The National tribune., 1883-03-08
W0MANS WORK.
Aunt HeIen's Home TalkS---ColOr in
DreSS---0ur Letter Box, sc.
A Talk to Girls is the concluding number of

ble ShSlCuiLsS, SlHSlLS
old roundelays, and listening to the echOs as
they died away among the rocks The shadows
had already begun to grow dark and long, and
were creeping down the sides of the cliffs, when
Tabbie, glancing at my sketch-book, said:
Now, Aunte before we go home, draw me the
most beautiful face that you ever SAVIOR that
you ever thought about she added after an
instant's pause. / drew then for Tabbic face
which for years had existed within my own
mind, but when l reached home | sat down,
and for myself wrote out the probable con-
ditiOnS out of which would come q character
fitted othe face in the sketch book. The first of
these conditions think, would be the awaken
ing of a girl to a sense of her own value in the
economies of life; the next, her awakening to
q perception of the duties which she owes to
herself; and finally, her conscious and intelli-
gent use Of the knowledge thus given her.
MauiteStly, to the first of these ends, the in
structiOn must begin in the earliest childhood; ;
the Willfulness of the child girl must be met
with reason and persuasion, and thus will be
developed an early sense of individual respon-
sibility; that kindness and courtesy are given
in return for kindness and courtesy, is an i'm
portant lesson; care for others should be in
culcated, and this will entail such homely les
sons rs, that doors are not to be noiSily closed,
the footsteps are to be light, windows and doors
at home and when travelling are not to be kept
open at the sacrifice of another's comfort;
thOughtfulnaSS for the sick should be taught; the
soft, cool hand Of little child may stroke away
many q headache, and the gentle adjustment Of
the heated and wrinkled pillows may bring
ease TO maGy a tired invalid a sense of obliga-
tion a5 a member of the home circle should be
established papaS slippers and dressing gown
never Seem to fit so easily as when brought to
him By his little daughter, and so many grace
ful acts OF kindness may be performed by this
little being that at last she almost may be re-
garded as fairy princess whose delight it is to do
pleasant things for all whom she approaches;
and best of all, The spirit thus developed III the
child-girl, will not fUrSake the maiden and the
woman; as the child grows older the lessons
become gravcr. Duties to self now present
themselves, but these are to be respected as
much for the sake of others as for that of
self, inasmuCh rs it is through the Observance
of them that the subject becomes Il Joy and help
to those around her. The first of these
duties relates to health. for without this con-
ditiOn no power, be il OF body or Of mind,
can reach its normal development, and in
proportion as our powers are warped or
crippled is our ability to do good dimshcd.
In foreign lands the ill-heath of American
women is a matter of general comment. For
clgn physicians say that constant use of
rocking chairs and our carelcSsneSs about eXer
else have much to do with this physical degen-
Grafton, while we at home attribute somewhat
OF the cause 30 climate and defective sewerage,
but much more to our late hours, late dinners,
rich food, thin-soled and high -heeled shoes,
thin undcrclothing, tight lacing, and the un-
fortunate arrangement of ciothing-thc bunch
ing and accumulation of articles of dress
which throws the weight about the very part
of the human body which should be entirely
unencumbcred. No wonder that the lungs and
spinal columns of oar wouIen rebel under the
pressure and burden imposed upon them.
When physicians begin To insist that their
patients wear next to the flesh garments made
OF soft, all-w00en flannel, that their drapcrics
be less heavy and their exercise regular, we
are assured that elias icity Will return to the
step and color find its way back into the now
pale and salow checks Of orr countrywomen.
THE CULTIVATION OF TIE VOICE.
Another bifold du.y is the cultivation of
pleasant well mojuated voice. There are
voices among women which remind Us of the
fairy story about the two mouths, from the one
of which came only pearls, and from the other,
frogs. y low voice is an cycellent thing in
woman says the poet, and our own experience
teaches Us that low tones in conversation and
gentle aa:d even intona.ions distinguish the
voice OF iia lady. Nothing is more at variance
with our idea Of womanliness than the loud
shTill tones which We SO often hear i'll houses
and on the streets. The duty OF economy is
one which Is due not only to self but also to
Others. Let the maiden feel that as much
NlslOn lldJ nc CA pSilacl on u private economy
as on an empire and as much wisdom may be
drawn from it, OF nearly equal Importance
with this duty is that Of self-reiiance. A
maiden should be equipped with those quail
ties which shall make her at least strive to be
equal to every relation OF life. This does not
necessitatea too great scll-conidence but rather
integrity Of living and fine intention, supple
mented by prompt action and firm pie
A kind OF quiet strength cannot fail to come
with the belief that AS much virtue as there
is, so much appears; as much goodness as there
Is, SO much reverence it commands 1t is a
law of life that Il man passes for that he is
worth We cannot appear one thing and be
another Either we are or we are not, and
the world is quick to discover which it is. Self
reliance should not create rasping sclf-asser-
ton nor too much anxiety for expressed ap-
proyal. Let the chief care be to implant
within the nature the strengthening graces
and goodness OF Il noble life. Do not trouble
yourself too much aboGt the light on your
statue said Michel Angelo to young sculp-
tor the light of the public square will test it,
For the maiden, there arc no graver lessons
than those relating to friends and books, for
both will leave upon her character au mpcr-
ishable impress. Call no one your friend with
whom you cannot be sincere wrote the Sage
of Concord, and he adds: Let your friendships
bring you the sweet sincerity Of Joy and peace
If we be uniformly sincere we challenge sim
cerlIy.' Every IrIeniSilp IS unworthy unless
it stimulate us 10 higher and better things and
for this reason the maiden should foYm no
league Of friendship with those whom she must
descend TO meet, and let her be assured that
there can be no friendship worthy the name,
unless it be based on excellenccs of mind and
character, rather than OH outside appearances
or the accidental possession of fortune and let
her seek in her friends neither too much like
ness nor too much difference; let her conduct
toward them be simple and natural thus will
each be challenged TO meet royalty with roy
atty. Scarcely less potent than the influence
of friends is that Of books A clear head and
a fine soul should be the possessions of one who
attempts TO guide the young and active mind
in this domain. But it is a dcplorablc fact
that most girls select their own reading un-
aided by the taste or Judgment Of others. When
the religion, the art, the poety history and BIZ
ography of all iiteratures offer to them such
rich treasures we know not how they can turn
aside from these and voluntarily devote their |
hours to the sensational novels and newspaper
gossip which fill our public reading marts. |
1t is literature such as this that helps 10 make |
negative characters among our maidens ard to !
rob her of that delicacy and sweetness which |
accompany thoughtful and intelli- |
gent apprehension OF lites eanestness and SIM |
plicity.
ECONOMIZING LIFE.
Let our maidens be taught the art Of econo- |
MIXING life-to live in the present, to bask in !
its sunshine drink in its joys, catch the pass
ing opportunity, and improve the lesson of each |
day, else will they some day awake to find that |
life has been slowly ebbing away while they |