The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-08-28
OPEN LETTERS TO YOUNG GIRLS.
On Joyous Girlhood.

uncommon IOT u 1t1DQOO woman OF G06
uppel classes to be carried to her grave
without having set her foot upon the
ground, in the open air, in all her life.
Do you not shudder at the thought of
such deprivations for yourselvesP You
have known the delight of sallying forth
in the early springtime, to pluck the
first violets, when the air seemed fresh
from heaven, and the bird sang his
maddest, merriest carol, for has it never
occurred to you that the first bird notes
at the revival of nature have peculiar
richness and sweetness, as if the soul
sang with them You have known a
happy fellowship with every bud that
blows, and every bee or butterfly that
wings its airy flight from one to another
of the fairy cups dropping from their
green stalks, for every living creature
should bear message, every blade of
grass have an individual beauty to you.
A sometime little friend, given free
range to the woodland, taking no note
of time, rambled from point to point,
much in his element, as the feathered
songsters themselves. Not nest for
miles about but he knew, the little
birds in their 'prOcreant cradles" SEEM
ing likewise to know him, and mani
Testing no fear at his approach !; indeed,
the little monarch took as much pride
in having found $50 varieties of birds
eggs, as ruler of Rome in the Angus
tan days might have done in as many
kingdoms. Would that you could all
be so like a bit of nature.
To the true mother, it is a saddening
sight, that of her daughter of sixteen
indulging in the designations and gai-
cites of fashionable life. [ have two
young friends. One spends her even
ings in attendance at card parties,
dances and skating rinks, wakes up in
the morning to late breakfast, pale,
fatigued ana cross, ana lives through
the day in feverish anticipation of the
evenings attendance at theater or
party. The other performs her daily
duties with skill and despatch and in
winter, with a merry party of young
friends, hastens, while yet the sun is
bright in the sky. to the neighb0ring
pond. Her cheeks are full of roses
her every motion, one of grace, bespeaks
muscular vigOr, and as she skins over
the ice, eyes sparkling, and her joyous,
ringing laugh ripping out on the crisp
air, l exclaim: "What a beautiful,
| happy, healthy young creature you are.
/ And why may not all be like you y
But further, this superabundant phys
ical power insures the best moral and
intellectual force. Taught by a con-
seriousness Of perfect health, to be help
full and self-reliant, this ruddy-cheeked
/ young girl enters the home like an
elixir of life. Never tired, but with
that healthful fatigue which insures
refreshing sleep, no over sensitive
nerves are hers, and helpfulness, good
temper and eXuberant spirits mark the
even tenor of her way. Loving both
young girls alike with a tender solici-
tude, you know from which l may ex-
pect the most happy and useful woman
hood, which | could most wish each of
you to resemble.
But there are other advantages aris-
ing from the natural life. While it
/ cOnduces to health and happiness, it
j likewise fits the mind and soul for en-
/ joyment in later life. Did you never
see man or woman of mature years
/ who rarely observed a beautiful sunrise,
or noted the rich fragrant petals of the
wayside flower ? To such an one nat
ural youth has been totally wanting
/ For free wandering i'm the woods could
but have melted to observation of nat.
/ ure's beauties, and piqued him to the
study of her mysteries. We grow men.
tally like what we feed on. Reared
under the open sky, our tastes are purer
our reason clearer and more active
And with love of nature grows the de.
sire for investigation into her laws
The natural mental attitude of child
hood, is one of inquiry. "Why," is the
question springing continually to youl
/ lips, except when surroundings fettel
the native spirit.
How natural then, that you, my
younger sisters, if clustered indoors
should miss that melting force which
continually challenges the mind, MAN.
ma, said an inquiring little one, living
much in the open air, "What make.
the grass grow? Why do the flower,
bloom ?" In answer to her many que
ries, the mother imparts what may b,
easily understood, and soon the tiny
student appears with more thoughtful
questions a fayorite growing urchin
uustudious of books, surprises me will
inquiries about natural life, which
am unable to answer: or again ask
why the pitcher sweats' in warn