The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-17
Hints to Boys and Mothers:

If girls are often awkward, ungrace-
ful and liable to fall into habits which
injure both their health and beauty.
what shall be said of boys of the same
age? Most mothers take great pains
with the girls of the family, seeming to
think that their chances in life
largely depend upon their looks and
manners.
Yet these same mothers seem utterly
indifferent to the disagreeable habits of
their boys; or they shift the response
bility on to the shoulders of the dancing
master or boarding-school teacher, and
grumbls if he does not change them
into Apollos; or, after few inefficient
efforts. they give up with a despairings
al don't believe boys can help beng.
awkward They'll come out ali
right after few years. and no one ex-
poets much of boy" Now it is pos
Sible, though not probable, that the un-
couth boy will become q fine-appearinG
man; but, even if he should, is It worth
while that he should for years render
himself disagreeeble TO all but his near
est friends; that he should repelinstea6
of attract?
Outdoor exercise and sports do much
to make boys strong and straight; yeti
is very common among those who are
growing fast Especially if they read or
study good deaD. to find the head
thrust forward. the shoulders round
and STOPPING, and slouching. ungrace-
full carnage. Until these things ara
corrected, DO boy can be thoroughly
strong and vigorous. Is the health Of
your boy of any less Importance than
that of your girl?
Biting the nails is one of the most an
noying habits. and yet one which almost
any boy will fall into unless his mother
'.nips it in the bud" Not only is it al
most uncomfortable for a nervous person
to sit in the room with one of these nail
biting boys, but the young mans hands
are injured in appearance. and. ii the
habit be carried to excess, they will be-
come almost deformed. In these days
of professional manicures, mothers
ought, at least, to see that there are no
ragged nails and raw fingers among
their children.
A habit of snufing. or of scraping the
throat, of tapping the floor with the
foot, or the table with the knuckles,
comes on gradually, but, once fixed, is
exceedingly difficult to overcome.
Eternal vigilance" should be
mothers watchword, for the true secret
of curing bad habits is in never allow
ing them to be formed. The ''ounce of
prevention" is worth more than the
''pound of cure"
/ would not take away anything of
boyishness or naturalness. A real boy
is worth half a dozen fOps or dudes.
But do not see why boys should not
be as graceful and well-mannered as
their sisters; why they can not sit down
at q table withOuC hitting it and jarring
the dishes as well as the tempers of the
whole family; why they can not eat
slowly and noiseiessly; why they can
not cross a room without stumbling
against the furniture; or close door
without slamming it; or sit quietly while
reading or listening.
1t should be perfectly natural for q
bOy to lift his hat to his mother or sister
when he chances to meet them on the
street; to rise from a comfortable chair
when older persons enter the room: to
entertain visitor when the rest of the
household is occupied. Do you say it
is too much for boy to think of all
these things? If the mother has trained
him from babyhood constantly and
he will do them without
...-
Good manners are a growth, and boy
hood is the time, and home the place,
in which they should grow.-Mrs. II.
c. Rankin, IN CongregationGliSt.