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THE RAINBOW BOOK |
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No wonder that complaints arise, and that the children don't always arrive at their destinations in time. It causes no end of bother. Pass in ! " The noise ceased, and in the enormous room hundreds of babies freshly gathered from the garden were being numbered and ticketed by a regular little army of miniature hospital nurses, who received instructions from their superiors standing behind the counter. As she entered, Monica heard that No. 47,859,056—a dear little Indian baby—was to be forwarded to some strange-sounding address in Calcutta, where it was expected in 27 days, 7 hours, 48 minutes, and 11*5 seconds (very businesslike, but it would have been simpler to say that day next month, for it was a lunar month).
As it was carried away, Monica and her guide followed and entered the Packing and Forwarding Department, and saw it wrapped up in cabbage leaves, packed in one of the numerous bandboxes which lined the walls, and gently warned that if it cried much it would crack its voice. Then the box was labelled " fragile ! with care !" and put down a trap-door in the floor, where it disappeared from view.
The babies were being brought in rapidly, packed with all despatch, and each received advice, such as, to sleep as much as it could after the journey; when bored, to suck its thumb; to try and get its
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