Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-15
OUR LOST GIRLS.
A Mother Sadly Regrets That She Cannot |
Have the Training of Her Daughter.

A Mother Sadly Regrets That She Cannot
Have the Training of Her Daughter.
There has been no mysterious disappear
ance, neither have they wandered from the
path of rectitude; they fit in and out of our
homes, these bright, sweet, good girls, but
we have nearly lost them, and the sense Of
loss increases every day. When they nestled
in our arms, and we cared for them SO ten
dcrly during the years Of helpless infancy
and development from babyhood into young
girlhood, we thought we could keep them till
that far Off time when they should leave
home to seek educational advantages or enter
upon the worlds work.
But, alasl Just as our daughters are enter
ing their teens, or before, we discover that
we have lost them. Where have they gonei
We rub our eyes, partly to brush away the
tears, and partly to convince ourselves that
we are not dreaming. Ii is a fact that tine
average girl is restless unless she can visit or
receive visits from some young lady friend
most of the time. The result is that the
household tasks if she is so fortunate as to
have any, are hurried through with unseemly
haste, TO the end that she may leave home as
soon as possible. The presence of other girls
during these tasks only adds to the haste and
carelessness of their performance, leaving
home duties.
a mother said to me not long since; ooh,
if | could only have my daughter to myself
part of the time l have no opportunity for
quietly training her or cultvating her com
partnership"
Every iudicious mother may be able to do
for her daughters before they are fifteen what
can never be done for them after that age
Sympathetic companionship little seeds of
counsel dropped wisely here and there; a
knowledge of what the girls are thinking
about and what they are interested in; a wise
ignoring of some girlish follies-all these are
needed, but cannot be secured unless the girls
spend considerable time at home, in the
society Of their own family circle. Our homes
should not be simply boarding houses where
our children eat and sleep, but dwelling
places whore they are to spend most of their
time out of school hours
OF course, girls should be allowed to enjoy
much freedom of outdoor life, which is es-
sential to health as well as happiness They
should be permitted to cultivate within suit
able limits, friendships with each other that
often deepen and broaden into lifelong bless
ing. Staying at home as rule, and visiting
as an exception, will not interfere with these
social advantages
The habit of being able to enjoy ones own
society occasionally is a valuable one per-
son who cannot do this will always carry a
restless spirit, thereby losing that quiet
strength of character which every woman is
sure 10 need in the varied experiences that
make up her life.
What is q mother forYn was asked of one
who shrani a little from the labor and anx-
iety of training half grown daughter. Per
haps if all mothers would ask themselves this
question, their mission and duty would be
more clearly defined in their own minds. The
years speed by so rapidly that we cannot af-
ford TO lose our dear girls before we must;
and they cannot afford TO lose mothers
companionship and training during the criti-
cal years of early girlnood. j. g. Fraser
in Congregotionalist.