Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-08-27
miscellaneous.
PARLOR DAUGHTERS
BY A BACHELOR.

Olrls, young ladlcs, ana, II you please,
mothers, too. just listen moment, for |
have a short spry to tell you; and, per-
haps, at the pse of it, we will find a
moral, b" and perhaps a sermon.
a few days since, l called upon a
young lady. I may as well say that,
having been considerably Impressed"
by her beauty and brilliant conversation
at several evening social parties, ] had
resolved to prosecute the acquaintance
/ will not affirm that there had not float
ed vaguely about in my brain, certain
pleasing rose colored Bachelors reve-
ries, in which figured conspicuously the
beaming face and elegant figure of Miss
B
BE that as it may, called and, be-
ing ushered into the parlor, l sat down,
and awaited, with some patience, the APP
pearauco Of the lady.
My attention was soon arrested by
voices in an adjoining apartment. and
the door being ajar, l was, perforce, a
listener.
ooh, Carrie" said a very weak voice,
eff you would only have assisted me
three hours a day, this attack might have
been averted; but now It's too late.
know that weeks, if not months, of IL
ness are before me. am all tired out. -
Why, mother" replied voice, al
most pctulently-I had admired it the
evening previous for its spirited yet ami.
able tones-"why, mother, nobody docs
kitchen work now; at least, nobody that
is anybody. Just think of Mrs. Smythe
or Miss Brown, or Mrs. Soule, associat-
ing with your kitchen girl, with her
dingy hands. Why, the idea is absurd
and, besides, ] hate homework "
" Well, " replied the invalid voice, 81
don'tknow what would have been thought
Of your assisting me about the house a
few hours each day, but do know, that
for the want of this help, | have been
obliged to overtask myself"
Miss B soon made her appearance,
with her winning smile, and gay laugh
and brilliant repartee ; but somehow the
image Of her ovcrtaskcd mother constant
ly came between her and my preyiou,
admiration; so, after few i'll at. ease
attempts at conversation, took my leave.
As | slowly walked away, musing, ga
change came DER the spirit Of my dream. y
A daughter Who "hated housework' to
such degree as to allow her mother to
get "all tired out, and ILL., from being
"overtasked, could snch a daughter be-
come that most incstimable boon this
side Of Heaven, a good wife?
What if her husband had wealth, and
filled his house with troops of servants.
could he have quiet, neat, well-ordered
home? Would his children have true
mother? No. A parlor daughter will
make a parton rife. Brilliant, fascina-
ting--a rare and costly ornament--chal-
longing the admiration of the world, it
may be, but never the holy source and
centre Of the comfort and peace Of her
family.
And thus rudely my rose-colored rev.
cries we're changed to som5re hucd reali-
tics. ! queried, was Miss B an ex-
ception to this rule? How many young
ladies Of my acquaintance were really
helps to their mothers" in domestic az
fairs? How many would not blush with
shame at being seen making bread-not
cake, but bread? How many could cook
and get on the table a good dinner, or
suporintend and direct such an under
taking? How many to whom the old
fashioned "dish cloth" is not a "horrid
thing?' How many could starch and
iron a shirt bosom or collar, 50 it would
look respectable?
Alas! how few could 7 recall who
would not properly be numbered in the
long list Of those to whom these things
were not only mysteries, but absolutely
disagroeables and undesirables | say
"alas p for it is a sad thing, not only for
US young men, the future husbands of
these "frail lilies Of the field vino Toll /
not, Mother do they spin" but to daugh.
iers themselves.
Look at thcm-look at yourselves /
young ladies Where is The round, .
plump, solid arm and cheek Of your
grandmother. at your age? Where il
her porer Of endurance hor exuborant