The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-23
'The YOarIOr DnUa GIter.

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A great deal Of FAULT is found with
the parlor daughter, 1t is said of heI
that she sits at the piano and sings,
"What is Home Without Motherw
while her mother in question is toll
ing over the fire in the basement.
No doubt this is true, for the parlor
daughter nearly always has kitchen
mother, good plain, sensible woman
who says, young people will be young
people" and takes every burden from
her pretty daughters shapely shoul-
ders to put them on her own, already
bowed down with care
So you.see it is often the mothers
own fault that there is a parlor girl.
She loves this daughter and wants her
to enjoy life while she is young; so
she does the work Of servant herself,
and is happy in 80 doing. She loves
to hear Lottie play on the piano. 1t
seems to her that she could work all
day to the accompaniment of "Silver
Threads Among the Cold" or "Sweet
Violets." She has been all her life
trying to learn one,tune and has new
er accomplished it yet. And Lottie is
pretty and has white hands with ta-
per fingers, and goes to a manicure
The parloT daughter had no trouble
to educate her mother up to those ad-
vanced ideas. She was willing pu-
pill. She remembers what hard
time she had when she was young,
and goes to the other extreme with
Lottie, who does nothing but amuse
herself, and must have help to do that
She is stylish, and it pays to dress her
well. She hasa knacktor fancy work,
painting and other accomplishments
that to her mother indicates genius.
She writes lovely hand, and has
plenty of correspondent. She takes
books from the library, and belongs to
the literary club. Her young friends
do no work.
The only reason why she Should
work is to show that she possesses a
spark of gratitude that she has too
much respect for her mother who has
done so much for her to let her wear
out her declining strength in the
routine OF housework, while she plays
the role of porlor ornament; that she
knowsAin her secret soul, that the la
Dor ennoblos instead Of degrades, that
the key Of the kitchen is higher
medal of honor than a diploma of
idlencss. Mother love is something
wonderful. 1t is more blest in giving
than in receiving. But already the
mothers steps are tending down that
hill which sho never again can climb
her hair is turning:gray; her eyes are
Meary /; she wants no unwilling drudge
to help hor, but service of love. Think
you, the creak, crcak of that daugh-
ters chair, Az she rocks too and fro in
the parlor above, is the true rythm
for her to work by or the tinking of
the piano keys, touched by her satin
smooth fingers, tromolo OF lovo2 Is
it good or loving heart that will
read the thrilling romances OF Mrs
Southworth or May Fleming with bat
cd breath and falling tears, while a
pale, tired mother /: washing dishes
in the kitchenf It may bc the moth
er's fault-the fault OF too gener-
Gus, too unselfish love; but if the
daughter has good heart will she
take advantage of such mistaken kind
nessf Will she not rather prove her
self
"a creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily fobd,"
and refuse at once and forever 80 ano-
malous q position as that of Parlor
Daughter in home that must be sus-
tanned by a Kitchen Mother? No
young man with brains will ever ex-
pect to find a good wife in young
woman who is not at first good
daughter Detroit Free Press