, 1884-09-04
WOMAN AND HOME.
An Essay Concerning "The Parlor
Daughter" and Her Mother.
In broadway Stages-A Georgia In
terior-AHection mInus Intel
Ieet-A Dainty Dish-Pretty
beds JottIngs.

a great deal Of fault Is found with the par
lor daughter. 1t Is said Of her that she sits at
the piano and sings, What is Home Without
a Motherr while the mother in question is
toiling over the fire in the basement. No
doubt this Is true, for the parlor daughter
nearly always has a kitchen mother, a good,
plain, sensible woman who says, Young peo-
pie will be young people, and takes every
burden from her pretty daughters shapely
shoulders to tut them on her own, already
bowed down with care.
So you see Il 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 50 she does the work Of u serv-
ant herself, and is happy in doing 50. She loves
TO bear Lotue play on the piano. 1t seems 10
her that she could work all day 10 the accom-
paniment Of SILVER Threads Among the
Gold" or Sweet Violets.H She has been all
her life trying TO learn one tune and has never
accomplished it yet. And Lottie Is pretty
and has white hands with taper fingers, and
goes to a manicure. The parlor daughter
had no trouble 10 educate her mother up TO
all those advanced ideas. She was a willing
pupil She remembers what a hard time she
had when she "wns young, and goes TO the
other extreme with Lottie, who does nothing
but amuse herself, and must nave help to do
that. She is stylish, and it pays to dress her
well She has Il knack for fancy work, paint
ing and other accomplishments that TO the
mother Indicate genius, She writes a lovely
hand, and has plenty Of correspondents. She
takes books from the library, and belongs 10
Il literary club. Her young friends do not
work, why should shef
The only reason why she should work Is TO
show that she possesses a spark Of gratitude;
that she has too much respect for the mother
who has dono 10 much for her 10 let her wear
out her declining years in the routine OF
housework, while she plays the role Of parlor
ornament; that she knows in her secret soul,
that labor enoble instead OF degrades, and
that the key Of the kitchen is n higher medal
Of honor than a diploma Of idleness. Mother
lovo is something wonderful. 1t is more blest
in giving h in receiving. But already the
mothers steps are tending down that hill
which she never again can climb; her hair Is
turning gray; hor Eyes are weary; she wants
no unwilling drudge to help her, but a ser
vice OF love. Think you, the creak,
creak OF that daughters chair, as she
rocks to and fro in the parlor above.
Is the true rhythm for her to work by or the
tinkling Of the piano keys, touched by her
Hatin-sInooth fingers, n tremolo Of Lowell IL
It good or loving heart that will read tho
thrilling romances Of Mrs. S~outhworth
or May Fleming with bated breath and fall
ing tears, while a pale. tired mother Il wash
ing dishes in the htcheni 1t may be the
mothers fault-tho fault OF a too generous,
unselhsh love; but II the daughter has a good
heart, will she take advantage of such mis-
taken kindnessi WIN she not rather prove
herself
"A creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily foodN
And refuse at once and forever 30 an5mA-
lous position as that Of Parlor Daughter in a
home that must be sustained by a Kitchen
Mother No young man win ever expect to
find a good wife n. n young woman who Is not
first n good daughter.