The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-07-30

How ie this young creature to believe
in one whom all around her distrustp
How, in her ine$periehce, a she be
expected TO obey that golden rule of
love even to one who despitefully uses
and ~persecutes herP
Now comes the Christmas anti fairy
story books, with their ga~ily-colored
pictures, to confirm what all the world
says about step-mothers. These stories
and Illustrations r of all grades, from
that of the step-mother who clothes her
self and her own daughters in purple
and fine linen and fares sumptuously
every day, while the little step-child
occupies a sort of C~inderella's place in
the household, to that browning atroci-
ty OF a step-mother. who murdered
her little step-son and set his heart,
nicely cooked and placed in a daintily
covered dish, before his own father!
Credulity is the leading trait of early
youth. To the child. printed books and
painted pictures never lie. This child
fairly groans under the weight of so
much cumulative evidence against step.
mothers, and learns 10 doubt at an age
whose supreme happiness Is unquestion-
ing faith; to hate when the most beau.
tiful privilege of the human heart is to
love.
This poisoning of the very sources OF
the child's love and trust must needs
react upon the step-mother. The no.
blest woman is still human. The Do
naides of the old Greek myth, doomed
through all eternity to attempt to fill q
bottomless cask with water, were as.
signed no more hopeless task than that
of the unloved step-mother.
The strongest sense of duty. the most
unselfish magnanimity, are likely. in
the long run. to succumbt to ingratitude.
To give out love, the heart must receive
love. The stream not replenished
from a living fountain soon runs dry.
The kindest and most affectionate nature
grows unsympathetic if it meet only in
difference, and a sighted affection
often changes into dislike and even
hatred.
The wicked step-mothers of the story
books and of the popular Imagination
have now and then found their counter
part in real life, but in only exceptional
ase The care of children, even if
not ones own, tends to call out the
best, rather than the worst, traits of
womanly character.
Many a woman, in taking upon her.
self the Office of step-mother. seeks to
kindle on the altar of a deserted temple
the holy flame of a new affection and
reverence. She sets for herself the high
task OF r~e-creating a domestic hearth in
the midst of loneliness and d~esolat:on;
of being a true mother to children who
have crrtforod that cr1nro~n ocrkl l.
affection. the loss of an own mother.
She gives to this work the best years,
the best energies of her life, only to find
the result arrangement, perhaps
hatred. This state of things, deplorable
as it is for her, is unutterably more so
for the step-children. who are now
forming characters for life, who musti in
after years look back upon childhood
which should have been to them ga
moment of God" as to a period of I'M
rest, discomfort and bitterness. Silent,
intangible influences have been at work
undermining the happiness of the home
which might have been an Eden, but
which has become a desert.
Who is to blame for all this? The
common verdict of society, constituting
itself both judge and jury, would con-
denim the step-mother, while the father
and the step-children would be pro-
nounced innocent. In the step-mother
all family sins find a convenient scape-
goat. We contend that while all these
three parties may be at fault, the
burden of guilt rests with outside peo-
pie, with those influences of which we
have spoken which come from without
the home.
Let the woman who is not prepared
to steel her heart against the steady as
sault of outside enemies, who is not con-
hdent of her power to conquer by love
and good works the foes that MAY assss
in that new household, remain far from
the home where a bereaved husband be-
walls his loneliness, and where chill
dren, every one, most likely, an angelic
being in his love-blinded eyes, await a
step-mother.
If she feels within herself the spirit of
both hero and martyr. she may venture
to assume this cross, hoping for the
crown that in the end awaits faithful
endeavor and pious sacrifice. 1t may
be given to her to perform that miracle
possible but to few step-mothers-to
win the entire love and confidence OF
the children confided to her care.
When she, too. lies beneath the sod,
they may cherish her memory as that of a
ministering angel who came to them in
life's sorest need and desolation to re-
place the angel. they had lost. And
when light lips profane the name OF
step-mother. these step-children, bur-
dened yet with an unpaid debt of affec-
ton and gratitude, may attest that next
to the name of own mother it is the
most sacred word on earth.-Francis
a. Shaso, in Chicago Interior.