San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-04-18

| AttractiYeness oil Wit ana oeau'y~Shoes VI
Famous women-The Mysterious Casket.
How to Care for Birds-The Game of
"who Wears the Ring?"
1t is true that a family Of daughters is not
viewed in the same unpromising light as for
merly, but it is still so much of problem
that shall undertake to disclose the happy
domestic arrangements of a friend of mine
who is the proud mother of six girls and
boy. Now, there are good mothers and moth
ers good only in the sense of domestic serv'
ant need hardly say that my friend-who,
by the way, is the wife of a prosperous iron
manufacturer in an adjoining state-belongs
decidedly to the first class At an age that
| would seem to many almost incredible this
lady's little tots are taught to put on their
own stockings and shoes and to make their
! ordinary every day toilets. The toilet bell is
rung ten minutes before the serving of each
meal, and the children, without hurry, con-
fusion or the slightest disorder, take their
places at the table, where, with their freshly
washed faces and gentle looks. they remind
one of row of white lilies
As the little miss reaches the Sth year, she is
| further instructed how to mend and take care
of her own linen and hosiery. She is also
encouraged to keep her room and bureau
drawers Systematically tidy, so that every
| article may be at hand when wanted. In this
way each child learns its life lesson of order,
neatness, economy and responsibility, and
the eldest daughter is not oppressed with
semi-motherly cares for younger children, as
is so often the pitiful case in large families
where retnue of servants is not kept, while
vexatious searches for lost" things, with re-
peated inquiries of, "Who has got my this, or
my that?" Did you see my so and soT-in-
quirieS that keep many a household in a state
of feverish unreSt-become out of the queS-
ton.
The next step is still more interesting. 1t
is taken when the little girl has arrived at
degree of proficiency in keeping her clothes
in good condition, and is nothing more or
less than an initiation into the mysteries of
her own personal expenses. An allowance is
paid to her quarterly, and from this sum she
is expected to provide herself with clothing,
school supplies, car fare, church money-in
short, everything which she needs. OF
course these little women consult mamma
great deal about their purchases and shop
ping; but it is surprising what a knowledge
of business methods, ways and means, and
ways of making ends meet, they acquire by
this kind of special training. The manner,
for instance, in which two of them, with
their mamma as the advisory member of the
committee, will appraise an outgrown gar.
ment-which is always obligatory upon the
next younger to buy-wOuld do credit to an
experienced dealer in costumes.
l am aware that to many mothers, with
conservative notions about children remain
ing children this system of my friends may
seem overly systematic, and perhaps even a
little harsh. would not all this business
rob home of its chief charm and leave us
only institutions and little clerks and mcr-
chantS" some one as
| admit that the idea of a child receiving
everything it needs directly from its parents,
with no forethought on its own part, and no
more notion of commercial values than the
budding blossom has of the value of a sunray,
is invested with much poetic charm. Parents,
with various degrees of consciousness, enjoy
the typical relation they sustain toward their
children-giving, ever giving, out of a re-
source that to the little one seems illimitable.
But let us look at the facts of life without
prejudice, and think of the painfully familiar
| home scenes in which we have witnessed chill
buy some article, ornament or pLaything Is
it less harsh, ask, less painful to the child
to be told mo, cannot get you so and So"
than that it should cast up little account in
| its own brain to ascertain for itself whether
or not the desired object is obtainable3
| We say nothing of the effect of this disci
} pline upon the future man or woman. Any
one at all observant of the miserable, covet-
| Of
roundings than their means can command +,
any ono who reads the daily newspapers, and
ponders the stories contained in them of rob
berries and embellishments committed by other
wise respectable men-often, no doubt, com
mitted for the purpose of gratifying these
same childish wonpn-will see in my friends
system of mental and moral discipline a noble
and practical means OF correcting one of the
great evils of modern LIE.
Little clerks and merchants my friends
children are to an extent. But | feel quail
fed to say that their knowledge of affairs
does not interfere with their happiness, or in
any way mar their lovable qualities as chill.
dren. Simple, bright, mirth loving, dutiful
and affectionate they all are, from the oldest
-a>lovely girl of 20, who has just graduated
from Vassar college-to the youngest.
| Illus Is my lIleLu pIepdl LuS uel uduSu >
and little son for the actual work of life, and
preserving the while her own youth, fresh
ness and sweet temper; having time for social
enjoyment, time to dress and to read, time to
entertain her husband in his brief intervals
! at home, time to look after and relieve cases
: of poverty and suffering in her, neighbor,
hood; TIME, in short, to be useful member
of society.-Jane Ellis Joy in Good House
keeping.