A Baby in the House
The story revolves around a baby's arrival in a wealthy family and its impact on the household. The infant brings joy and rejuvenation to the elderly grandparents, but also creates tension among the adults, particularly between the mother and her sister-in-law, who had been the center of attention before the baby's birth.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1914 · Genre: Poetry, Domestic Fiction, Sentimental Literature · 340 words
First lines
I knew that a baby was hid in the house; Though I saw no cradle and heard no cry, But the husband went tiptoeing round like a mouse, And the good wife was humming a soft lullaby; And there was a look on the face of that mother That I knew could mean only _one_ thing, and no other.
"The _mother_," I said to myself; for I knew That the woman before me was certainly that, For there lay in the corner a tiny cloth shoe, And I saw on the stand such a wee little hat; And the beard of the husband said plain as could be, "Two fat, chubby hands have been tugging at me."
What this Textopian page supports
A Baby in the House is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1914 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Domestic Fiction, Sentimental Literature, Children's Literature
- Length: 340 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Baby in the House by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- To Another Womans Baby by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- What Chores by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Petition by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- My Son by Georgia Douglas Johnson
- The Wife by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form with a rhythmic and rhyming structure.
- Domestic Fiction — The themes revolve around family life and the presence of a baby in the household.
- Sentimental Literature — The writing style and themes evoke strong emotional responses related to family and parenthood.
- Children's Literature — The content includes elements like a picture-book and toys, which are associated with children.
Tags
Family · Motherhood · Infancy · Childcare · Parenting · Love · Nurturing · Caregiving · Domesticity · Home Life · Marriage · Relationships