CAN'T YOU TALK?
Artist: G. A. Holmes (hōmz).
Birthplace: England.
Dates: Unknown.
Questions to arouse interest. What do you see in this picture? Where are they? Why is the stone floor not too cold for the baby? What time of day do you think it is? why? What do you suppose the baby has been doing? What makes you think the big dog loves the baby? What is the little kitten doing? What do you see on the stone bench? Do you like the picture? why?
The story of the picture. It must have been a warm summer day when this little baby slipped out of her bed, crept across the room to the door, and out on the cool stone porch.
It may have been a Monday morning, when the baby's mamma was very busy in the kitchen, washing the clothes. Probably she put the baby to bed for the usual morning nap, and did not hear her wake up.
It must be about noon, for the shadows are short in the picture. The mother is probably out in the yard, taking her clean clothes off the line, so of course she could not hear the baby creep out through the open door to the porch. There the baby found the great dog keeping watch. How wise he looks! He knows the baby's mamma would be worried if she knew what her little one is doing, and his kind eyes seem to say, "Never mind, I'll take care of her."
