The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-07-11

ses sufficiently in check not to go beyond
the very last penny of-their incomes. They
usually contriye to give their sons such
educations as will enable them to wrest
respectable living from fortune. For their
daughters they rely on the profession of
marriage. II is not just to say that they
are niggardly toward them, far from it; the
largest portion Of their snowy expenditure
is, usually, rather in compliance with their
wishes, and those of their wives, than their
own.
The head of the household is too much
absorbed by external occupations, duties,
and labors, to notice internal arrangements
much, he is probably fond, proud hus-
band and father, and likes his children as
well as his wife to look well and to be
happy. With them rests the responsible
ity Of producing the desired effect, while
his part is to supply the purse
The bad, selfish father is the miserable
exception, not the rule tho everyday
father viii do everything for his children
short of exerting parental authority in mi
nor matters. He may sternly forbid an
imprudent match; he may grumble now
and then at more than usually exorbitant
mercer's bill but he can usually be scold-
ed or caressed into winking at any folly or
extrayagance, short of bad match. But
relying on the good coming matrimonial
establishment, he makes no future proyis-
ion for his daughters, and rarely does the
doubt arise in his or their minds that the
unacknowledgcd but relied-upon profes-
sion may never open its doors to the aspi-
rants
The SoHooL-GIRL Let not the school
girl only see the world through the medi.
um of convent parlor; let her teacher
from time to time gather round her and
them, if opportunity permit, certain
number of intelligent takers, who will call
forth all the ability that may exist in the
little community, of course discriminatory
choosing such companionship as is not only
intellectual, but safe and honorable. Last
ly, let not the prudish notion continue to
prevail that the words Glove" and "mar-
riage" are to be ignored in girls vocab-
ulary-indeed, they will be more in her
thoughts if constantly suppressed in utter
ance. 1t viii be better if she hear occas-
ionally what true marriage should be-
what are the duties and responsibilities Of
a wife--how she may avoid errors and
follies that often sadden youth, and some
times overshadow after-life Many has
ty, imprudent marriage, entailing lifelong
misery, might be prevented, if only a young
girl were neither afraid nor ashamed to tell
her mother, or her instructress, what is in
her heart, with perfect confidence; how
much Of subsequent concealment, of pos
sible deceit and attendant misery, might
be spared
INNOCENT FLIRTs.-The majority Of wo-
men are happily virtuous in deed and in
tention, but it is much to be doubted
whether, while we are excessive in sever.
ity and unforgiveness toward an offending
sister, and cautiously draw aside our gar
ments, lest they should be defiled in con-
tact with hers--whether we ever think
how nearly the so-callcd ''innocent firt"
treads on the verge of that line Of demar-
cation which separates the woman who is
"visited" from her who is beyond the pale.
The "innocent airt,' whose passion for
admiration knows no distinction between
the bond and the free, who, with apparent
adirete, spreads mesh to entangle the
attentions Of her friends lover, or even
her friends husband, is, probably, more
dangerous and avoidable character than
the acknowledged but repentant Magda-
len! Sister women let us be pitiful, as
Christ was pitiful to those whom society is
stoning unto death but let us see to it.
in ourselves and our daughters, that we
avoid those occasions of heart-sin given by
F." innocent fiirtations," and fostered by the
bad literature of our day, in which, con
cealed under fowery words and perhaps
poetic images, lies worse corruption than
an open sepulchre can show. Let us cast
no stones on the already down-trodden, but
remember in our own actions and thoughts
that "blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God
INFLUENCE OF WoMEy.--We women
have much to.answer for; many among us
have chosen husbands in rather than notmar-
ry at all; many have brought up sons badly
from weakness OF selfindulgence. Abuses
and degrading practices have crept into
the life Of once healthy nation--abuses
and bad practices which no executive gov
ernment, no legal enactments, can possibly
reach but VIC women have the leverin our
hands that can raise the community to
healthy social reforms. Our Influence can
arrest the food of ipfdcllty, of luxury, Of
idleness, of despising wholesome labor, of
irreverence to elders and superiors Our
influence can check the growing appetite
for pestilential novels, for licentious plays
and poems, for immodest dress. Our in-
fluence can reverse the law which excludes
a penitent, erring woman from a sisterly
hand-clasp, and warmly welcomes bad
man who has not repcnted Our influence
can correct the riotous extravaganza in
expenditure, whether for personal adorn-
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