The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-05-28
9mdersat1 gntstligeMtet,
AN IDLE, IDEAL HOUSE.
A Prlze Essay by Southern Woman.

The following is a prize essay, written
by well.known Southern woman for
Housshold.:
used tosibg a great many songs.
wss no prima donna, but my singing was
appreciated by my audience, which con-
sisted only of those who loved me.
After my marriage, which was planned
at a time when the evening star shoue
with a greater brilliancy than the
almighty dollar, it was quite clear that
many suns must rise and set before we
would be rich enough to own piano;
and this thought caused me much regret.
One day, after our home had been an
absolute monarchy for about six weeks
Everybody knows the story of the king
who prayed the good fairy to make him
an absolute monarch, and who found
himself simply changed to baby)-a
beautiful woman paid me visit: beau
tiful after Walt Whitman's standard Of
beauty-she WAS an old woman--bat one
whose candles around the altars of poesy
and romance never grew dim, and whose
intellect seemed to shine with clearer
radiance as the shadows of old age gath
cred about her. She was woman whose
husband gave her at seventy the same
fond admiring love that she inspired in
her day of youth and beauty.
had expressed my regret at being de.
prived of what had once constituted my
chief pleasure:
"My dear child" she said, "the lack of
piano is very small matter; you have
something in your arms of greater use
to you than piano could possibly be, as
an encouragement to sing"
7 looked ruefully at the tiny. helpless
thing, with its wondering eyes.
"What lullabies do you sing to the
baby when rocking him to sleep 2"
"Oh," said. nothing especial-sny
nursery tune that comes into my head"
"There you make mistake. Do not
neglect this opportunity to develop your
voice, and to retain in your memory both
the words and the air of all the songs you
have ever known. The hour of rocking
the baby to sleep is time usually passed
by mothers in dreamy way, sometimes
impatiently: hummiDg over aud over
again some tiresome lullaby. Their
thoughts are scarcely for moment
diverted from the routine which must
begin again when this task is completed.
The mind receives no perfect rest in this,
the loveliest, most ideal part of the day.
When performed as a mere task, the
mother passes it willingly on another,
and thus misses the very crown of moth
erhood. This should be an enchanted
hour, for angels sre lowering near, whis-
pering to the smiling babe-the mother
can hear them, too, if she will listen
and they will carry her back to the time
when the universe Vas contained in one
violet, and century in one moonlight
hour. I pity the woman who relegates
her task to an unappreciative servant, or
who, from mistaken sense of duty, lets
the little one cry itself to sleep in the
cradle. Oh, do you think Backward,
Turn Backward would ever have been
written, if mothers had always stihed this
sweet impulse? My husband used to
chide me for rocking my big babies,' but |
my rule was to rock them, if possible,
until they we're old enough to remember
it when grown. Give yourself time for
this duty. You will find it restful and
soothing to your nerves if you sing delib.
erately and with care, through your
repertory of songs; but never chant in:
consequently the same tune over and
over again; this, on the other hand, is
very fatigueing and trying to the nerves.
Always sing softly and with expression
on the high notes, as it is excellent prac.
tice for the voice; sing teuderly on the
low notes-pronounce the words with
sweet, clear enunciation, and think of
what you are singing. Leave out of your
repertoire all commonplace songs.
Keep your standard high. Have COL
lection of hymns among your list
Come Ye Disconsolate,' Jerusalem the
Golden, and such ones of undying
beauty. By this method you will enter
tain yourself and elevate the tone of
domestic life, introducing bit of sweet
ness into the sometimes dull routine. As
your family increases, the older children
will enjoy your singing, and sleep more
refreshingly for the soothing serenade.
Your husband will join in on your cho-
ruses, and his voice, mingling with yours,
will sometimes aslonish you with its
sweetness; for the knowledge that you
are not triaing, but are earnestly endeav.