Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-18
The Mother Question.

The Christian Union thus presents an old
maids view Ichabod sat toasting his feet
before the CRATE the other evening with the
Christian Union in his hand, TO all appear
ances as deeply absorbed in its columns as
bis wife in her meditations.
1t was an unusual thing to see her hands
unoccupied, but now they lay idly in her
lap while the impressive stocking-heels
CAPPED their eloquent--if not elegant-ap.
peals under her interpretive gaze.
A long.drawn sigh that seemed to come
from the very depths aroused her sympa-
thetic husband, and looking over his paper
and his spectacles he inquired, What's the
matter, mamma ?" A hesitating Moth
ing" was the response, but fchabod noticed
the quivering lip and the detected air gave de-
NAL to her answer, and pressed his inquiry.
Well, Ichabod, was wondering whether
our Dolly would appreciate what we have
done and are doing for her, and would ever
make the return for the outlay of time,
money, and self-denial we have lavished
upon her. Will she ever see that cares and
anxieties are weighing us down, making us
old before our time, or be willing to prao.
tice even the smallest economies for our
sakes such as have become secondnature TO
US on her account r.
Ichabed looked at the faded cheeks,
the silver threads shining here and there
"among the gold" the toil-worn hands, and
in quick review there passed before his men,
tai vision the bright, CHEEKY girl, with
peachy skin and loving ways, he had led to
the altar twenty years before. He remem.
bered, too, the devotion to her family her
total self-abnegation, and remuneration of 80
much that had been delightful to her; how
she had taken up one after another of life's
burdens, love making them light; the toll
some days, and wskeful nights during the
intervening years, thought within himself
Truly the best love is poor in comparison,
and no return can be too much for such pa
tient accomplishing service. "My DEAR"
says Ichabed, al am afraid Dolly will never
understand until it is zoo late"
In few moments, from the columns of
the Christian Union which he held In his
hands, he read aloud From Real Life"
am the spinster sister in the family, and am
expected to keep silence unless some one
intimates that my opinion would be Of value,
which doesn't often occur. Nevertheless
see great deal, and have views of my own
that would be both useless and unwise to
express, but this matter had not then pre-
sented itself to me for the first time. had
often tried to open Dolly's eyes on these
very facts. She was lovable girl in many
ways, but had lived in the sunshine of her
parents love, abrorbing it as unconsciously
as do flowers the light and dew; so accus-
toned to their indulgence of her most
trifling wishes that she had become selfish
without knowing it.
EYES," l thought, as Ichabod read on,
"a hat, l. h.,a
and forcibly expressed than l could have
done, but every day feel its force"
Turning over The Interior, with which I
had appeared to make myself absent in
spirit though present in the body, my eyes
fell upon Mothers from Social Stand
point" All, can see from this that these
mothers are not rarities, by any means.
And this recalled to me "The Point OF
number of The Century. Miss Sturdy of
Newport, writing to Mrs. Draper in Florence
says, "There is nothing in America but
young people; they are eating us up. The
girls are considered of more Importance than
the boys"
The subsection of parents to children is
becoming a crying sin of the age, wide.
spread as America, and as certain to work
present and the next generation as other
more apparent blemishes in domestic life.
In "Mothers from Social Standpoint"
one lady excuses the mother of Helen and
Julia for her loss of individuality upon the
plea that it is so easy for mothers to make
sacrifices for their children" Doubtless it
is, up to certain time. Through the weak
ness and dependence of childhood no mother
counts any sacrifice trial, but she has
right to expect her devotion to prove an in
ve'tment which shall bring her rich re-
ward. But am sure from my observation
and the opportunities which have had for
gathering the truth, that where one daugh-
ter makes even an approach to an adequate
return, there are hundred who do not
| am sure after the time speak of 1t is
not an easy matter for the mother to make
all the sacrifices. Such thoughtess remarks
as Mother doesn't care for this or that"
Mother is happier in the Kitchen" are as
unjust as heartless. Mother is so accus-
toned to concealipg the smart under an I'M
flinching exterior, little do the daughters
know the wounded feelings beneath.
There are scars from these thoughtless
arrows in the heart "pierced through with
many SORROWS" graves of buried hopes with
tears for their head-stones, and ashes of I'M
realized expectation all lying deeply buried
from human eye but not the less weighty
load.
Parents are not so tender with their sons.
They do not expect to shield them from
every rough wind, nor humor every caprice.
But these sons must all marry somebody's
daughters. What wives are we raising for
help-meets 2 But the daughters are not
wholly TO blame.
How wish had the pen Of an Emerson,
the philosophy of Spencer, the eloquence Of
Ingersoll, and the strength Of Hercules l
would blow blast that would make Ga
briel turn pale with envy.
| would unsettle and overthrow these
false views Of the parents Of the present day.
Stripped OF all sentiment, mistaken kind
ness would present itself "a monster Of
hideous MEN," Where are we drifting
Is 1t not time we were making a change,
and in place of the ornamental, cultured,
esthetic creature of to-day we should en-.
courage and develop in connection with
these sterner and more useful qualities
which make the grand useful woman with
unbounded capacities for good. Her power
for the redemption and salvation of world
lying in wickedness would be second only
TO her Creators.
The lily with its frail beauty and slender
dropping stem arouses a feeling of compass
sion mingled with our admiration the
dahlia and poppy are gorgeous, but sugges-
tive of lighthouses and artificial culture but
the daisy and sweet mignonette are hardy,
fragrant and unobtrusive. May they be