Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-12-24
MOTHERS AS CHAPER0NES.
.oens or WISDOM FOR THE PERU
SAL OF GIRLS WHO ARE OUT

So nm. who Knows the World
! would not ask, Why should mother
her daughter2 but rater 'orinu-
late my question into why shouiu
mother not chaperon her daughter
fancy in the discussion OF sucn
it will be found more UNI
cult to prove the negative, ana w''ei' .ie
subject is once properly understood II
must be conceded that mother slio"''
continue her care.
There exists no reason why she should
not.
But the question becomes rather more
complicated, perhaps, when the '''o'ne,
NAV have died, or when from any cause
it becomes impossible for her to perform
this duty ,s
Then the American girl asserts herself.
She has been reared in an lndepeno-
ence of thought and action which makes
her dissatisfied with all restraint
She CONSTITUTES chaperonage as espion-
age. u
She declares that she will not tolerate
being watched. and AYERS that she must
he allowed entire freedom and liberty OF
action, and she asserts that her own per
ceptions of right and wrong, and her
innate delicacy of sentiment. are all That
is needed to make it quite safe for her TO
go wherever she wills to do.
cHAPERoNAGR NOT ESPIONAGE
Now. this is true, and it is not true.
In the first place, it isa mistake tocon-
found chaperonage with espionage
To suppose that chaperon is spy on
ones actions is a pcrversion OF the
proper functions of such an office.
A chaperon is either mother or So
lected matronly friend. whose tender in
terest or friendliness is the best guaran'
tee against misconstructlon.
A young girl is supposed to be guile
less, artless and confiding. These are
very lovable traits, which will doubtless
some day contribute to the happiness OF
q home circle of her own; but Just IN
proportion as these attractions exist they
become dangerous without guidance,
from their very nature and on account
of the inexperience of youth.
Then young girls, even il ever so care
fully trained to understand the nicer
conventionalities that regulate tle polite
world, are inclined to be needless, and
carried away FOR the time being by the
exhilaration of gay life. Thus, with
the best disposition to do only what Is
proper, they commit errors thar IN
Lue osure misrepresent them, and which
they afterward regret.
Now, it is obvious that the dignified
presence of a matron who loves them, OF
is at all interested in them, would check
all inadvertent indiscretion from the out
set, and thus in the end greatly contrib
ute to their future well being and happi
ness.
The situations are innumerable tina
suggest themselves where such safe
guard would be the greatest kindness.
The French have pithy saying, tina
ut is the first step that costs" How
truel At what cost of vain and unavail
ing regret might the wise.chaperon spar
a needless girl
| A facility of broken engagements a
well as of divorce would seem to go hanC
in hand. 1t is in either case a broker
troth
A SPECIAL DUTY.
Now one of the special duties of tn
mother or chaperon is to guard thei
manageable wards as far as possible il
receiving the attentions of men.
An engagement, announced or unan
nounced, is always more or less com
promising and should in honor be deeme
a sacred promise, not to be violated un
less for grave and most serious reasons.
A young girl unguided is not very az
to weigh all consequences, and the futur
is to her very dreamy She lives in he
emotions and in the present. and sadl
needs the aid of pair of loving, spec
tacled eyes to make her illusions SAT
realities
There are SO many little things, whic
are not so trivial as they would seen
where clear judgment is needed. Fc
instance, in the matter of receivin
presents. 1t is understood that gentl,
man has the privilege of sending flower
and perhaps. if the friendship is we'll e.
tablished, boxes of bonbons to a lad,
AS to presents having a money valu,
they are, OF course, out of the question
Yet the frequent acceptance of eve
these simple gifts is to be avoided, for
make these offerings habitually is col
ceded and incumbent thing for a love
to offer to his fance
There is very narrow dividing lin,
therefore. between the permissible an
the not permissible. One takes it fc
granted that no woman other than
heartless flirt willfully encourages tn
attentions of man simply for the val
qualification of being able to count h
name among offers refused, and Their
fore that any woman of average astut
ness can readily check intentions" {
marriage before man becomes tc
deeply interested 1t is also kind, to sa
the very least, to spare the mans vanit
the modification of refusal
IL Is strange fact that in almo
every instance where vain coouette h,
openly boosted of her conquests she enc
oy accepting the most ineligible offer
vertigo OF gratifed vainglory seems
seize her and cloud her Judgment
society then acts as a Nemesis. an
comes in with its cruel and persister
memory, and the unfortunate contra
OF what is and what might have been
not forgotten by 1.-The four hundred ~
Boston Globe.
Frances First Newspaper.
The ORIGIN Of tba ,,o,,-. =.