The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-05-31
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
PLAIN WORDS FOR PARENTS
AND DAUGHTERS.
The Practical Education of Girls Nee
eSSary.
rRe1Iefontaine Examiner. ]

No home is so bright as that Whlch
shelters a pretty, sparkling girl. Yet
too many homes commit a sad error
when the daughter is brought up IN
total ignorance Of domestic duties
There is one grievous mistake that
mothers are prone to make-that OF
encouraging their daughters IN idle
fancies, 10 educate their daughters
in music and art is paramount IN their
ambition. One girl in thousand will
make passably fair musician, and
one in the same number may make an
artist. Mothers are apt to bear the
burden of home responsibilities, and
make any sacrifice to promote the IN
tere5t of their daughters.
Every home is made more cheerful
/ by its music. Every home is proud
Of its artistic display and talent. But
mo home is truly happy where the
mother, towards the evening Of her
| life, does the household drudgery to
further the accomplishments of the
daughter. Yet she Will do this, and
the daughter, in nine cases out of ten,
regards It in the light Of a mothers
duty.
Oh, if mothers would only come to
/ their senses open their eyes and see
| the perilous consequences Of this mis-
take. what different course they
would pursue!
Don't encourage whims and idle
fancics. Sweep the foolish air-castles
from your homes as you do the cob
webs.
If your daughter contracts the craze
for manipulating the paint brush, dis
courage her even though you have to
place her in a female reformatory to
gain the point, unless you have posi-
tive proof that she is the cone IN a
thousand.
If she should get into her little head
to shammer brass" provide her with
the necessary implements and turn
her loose on a stone-pIle, The ham
mcring Will avail just as much in the
end.
/ If she should Insist or acquiring a
MUSICAL education, there arc several
points to be taken into consideration
before you consent. If you have lived
with her long enough to find out that
there ism t particle of music in her
composition, SIX down on her musical
aspirations instanter and spend the
fortune in a more profitable way. She
may also pine for voice culture. Think
well and intclligently before you agree
to humor her. Remember that your
husband is in business and depends on
the public Ior a livelihood.
On the other hand you have not
needed ours warning words. As an
accomplished society lady your far
daughter has graduated. She paints
gorgeously; plays the piano exqui5-
ltely sings like a nightingale ham
mcrs brass to perfection, and is just
too lovely for anything IN thousand
other accomplishments.
She falls in love and 1narries.
| Where are all her accomplishments
nov? They have gone glimmering
into the misty beyond. She doesn' t
care for them now. She is welded to
something else. \ little while ago
music and art occupied her thoughts.
Sentimental and trashy novels found
their way to her as fast as they were
issued from the publishing houses.
| Now all interest is centered on her
lord and master They are happy
50 happy-for time.
4 The husband is man in only mod
crate circumstances. When he mar
ried he was in love, and reason was 4
stranger to him. He is nov recover
ing, and seriously views the situation
from a practical and sensible stand
point. But too late. The wife, too,
realizes the mistake, but not more
: kcenly than does the mother. The
realization that the wife has been ed
ucatcd in the wrong channel is bitter
, and torturouS. Economy is foreign
, to the young wife practical domestic
duty has been overlooked, and she
finds herself incapable of performing
the simplest and most essential house
hold duties. She is as a child
plaything, and her husband finds him
self incapable of supporting such lux
ury. They can't climb the ladder o
success together. 1t is too much one
sided. lie becomes disheartened-
loses patience and hopefulness, and a
last happiness and contentment 6;
out of their home hand in hand, anc
anxiety and remorse are substituted
Home then is no longer "home" fol
! happiness is not there. Love ma.
3 still linger within its walls, but ther
are other things as essentil as love
to happiness, that are not there.