
THE STORY OF A BABY - CHAPTER ITHE BURDEN OF IT
CHAPTER IITHE RED ROAD COUNTRY
CHAPTER IIIDOT AND LARRIE FALL OUT
CHAPTER IVTHE ‘LITTLE MOTHER’
CHAPTER VMORE RIFTS IN THE LUTE
CHAPTER VILARRIE THE LOAFER
CHAPTER VIIA POCKET MADAME MELBA
CHAPTER VIIIPICTURES IN THE FIRE
CHAPTER IXA CONFLICT OF WILLS
CHAPTER XA DARN ON A DRESS
A lively domestic comedy opens with Larrie, a tall, strong‑built young man, and his petite, quick‑witted partner Dot squabbling over who should shoulder the literal weight of their newborn. The baby, a restless bundle of twenty‑one pounds, becomes the catalyst for a spirited exchange about gender expectations, pride, and the everyday absurdities of early‑twentieth‑century life. Their banter is peppered with sharp retorts and playful exaggerations, turning a simple walk down a country lane into a stage for both humor and gentle criticism.
Through witty dialogue and vivid descriptions—Dot’s white parasol, Larrie's flushed brow, the soft green grass where the infant briefly rests—the narrative captures a snapshot of a couple learning to navigate new responsibilities. The story balances lightheartedness with a tender look at how love and stubbornness intertwine, inviting listeners to enjoy the charm of a bygone era while recognizing the timelessness of its domestic dilemmas.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (139K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Wilson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2017-01-02
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1870–1958
Best known for a beloved Australian children's classic, this English-born writer built a long, varied career that also included journalism, poetry, and fiction for adults. Her stories helped shape early Australian children's literature and have stayed in print for generations.
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