Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-02-21
Gemalemen's KHasa
:. ~ the latest styles at CHARLES 1aFso
oonilhsntai Hotei. PhiiAdslphIa. VAAfoRp 4 Son
TH0UGHTLEss MOTHER Ann
THINKING DAUGHTERS 'O

THINKING DAUGHTERS
" l write this in haste. hacsrst,
wish my mother to know H." wIaa oaa
tale that short sentence told TIA u
wished, when l read il, that I eonIi Ou |
the ear OF every mother in the IsaT aa q
might whisper the warning tbona,h@.I @I
called up. betray no confidence
ing, that the writer was a younr u @y
sixteen, whole idle life and aboss. ~. N
whose unshared thoughts had bSss y y
prolific parent of romantic dav.drs.u.
and misplaced attachment, which Al ~,
baby-age, was ITO render her ,ybo,.g,s .ls
miserable Poor, silly child wLo .Iu .Soun Y,
even then have been jumping roma ,rsua ,rSua
ling hoop, OF skating with her brotbs,,
And where was the mothers who knsv
little, and cared so little, about tbe i"n', H
life OF her daughter that she must n.aS i R
pour into a strangers ear this precoc;ona
unhealthy folly Z Where, alasy In.
thousands of mothers in our land % ss,i
lied that her child was fed, clothed AMI
tered and schooled Never conyersi,,
with her but upon such topics. Nevs /
searching that young face, as an ind,,
for the half aedged thoughts aud feeling,
which tintering kept her in state olI,
rltable unrest but which, brought tea,
derly to the wholesome light by The bNNi
OF maternal love, might, thus recognized
nestle there peaceful and harmless. AIM
alas for the young girl who has An,
thoughts her mother may not share. All
for the young girl who ilies TO other 4,
Information, on subjects regarding which
no mother mead hesitate to speak 10 bS
daughter in a digni6ed and proper mlp
ner. Nay, more: how culpabie is tbs
mother who bushes up what God and a.
ture have made innocent and hol,. ihsl
the inquisitive young mind is forced nor,
bidly, TO fancy the reverss. Alas for mo.
mothers, so cautious in the selection Of,
dressmaker, or millIner, for their daueb
tiers, and who give not one thought 10 N
silent honrs, In which tho young crestur
sits on a the bleak edge of The barrN
home-nest building mp tropical horizon oi
her own, under which only poisouOu,
plants shall flourish.
Respect and obedience arc good /,
their place, but alas for that natronlv
dignity which steps on stills 80 high tb1t
It oVerlooks the possible miro, In Young
feet, unaided, may be plungiaR, Alasl
for the cold purity, which shuts ia offend,
ed matronly eyes To the poslhili.y Of 4
stain on household robe only to opsu
them, too late, to iis terrible deiacsmsuL
II might write only one more sentence
during my life, it should be this. LetAs
mothers Of hhe land 10 chosen eonfdents and
companions Of heir dauyhtsrs. NeitbsF
by frigidity or indifference lot them roma
the souls of these young creatures. Of
whose inner, as we'll as outer life, God
and nature have ordained them the prop.
er guardians. Every poor girl from whom
these mothers turn shuddering away, 10
their daily walks, echoes my words. q
step eye and lip give the bold Haunting
lie to their womanhood There Is some.
thing wrong in every mother, how 'goOdn
soever she may be, whose young daugh.
ter cannot lay her head on her lap, and
without fear of reproach or repuise ssy,
Mother, love" That mother may
or may not, approve her daughters choice;
she may think it Premature, or everyway
nnadvisable but oh | the reIiefand sals.
ty TO that daughter, that she may "isH
mother !" Let the two talk il over to.
gether, as young companions do-hon.
cstly and frankly, and without disguise.
Would there ever be RUNAWAY match
think you, if mothers stood in such soul
relation to their daughters2 Would thev
ever, as now, wish that their living sof,
rows were read sorrows But before
that day shall come. mothers must be less
worldly, less selfish, less absorbed in hold,
ing on TO the last minute of admiration
for themselves, and trying to fancy that
young girls, who live on stimulating dieL
ht only for middle age, and who read only
foolish books, sleep 10 hot rooms, and take
no exercise, can still remain @ehildrsnn
in their feelings.-Fdnny Fern.
-<Ss@
II 9Ot- II