The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-06-07
Duty to Children.
NJ A MATROfs.

Though marriage il the source Of many
and very great advantages and enjoyments'
It in also productive Of cares n anxieties.
It would. indeed. be unreasonable to expect
tho contrary for il has been ordained. for
wise purposes. that while every human III
has its attendant consolation, 30 every
human benefit has its greater or less attend
ant evil. Children are among the greatest
and most desirable blessings produced BY
marriage; but II children be productive Of
pleasure. they also create duties. anxisties,
and cares. Among all the duties Of q wife,
none are more imperative. none can DO neg
leotod with less impunity. than her duty to
her children. This duty abe yves not only
to her children, but TO her husband. TO her.
seH. and to society. The very brute crea-
ton, with no other guide than instinct, are
tender TO their young and this il as observ-
able in the meokest and tamest Of our do
mestic animals. How shameful, thcn, in
woman, endowed with reason and tutored
by Holy Writ. must be the neglect Of duty
which even savages do not fall to perform !
Rare indeed are the instances Of women
being positively cruel to their offspring
and the very few instances which do occur
are witnessed only in o~utcasts from decent
society. But in morals, as in religion, there
are sins Of omission Us well as commission;
and though. as regards the improper treat
ment Of children, the latter are rnre indeed
among us, the former are Of frequent. II
not general. occurrence.
In tho higher ranks Of life especially. II
In ~unhappily q very common practice to
commit 70 hired substitutes that important
duty which nature at once commands and
enables the mother to perform-that Of suca
corine her infant. For this departure
from nature none have my apologyj least
Of all have thew. who though the almost eE.
yDusiss votaries OF this practice. are, BY f6f.
ms, released from the necessity Of toiling
u . subsistence, and who consequently
qAys full leisure for supplying tho wants
md experimenting the care of their Of
pi1ng. Fashion has been called omnipotent.
md it would almost appear that it is so,
ehen we find it powerful enough to stife. in
some Of the most gifted of our sex. the feel
ings Of nature, and to induce them to OK
pose, not only their offspring. but themselves
Aso. to the vagaries of careless hired aids.
Il is no apology to say that. though they do
not themselves perform this duty, they pro-
vide a substitute; for if the calls of nature
are insufficient to induce them to nourish
heir offspring and attend to its comforts.
how can they hope that merely pecuninry
ponsiderations will induce strangers con-
cientiously, constantly, carefully. and afec-
sionately. to do soF How can they wonder
hat strangers are careless when they are
themselves unnatural? And what is the in
lucement to this neglect 2 Fashion, amuse.
nents, and company Even mere Incidence
frequently leads to the partial Indifference
o children's wants by those who would
ihrink from an actual negation of maternal
ARE. Every such breach of duty is an in
ury to the husband as well as TO his children.
Remember it is in early childhood that the
uturs man is formed any neglect, any
erroneous treatment, is dangerous. and may
DO even fatal to him.