, 1880-08-16
Oh! Lu, How is Your Mother?

Once upon a time l had two young
lady acquaintances, whom I met out
in company, and l admired them ex-
| trerlely.
| Soon after called Informally upon
them, with number of friends, and
was again charmed by their wit ard
brilliancy. Thsy returned my call
very soon, and received them alone.
l made myself as agreeable as possible.
and thought how pleasant they were,
when, suddenly the truth dawned upon
me-I was doing ell the talking. l
paused, looked at the elder, and await
ed a witty remark, on my long disser-
tatiou.
She sweetly returned my gaze, and
| said SO prettily. g Oh, yes!' 1t did not
occur to me then that it did not apply,
she was so very pretty. A pause en-
sued. l broached topic which /
thought possessed general interest, but
-ah! me, another silence more unen-
durable than the first
The younger broke the stiffness by
saying, enthusiastically, Isn't this
weather perfectly lovely? Yes" l
ans cred, "this last week has been
very fne."
But it flashed upon me the few days
before had been what they would have
termed perfectly horrid." | was un-
| comfortable
They, however, did not appear to
notice, as their serenity renamed un-
rufied. l never did succeed with the
weather; my blunders thereon have
been sadly numerous.
! We exchanged calls for some time,
and they remained the same, save when
met them in company, where, with
the gentlemen, they were great favor
ties.
| The question was, why were they SO
brilliant at times, and then SO stupid.
I arrived at conclusion. The next
time called, took gentleman friend.
They were all animation and I all OBJ
servation.
Having friend visiting me- named
H-,who was thorough society girl,
and equal to any conversational emer-
gency, confiled in her, and we called
upon my friends. told her she was
not to entertain them, only sustain her
part of the conversation. Oh! that call
We tore the weather piece meal, wore
it entirely thread bare, tossing it from
one to another, until there was nothing
left, bat the storms and fair days of
which we had not even suspicion. LII
we did not mention every day since the
creation, it was not our fault, but
owing to our ignoronce.
But even that subject may be ex-
hausted. A silence e-Iong and deep
! nv irt, ypt t,Ja !,
called few laughing remarks from
H, but at warming look from me she
subsided.
I yawned, then tried to look as
though | hadn't.
The silence had lasted about three
minutes or moro, when the voice Of the
elder sister Was heard in the land y
in the most confidential tone | ever
heard, with an expression of eagerness,
satisfaction and a lhoughtity
combined, inquiring, "Oh Lu; how
is your mother
My mother had called there about an
hour before.
i My friend H had severe coughing
spell. We made our adieus immedi-
ately, and indulged in sarcasm and
<
only gentlemen.
/ We wickedly rehearsed the call for
the 6 other girls and now, when a
pause occurs in the conversation, in
territorial or otherwise, some one is sure
to inquire with great solicitude, "OA,
Lu How is your mother?"
| A general laugh ensues, and there
are no more pauses.
| l wonder how many readers know
such girls.
ADVICE TO TIE GIRLs.-Eirst of all
cultivate industrious habits; be willing
to work. and try to do your work
thoroughly. It is not enough to be
busy; we must do our work well To
ae thorough in study, to be thorough
every girl, net less than every boy
Our methods of female education have
encouraged superfciality rather than
thoroughness; we have given our girls
smatterings of many things, and mas
terry of few things. After thorough
ness, independence. A habit OF rely
ing on your own judgment, habit of
thinking for yourself, and caring for
yourself, not selfshly, but in a true
womanly fashion-a habit of taking re-
sponsibllity and bearing it brav9ly--is
one of the habits that women as we'll
as men need to cultivate. Your parents
ought to give you some chance to form
this habit; it is great mistake to shield
girl from all care, and then, by and
by, when the helpers on whom she has
leaned fall by her side, to leave her
with Judgment unframed and powers
undiscipllned, to carry the burdens of
life. A woman should have self-re-
lance as man.