great 
 many stories out of the Bible and about half the letters of 
 the alphabet,but he is not so fond of hymns as he used to be. 
 
 December s''^: Mr. Senan at dinner. Smout recited the first 
 4 lines of "On Linden" in great style waving his hands 
 
 4-/
 
 and making a splendid bow at the end. This is Cummy's 
 teaching. 
 
 December ^'^: His Grandfather was made " DD." to-day. 
 When he was told, he said " Well, will he come to see you 
 when you're ill.''" 
 
 December 6*^: Smout drove to Lassmade with Auntjane and 
 Grandaunt Marion and at night "Grandpapa's horse" 
 was included in his prayers. 
 
 December 8*^: Smout said "I don't like that moon,it has got 
 a bit broken off it." 
 
 December lo*^: Smout was building the Tabernacle with his 
 bricks to-day and he asked "where the Holy of Holies 
 was," and said he was putting up the pins for the court. 
 He then remarked "This Tabernacle is sticked on to the 
 road, it isn't meant to be carried about." 
 
 January 12*^ : Poor Lou said in a doleful tone " I 've got no- 
 body to play with me, will you come Mama?" 
 
 January i^*^: Smout told about Pilgrims Progress much 
 to his delight. 
 
 January 21'* : Alan, Margaret and Bob come to pay us a 
 visit, when they got home Bob told his sisters of the de- 
 lights of Inverleith Terrace where "there was only one 
 dear child who was always good, a nurse who was never 
 cross and late dinners." 
 
 January 2^'^: Smout seems very tired, he came to me and 
 said " Do you think I 'm looking very ill ? " It turns out 
 infantile remittent fever. 
 
 January J i" : Smout able to play with his bricks on a tea 
 tray in bed. 
 
 4.^"
 
 March y^ : Smout complained of the figs because he said 
 "They had nuts inside them. "Tom thinks this quite a 
 scientific discovery. 
 
 March 21": When I told Smout about the way the Ameri- 
 cans used their slaves, he said "I think God might send 
 them a punishment." 
 
 March 26'^: When I read "There is beyond the sky "to Lou 
 he said "But why has God got a hell ? " I said "Are we good 
 or bad people ? " Smout " I think you and Papa are good." 
 
 [See page 24.'\ 
 
 I said " But what kind of hearts have we ? " Smout " I think 
 you Ve a nice one." 
 
 March jo'^ : Smout was distressed to hear that sheep and 
 horses did not know about God and said "I think some- 
 body might read the Bible to them." 
 
 April 12*^: Smout's little cousin "Bo "died to-day. He did 
 not like to hear about it,and said"he hoped it would please 
 God never to let him die." He asked if" Bo would be play- 
 ing in Heaven." 
 
 April ly'^: When Smout was drawing pidures he said "I 
 have drawed a man's body, shall I do his soul now?" 
 
 April I g^^ : When Smout was shown a bird's nest he said 
 "There were little birdies in the nest and eggies for them 
 to eat." 
 
 May 18'^: Smout wishes us to bring him "a small hammer 
 and four small nails" from London. 
 
 June 26'^: Smout and I were talking about Heaven and 
 Golden Harps and he said"ButI'm afraid I couldn't play 
 nicely u^on my one." 
 
 July ly'^: Lou at Church at Inveresk.He said of the sermon 
 "It was not so good as I thought." 
 
 4-7
 
 July 2^*^: Lou cried because he "forgot to pray that dear 
 Papa might be brought safe home." 
 
 July 2f^: When Lou was asked if he admired a dress he said 
 "No, it is very vulgar." 
 
 September r^'^: Lou sawed through a piece of wood. 
 
 \_Seepage 2^.'] ' TcCtb 
 
 Two lower teeth : April 1 6 '*', 1 8 5 1 . 
 
 First upper tooth ; May 1 8 "", 1 8 5 1 . 
 
 Second upper tooth: June3'''*ji85i. 
 
 Fifth tooth : June 8"^, 1 85 1 . 
 
 Sixth tooth: June 27"", 1851. 
 
 Seventh tooth: September a""*, 1851. 
 
 Eighth tooth: Od:ober4"', 1851. 
 
 First double tooth : December 3 "^, 1 8 5 1 . 
 
 2""^ and s'^ double tooth: December 7"", 1851. 
 
 4*^ double tooth: December i6*\ 1851. 
 
 First tooth lost: July 9"", 1 856. 
 
 l!wo double teeth, i above and i below discovered: September 
 
 4^I852. 
 
 y^ double tooth: September 2 7 '^ 
 4'^ double tooth: Odober 23"*. 
 
 \_See page 26.~\ 
 
 OElober 14'^ : Smout sees Jane Watson's baby and says"She 
 is very nice in the face." 
 
 November ij*^: Louis' 4""birthday.Hegotabrooch to give 
 to Cummy but said in a disappointed tone "People al- 
 ways gets presents for themselves on their birthdays." 
 
 December 2"^ : Home from Morningside where we had been 
 for a month on Louis' account. He said he was glad to get 
 
 4-8
 
 home as we had not a nice sideboard at Morningside. It 
 just had a place for setting things on and then another 
 place for setting things on and that was all. 
 
 December 8'^: Lou said "You can never be good unless you 
 pray" when asked how he knew, he said with great em- 
 phasis "Because I've tried it." 
 
 December ii*^ : Lou is improving, but requires to be kept 
 very quiet. When forbidden to run about with one of his 
 cousins, he looked thoughtful for a minute, then threw 
 away a toy which he had in his hand, and said with great 
 indignation,"! can't be bothered with such fiddle de dee 
 and nonsense." 
 
 December i8''': Lou sits for his portrait in chalk to Mr.Arch- 
 er.When Mr. Archer asked him what kind of stories he 
 liked best he said " I like parables (a pause) and funny sto- 
 ries, too, you know." He chalks over every picture he can 
 get hold of. 
 
 \_See page 27.] 
 
 December 22"'^ : Lou prays every night of his own accord 
 that God would bless the poor soldiers that are fighting 
 at Sebastopol. 
 
 December 2^''': Smout got a sword for his Christmas pres- 
 ent WhenTom was disparaging it, he said" I can tell you 
 Papa, it is a silver sword and a gold sheath" and the boy's 
 very well off and quite contented. 
 
 January /"; Dear little Lou very well indeed just now he 
 neither coughs nor wheezes. 
 
 January 2""^ : Smout asked to have his name put on a book. 
 Isaid"Mr. Smout is on it." He replied" Oh but you must 
 put it's his book or somebody will say*och,och,och, Mr. 
 
 4-5>
 
 Smoutie has been writing his name on one of his Papa's 
 books.'" 
 
 January 5'''; Dear Smout's curls cut off to-day. I was quite 
 sorry to part with them. His hair is made very short and 
 he is rather a fright, 
 
 January 8'^: Lou "Do the flies make honey?" Ma" No dear." 
 Lou "Then do they make butter like ^^//^rflies?" Ma 
 "Butterflies don't make butter." Lou "Then what is the 
 use of them?" 
 
 January g*^ : When made to wear a shawl above his sword 
 he was in distress for fear it would not look like a soldier 
 and then said "Do you think it will look like a night march^ 
 Mama?" 
 
 January 10*^ : When Lou saw the sun looking red he said 
 "It's just like a great big orange thrown upinto*the sky." 
 
 [See page 28.'] 
 
 January 12'^ : Smout measured to-day, his height is 3 ft 3 
 inches and half a quarter, he has grown almost 2^ inches 
 since last April. 
 
 January 16*^ : Cummy was climbing the ladder to-day to 
 hangup Dicky,and told Lou to holditforher.lt gave way 
 and he began to say "It's too heavy, it's too heavy" but 
 he did not let go his hold even when he got his nose bled, 
 indeed he clutched at Cummy's gown to keep her from 
 falling. 
 
 January 18'^ : Smout snibbed himself into the nursery to- 
 day and we could not get the door open till Mr. Hunter 
 (the Wright) came and took out the panel. He was very 
 good as long as any one spoke through the door to him, 
 but cried when we tried to get him to open it. When he got 
 out he said he had been afraid that he would never get out 
 any more but would just be lost. 
 
 /o
 
 January 22'^'^ : Lou has taken a great fancy to the parable of 
 the vineyard let out to husbandmen and can repeat it per- 
 fe(5tly just from hearing it read. 
 
 February 6'^: Lou dreamt that "he heard the noise of pens 
 writing." 
 
 February 7'*; When I asked Lou what story he would like 
 read, he said "Oh you may read the 9''" story of John, 
 that's about the man that was born blind you know." 
 
 February (?''';Tom and I played at Willie Wastle with Lou 
 last night. He was greatly delighted but got into such a 
 state of excitement that he scarcely slept all night. 
 
 \_See page 2g.'\ 
 
 February i^'^ : Lou is quite mad on the subje6t of soldiers, 
 and the War. He prays night and morning for our poor 
 soldiers that are fighting at Sebastopol and that they may 
 get the vidory.This is quite of his own accord. 
 
 February 2y^ : Lou said "How can God give us his Holy 
 Spirit and yet be good Himself? I'm at a loss," he also said 
 " I 'm often sorry in the night when I think of all the Jews 
 did to Jesus." 
 
 At this time Cummy had been ill and had gone home for 
 a change and I had influenza and was confined to bed so 
 Lou was very much alone. He generally spent his time in 
 colouring the pictures in pidorial papers with coloured 
 chalks. One day when his aunt Warden went in to see him 
 she asked if he did not weary all alone,he replied "Oh no, 
 I 'm always doing something you know." 
 
 March 5'*; Lou thinks he is more like Jonathan than any 
 of the other Bible characters as Jonathan had a sword and 
 a bow and arrows, and so has he. He is generally either 
 Jonathan or Lord Raglan,just now. 
 
 /■
 
 March if^: Smout's dream " I dreamt that I was going 
 downstairs and I saw a Russian bear looking out at the 
 pantry door,and it came up and took hold of my foot and 
 I awoke and it was just a dream." 
 
 [^See page 30.'] 
 
 March 2g^^: Another dream." I dreamt thatlwas at a mar- 
 riage and a boy asked me to go to his room and when J 
 looked out at the window I saw a basket hanging down 
 from the sky and it was full of doors all around and some- 
 body gave me something that wasn't good for me and I 
 would not take it."The something appeared to be a cookie 
 of some kind and he said the basket "was hung on a nail 
 driven into a cloud." 
 
 May 6*^: Smout's sermon verbatim "Whoever entereth in- 
 to a field on the Sunday and reapeth or picketh sticks is 
 not of God and shall not go to Heaven, but if he does 
 anything more on the Sunday he must go to Hell. Every- 
 one must do nothing that's wrong" Then a psalm was 
 sung. 
 
 May g'^: Lou was naughty today, and after he went to bed 
 he said to Cummy " I would like to be good, I think I must 
 say my prayers more earnestly yhnt if I forget, will you do 
 it for me?" 
 
 June 16'^: Smout said "Am I to get a tuckie (sweetie) every 
 night ? " I thought I heard a slight voice of it. 
 
 June if^: Smout complained that his tea -^z.^^^ very faint T 
 
 July 5'^: (At Mount Clussie Lasswade) Smout said"There's 
 a very large daisy not awake yet. Oh, I suppose it must be 
 a night policeman for you know they keep awake all night 
 and go to sleep through the day." 
 
 July 7''' ; Smout was asked " What would you do if you were 
 left on a desert island ? " S. " I would come away." " But if 
 
 X2
 
 there was water all round?" S."I would come away in a 
 ship." " But if there was no ship ? " S. " I would send a letter 
 by the post," "If there was none?" S."I would sit down 
 and take a hearty greet" (cry). 
 
 [See page ji.l 
 
 August lo'^: Lou bathed in the sea(Portobello) for the first 
 time and likes it very well. 
 
 August ly''' : Lou now dips his face into the water himself 
 and calls it going over the head. He is looking stronger 
 than he has done for a long time, and enjoys digging in the 
 sand. His favourite companion is little Marion Rhind. 
 
 September l" : Smout's Poetry 
 
 "No sun is in the sky- 
 While night comes on 
 Then stars and moon comes out 
 And then another day 
 The sun comes out again." 
 
 September 22""^: At Craggan near Arracher where we were 
 staying with Grandpapa,we were all playing at tig (tag) and 
 Smout said "I '11 catch you round the house, Mama, but 
 we'll both walk." 
 
 September 2^'^: Lou was trying to make a boat of a piece of 
 stick and said it would not sail because the occurrence (cur- 
 rent) was against it. 
 
 October 26*^ : Smout was drawing a lamp, after he made the 
 post he said " Now I will put the hat on it." 
 
 November 4*^: Lou dined in the dining room with us at five 
 o'clock for the first time. He is to do it every Sunday and 
 thinks himself a very big man. 
 
 1856 
 January i'* : Smout dines with us. 
 
 X3
 
 y^««^ry/j''\-Smout heard about fearing God, he said "Why- 
 should people fear him as if he was going to kill them?" 
 
 {^See page J2.'] 
 
 January ly'^: Smout's prayer "O Lord if it seems good to 
 you let me have a new brother or sister if you think 
 proper." 
 
 January i8'^ : Lewie takes scarlatina to-day, a mild case. 
 
 February j'^: Dear wee Lou prayed among other things 
 "that God would be very near every person that was not 
 very well." 
 
 February ly*^ : When I asked Lou what he had been doing, 
 he said "I've been playing all day— at least I've been 
 making myself cheerful.^' 
 
 February 2y^ : When Tom told Smout about putting lines 
 of stones for the wheels of carts, he said "that was a very 
 good idea and when we come to that bridge I '11 sh^wyou 
 the railway and it's just the very same thing. And I '11 shew 
 you another thing that I want to know the meaning of, 
 and that's why they put soda water bottles on the tele- 
 graph." 
 
 February 2/]!^: I said something to Smout about Christ hav- 
 ing died to save him, he said "Did He die to save me?" 
 "Yes." "Me ?" "Yes." "Well then,does n't that look very 
 like as if I was saved already ? " 
 
 March /'''.• Smout said "I 'm going to call you * Mother' 
 sometimes just that I may remember to do it when I 'm a 
 big man." At night he said, "Goodnight my gentlest of 
 Mothers." 
 
 March i^*^: Smout's syllogism "Mama, has a match gas?" 
 "Why do you ask dear?" "Because Papa said flame was 
 gas, now a match has a flame." 
 
 X4-
 
 \_See page 33.'] 
 
 March 2^*^: Smout goes to Loms for dancing, "Joe" pro- 
 nounced him stupid and gave him several blows with the 
 fiddlestick— poor Smout looked at Cummy but did not 
 cry. When Mrs. Warden asked him how he liked the danc- 
 ing, he said " It was rather disappointing." He took cold 
 after the lesson and was not able to go back. 
 
 April 12'^ : Smout and I come home after a week at Colin- 
 ton. Smout is very sorry to leave and begs to be allowed 
 to stay till Monday. 
 
 April i8'^: Smout cannot understand the days getting long- 
 er and says " he would rather go to bed at the y o'clock that 
 used to be'"^ 
 
 April I g'^: When saying the second verse of" I'm not too 
 young "Smout said "Surely that's gross nonsense for it 
 looks as if God only saw me when I sinned, now I thought 
 He saw me always whatever I was doing." 
 
 April 2g'^ : Smout discovered that he can make purple paint 
 by mixing crimson and blue. 
 
 June i^'^ : Tom explained to Louis the rise of the sap up 
 the stem to the branches — on asking him if he under- 
 stood the explanation he said "Yes the sap is like an old 
 man, and the root and stem, the horse that pulls him up 
 the hill." 
 
 July 4'^: Lou's had a bad attack of "Mrs. Sanley" after had 
 toothache.— He woke in a fright and was quite delirious 
 for some time— we had to get the do6tor. 
 
 * Publisher's Note.— This same idea is expressed in his well known "Bed in 
 Summer" in "The Childs Garden of Verse" rhyme — 
 
 *'In winter I get up at night 
 And dress by yellow candle light. 
 In summer quite the other way 
 I have to go to bed by day." 
 
 XX
 
 July 6*^ : When Lou got a book for taking a dose and was 
 told it cost 2/6 he said " If I had known it was so dear I 
 would have choosed something else for I don't like to 
 waste so much money on trifles." 
 
 \See page 34.'\ 
 
 Billy Traquair and Lou had been eating buttercups which 
 caused the feverish attack on the 5"". 
 
 September 2^^ : Smout tried to fish for the first time (at In- 
 verleithen) with a string and crooked pin. Tom Warden 
 made him believe he had caught a fish and he was much 
 charmed. 
 
 September jo*^: Home from the country after a very wet 
 summer. Smout is so enchanted with all his toys that he 
 has scarcely time to eat. 
 
 October 7'''; Bob Stevenson comes to stay with us. 
 
 November ij'^: Lou's 6'^ birthday. AuntWarden gives him 
 a toy theatre and he and Bobbie set to work to paint the 
 scenes with great eagerness. 
 
 November 2^^: Smout begins to-day to dictate a history of 
 Moses to try for a prize which Uncle David is to give for 
 the best. 
 
 November 26'^: Lou has inflamation of the cheek. It is ter- 
 ribly swelled and he suffers so much that he tells me per- 
 haps he may never be better. 
 
 December 21''': Lou finished his history of Moses to-day. 
 He di6tated every word himself on the Sunday evenings. 
 
 December 2§'^: Lou gets a Bible picture book as a prize for 
 his Moses and is greatly charmed. When he got it he said 
 "But I don't deserve it." 
 
 X^
 
 1857 
 February 6''': Lou is still so feverish that we are alarmed & 
 Tom gets Christison to see him. He says it is nothing but 
 bronchitis, that he should soon be better, but this house 
 (i I nverleith Terrace) is bad for him it is so cold from be- 
 ing an end house. 
 
 [See pages j^ an^jd.l 
 
 February ij'^: Lou finished coloring a book of soldiers for 
 David Alan— it was his own idea, he asked me to buy it 
 for him. 
 
 February 20''': Took Lou to Colinton to-day for change, he 
 complained of pain in his head and was very sick and ill 
 all night. We sent for the dodlor who says it is caused by 
 milk, which he had been ordered -disagreeing with him. 
 
 March 18'^: Lou still at Colinton and well. 
 
 April 10*^: Take Lou to Bridge of Allan.Take Mrs.Hal- 
 dane's lodgings where Lou is very happy with his gun. 
 When Mrs. Warden saw him crouching behind a bush in 
 the garden and asked what he was doing, he said "I'm 
 hunting blawbacks." Auntie had been reading Mayne 
 Reid's books to him. 
 
 InMayweleavelnverleithTerraceandcometoiyHeriot 
 Row. 
 
 May 11'^: At Aberdown. Smout is improving very much 
 here. He is getting very wild and like a boy. 
 
 ♦y^f^/^w^ffr jo'''; Dear Lewie goes to Mr. Henderson's School 
 in I ndia St. from i o till 1 1 o'clock. 
 
 October 6'^: Smout says" Mr. Henderson is the most nicest 
 man that ever was." 
 
 November ij''': Dear Lewie spends his 7"" birthday in bed 
 having taken bronchitis but he is much comforted by the 
 
 X7
 
 companionship of his Skye terrier dog called "Coolin" 
 which arrived lately from the West Coast. 
 
 1858 
 
 January 10*^: Smout." The Churches are much to blame for 
 not sending missionaries to convert the Arabs." Mama. 
 " But if people won't go what can the Churches do ? Will 
 you go when you're big?" S."I think you've forgotten 
 one word that was needful." M." What is that ? " S."If I 'm 
 spared." 
 
 January 13*^ : Smout takes bronchitis again. 
 
 January 18'^: To-day Lou drew a pidure of Sir Henry Have- 
 lock praying which he sent to David Alan before his Papa 
 had seen it. When he heard that I was vexed, he drew two 
 others, but neither was so good as the first. The next time 
 I saw him he said "I'm blamed for kindness and get no 
 encouragement for endeavour." 
 
 January J o'^ :y^\ve.n told to take a sleep through the day 
 Smout said "I'm just like Papa, I can never sleep in the 
 daytime, I would be very thankful if I could." 
 
 February 2'"^: Lou has been better and worse since the 13''' 
 ult. Tonight he becomes much more feverish. 
 
 February 6*'': WhenTom went into the nursery at 1 2 p. m. 
 Smout was wide awake and said "You see I have very bad 
 nights. Papa, I 'm always thankful when the morning 
 comes." Better on 1 2^'' and goes to Colinton on 1 7''',much 
 to his delight. He stays till March 9'''. 
 
 March 10*^: Mr.Winstanley, a young English student, be- 
 gins to teach Smout from 10 to 12. He turns out a disap- 
 pointment, and goes off without paying his bills. 
 
 X8
 
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