The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-05
Five and Fourteen.

There are two periods in the moral
and intellectual development of a girl
which u the profoundest anxiety TO
n mother. At five years old. or there
abouts. the period OF babyhood is past,
while the period of girlhood is not yet
reached. and, between the two, comes
! o time of anarchy and chaos. Tho lit
| lie soul is now bursting its shackles and
I .ryino to readjust itself to new condi-
.ions. The child is ceasin2 to be q
mere pet and plaything. and Is begin
ming to live an individual life. Moth
inp is more commO than to see a do
! Gle. well-trained child suddenly derel-
OBJ, without any apparent reason. a
wilifulness and characterization entire
ly ut variance with its previous babits.
The mother, who has been dreaming OF
a sweet daughter who is 90 Walk beside
her all her days. making life fragrant
. and beautiful to her by sharing with
her all her youthful! hopes, and trusts,
turns heart-sick at the naughtiness of
the half-fledged termayant. For it is
the good, cherubic little girl who usual
IL manifasts the change; aspoiled child
is SO thoroughly d~isagreeab'e all the
while that any accession of badness is
moi noticeable. A great deal of self
condemnation and unhappy foreboding
would be spared the mother if she
would only recognize that much of
what is so very unlovely is not essen
TALLY ~wrong-uhat it is merely what is
| good in a state of unripeness. The
fragrant blossom has withered and fall
en- away, leaving in its place the hard
anl aid annbrrn frntt Ufsn mother
will be very careful to distinguish be-
tween those qualities which promise
evil in their developed form and those
which are mere crudities, and her aim
will be to foster all the unfolded pos
sibilities in her child's nature. and help
10 bring them to a beautiful maturity.
Every one knows how tiresome and
unattractive a little girl usua!lyis when
she has outgrown her i~nfantile sweet
ness. The little impertinences, the
saucy retOrts and untiattering person.
| alities which have won for her smiles
and caresses, or, at worst, an admiring
reproof, all n once become intolerable,
and are rebuked with acerjity. The
very WAYS which she has been taught
TO consider charming become subjects
for displeasure when the baby round
ness and dimplcs are gone. Her sense
of Justice is outraged, and the un-
warped sense of ju-tice in a child Is
often very strong. She becomes a lit
tie Ishmael. her hand against every
mans, and every mans hand against
her. In a certain sense this can scarce
" be avoided, but, if the mothers love
be unfailing, and her sympathy always
~nal- phn aan yaa, c,ranf Tho fountain
of love and trust which, without that
refuge. might become very bitter. Just
when this new life is unfolding, a moth
er's wise care is most earnestly needed.
The soul which has seemed to draw its
life from hers is beginning to lead an
individual existence. 1t is to the per-
fee. development Of this individuality
that the mother should bend all her
strength. Each human soul contains
within itself the germ of its W life.
To make of it all that may be made, the
mother should only guide the growth,
leaving it free within the limits of NOR
al probity 10 grow into its fullest pos
sibiiity. She cannot lop it off here and
there. or suppress its growth yonder,
without manning and stultifying the
whole nature.
The dangerous quicksands OF this
period safely past. the mother begins to
breathe freely again. She again begins
to see visions and to dream dreams, till
the second and more serious season of
anarchy comes to try her faith. Child
baad is over and w~OmanhOod is yet far
lectual and physicaI. -" s.atn nf
fernent. New motives, new principles,
new emotions. are battling for predom.
nance. and, until theseTelative claims
are adjusted. no peace Can be hoped
for. This second chaotic period
which comes at about fourteen years of
age-lasts longer and brings q Tcre
hopeless and radical overturning Sf
that which had seemed 81 firmly estl.e
lishcd. If 4 mothers care were needel
in the earlier change, it is infinitely
more needed now. New traits seem t.
be starting into life. new Development
are manifested. Changes not only ia
purposes and ideas are taking place
but changes in temperament, in dis o.
sitiOn. in tone, are manifesting Il m,
selves. There is need of a wise 1and
which shall guide without gals Y. a
tender heart which shall sustai,"with-
out compromising with evil. 70 ana IN
the conflict and insure vietS nothing
will help a mother rssureiy; nor
direct her more e'-Ho rni ,b a,ihsGi'
also, is merely a stayo,o of growth neces-
sary to a full and peeect development
of her child's nature. Fand that TO her is
intrusted the PRIVILEGE of fostering the
growth while she shall be looking to
the end with the prophetic eye of love.
Century MqsG-iRe.