New-York tribune., 1871-07-29
TIE CHILDREN.


assure us. are the most noticeable feature this
wear at Long Branch and Cape May. The
dress, diamonds, ETC., Of the four and five year
old bellies are described and their hrtatons
criticised. "These festivities are usually con-
tinued into the wee sma' hours We are told,
/" and in cOstness Of apparel, in conversation
" and manner, the balls Of the young folks are
&" exact reproductions of those of their elders
OF course. There are some inevitable evils IN
this world to which one grows hardened IL
not recOpclod, and one OF them IS the GER
tainty that men and women who are silly and
shallow, who from choice direct their lives TO
the meanest ends, viii bring forth children
from their cradles weak, shallow, and small
natured. Blood tells: 80 does the home at
mosphere: after these, outside influences are
but obscure and meagCr.
Now, in the name Of health and common
sense, there is no reason why children should
not dance in proper times or places, or acquire
insensibly a. the air they breathe the habits
and language of well-bred people; but these
liliputian balls in city or watering places are
among the most significant signs OF the slow
corruption of our fashionable social life. If
there is any remant of reason or right feellng
left in a woman, it will come TO the light in
behalf of her offspring, and tho mother who
can subject her little child TO the heat, lndl-
gestOn, and impure influences Of midnight
ball, where the wretched littlo actors ape the
dress, the absurdities and even the passions
of their elders must have lost all her wOmanly
nature in tho weakest of vanities. We need
! scarcely say that the children of really culti-
| waited people are not found in thesO pitiable
- MI Of aHn inn
grows each year into favor in the bost Amer
lean society; and the aim for the first five
years of a child's life is to make Of 1t a
| thoroughly developed, well-matured animal; I;
| after that degree of seclusiOn, with careful
! training, especially in the case of girls, fits
them for their places in life. In no instance
| il an effort made to make of the body of n
child lay figure TO display its mothers dress
and diamonds, or TO develop in its immature,
clean nature the weaknesses and passions OF
mature age.
There will be children's balls to the end,
we suppose In the world there must be q
place for weak men and vulgar women, just
as there is use apparently for gnats or rep
tiles. We know quite well that so far as our
half-educated fashonables are concerned our
gravest remOnstrance would be useless. But
there is a large class-in fact, the largest class
in our s0cety-to whom it is always worth
while to speak. We mean the mechanics and
tradespeope, who, with a weight of COM
mon sense on their side, and feeling every
year the comfort and power of an increasing
income, are yet too apt to initiate III their
ht bits and creed of life these very shallow
fashionable people instead of more re-
fined class. Why not make of this Summer
leisure preGminently children's holiday ?
Whether you quit work, as most of you
do, for a day or a week, make the
children your chief ann. 1t is rare
chance for an American father to become ac-
quanted with his boys and girls. You have
something more to do for them than to earn
bread and butter, or a roof of your own to
cover them. Quit the shop and go with them
to the seaside or the country for breathing
speH, and try to find out what that something
is. If you have keen eyes and common sense
You will discover better there than at nome
that the child whom God has given you was
meant TO be neither dancing, flirting callca-
ture of human nature, nor dull drudge ana
that it rests with you to give 1t Its destiny