Connecticut western news., 1881-10-26
clasped hands and upturned eyes repeat

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 and artistic, but where was the devout reverence supposed to justify the act oi prayer? Girls having readier taste and vanity and being more pliant than boys, are everywhere brought to the front in school exhibitions, fairs and private theatricals indirectly they are trained for public, not private life ; and the comment is to be found in the nu- merous disclosures made by the press where girls in some way or other have brought shame or distress upon their families. Handsome girls study elocu- tion, theatricals, anything but the econ omy of home some few succeed, some are wrecked; some marry; some fall into total unknown eclipse. Ihave been and am consulted by hundreds of girls who hoped to utilize their beauty or talents in some career of the kind.
 Not long since distinguished physi- clan of New York was suddenly called to girl who had fallen from the trapeze in private gymnasium. She lay per fectly insensible, her exquisite form suggesting the motive for the profession she designed to adopt, while dozen or more others of similar beauty of phy- sique stood around in profound silence. The proprietor informed the doctor that these young ladies were mostly from the country, farmers daughters, tired of drudgery, they said. Further he re- marked: "Their courage is wonderful, they dread no peril. When urge them to go home and tell them of the hard ness of the profession, they will not give it up. I have applications by the hundred"
 So it is on every side. Girls are pretty and vain, and long for notoriety in so many ways that the wonder is that more rather than fewer do not fall into utter ruin. Once, the parent in doubt as to the best method of manag- ing his household eked out his authority by bringing in the counsel of the parish minister, but the prestige of the pulpit is now so much weakened, and the sense of worship so much less than formerly that the young of both sexes scoff at the old fegy preacher.
 |. Next comes the mass of fiction poured from the press. Boys gloat over scenes of bloodshed, and examples of brute force; pictures of men in deadly con- fict and women iu unhallowed peril; exposures of limb and attitudes of inde- corum, all designed to inf1ame low sensualism or stimulate 8 degrading passion. These publications are legion and should be suppressed by the strong hand of the law as destructive of public good. We need no censorship of the press, but when we see 8 mad dog we shoot him, and when 8 caterer for the young deals in contamination he should be indicted and suppressed as danger ous nuisanoe- The greed for wealth and the vanity of display are fostered by the praise of expenditure and fash ion by the public press. sef-denying goodness is at discount; the sweet homeliness of virtue, jest; the old tender oracles and fine reverences that go so far to elevate and inspire, rank with old fogyism and out-worn senti- ment.
 But enough! Is it possible to re- store the family to its ancient prestige and patriarchal dignity which alone can justify the relation of sex and render it that which can be named without 8 blush
 Few are the children born
 Creatures without reproach or blot,
 Who do Gods will and know it not therefore the duty of the parent is the more onerous, and therefore should per- nicious influences be guarded against, and therefore is it the duty of man and woman, pulpit and press, to look to these things and see wh1ther we are drifting. ELIZABETH CAKES SMITH.