The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-02
GETTING TEE BLUES.
One WAY That a Mother Found Of Getting
Rid Of Them.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL

The other day l read novel in which the
heroine was described as having "a mind
entirely without morbidity," who twas not
given to the fine mental Mysteries that
afflict the age.'
OF course the author of that book was a
man, and cannot quite decide what think
of him. lie is either very young, with pecu-
liar notions about the fair sex; has been
motherlcss from his earliest youth, entirely
sisterless, with none of that sympathy
about him which attracts confiiing woman
hood, or lie is a spiteful husband, trying to
make his wife feel bad" by processing
to admire women directly opposite in
nature to herself. At any rate, do not
like him and feel sure lie is not a nice man
While / must acknowledge that | am ac-
QuaInted with hyStercal women WHO tire
me- l shall at the same time confess to a
tender regard for such as have occasional
attacks of what is called the Blues. q"
please note that | write it with a big "B, 3"
as | know il to be special disease) In
deed. | should hate woman if she never
had them. l should feel that she was lack
ing in everything womanly. This may be
in part because the sweetest woman | ever
knew had attacks of thcm-ferce attacks,
during which she was superbly miserable.
1t was not when she was physically dis
| abled. never knew a more patient suf-
ferer than she was. 1t was not when her
soul was crushed by sorrow or disappoint-
ment. Once when l was on a visit to her
she told me about il. She was gracefully
stretched upon a lounge-the picture of
lazy bliss. She was very handsome; that
may have helped her words to lie interest
ing. Il don't know just how they came
these blues" she said, in a dreamy way
1T is not when I'm sick; feel too indig-
nant at that time to feel blue"-she looked
lt- CT che spOEa II
right for her to feel indignant il weakness
dared to approach her.
1T is not when l am in trouble" she
went on, a sweetness coming into her
already sweet voice Gt was just that sweet
ness that was always stealing on her, max
ing her one of the NEST lovable of women.
when trouble comes l feel all helpless, full
of wonder. 1t isn't natural, you know, to
be in trouble she said appealngly. and |
felt that for her it wasn't. Sometimes"
| she continued, when my world is all bright
with sunshine; when every face is smiling
| about me; when all my bills are paid when
| dearest hubby'S digestion is IN good order
| suddenly, without any warning, L feel my
| spirits collapse. l can't explain it better
than by saying l feel all upside
down. If i try to bake cake
! it is sure to be heavy. II l attempt pie. it
will fatty refuse to puff l see dust where
did not see it moment ago; my poor ser
| want becomes intolerable The Blessed
DdUlpS-uSuE ult, HUN uOlNN lBCS dTG-utlu
| John, dear, sanity John, how DrOvOkingiy
lie does tease me. He always promises me
piece OF cypress or weeping-willow for a
| keepsake! It's no use to tell me In self
ishl l know ii!
How do 1 manage? Why. cure my
self. slip cut and away from home. Some
times a brisk half hours walk drives them
| far away. My last attack | got rid of by
visiting the Foundlings' Hume-you know
where it is-on California street. Such a
mOtheIly looking place, with its many shut
| terless windows. As ] drew near | heard
the elder children sing. They have their
| kindergarten, you know. Those sweet Misses
CurrutherS teach them. l entered aud
watched them for a while. dear little souls
| Gathered in from the lowest grades Of So
| ciety, saved from an early grave and worse.
| Some of them were very handsome children
| and all so happy looking. Then | was asked
| to see the nursery. Fist they exhibited the
new-cOmers-so pinched, so neglected. Once
| the nurse was not looking and | picked IN
| one of them and kissed it-just for the sake
of the mother who should have been want
| Ing to kiss it if she didn't. Such lot OF
babies; all well cared fer, but each little
| face wearing the same motherless express
sion-or, at least, so | thought. When
| came out | fairly raced nome, so full of love
was l for my own children. l wanted to
hug and kiss them SO badly that l could
hardly wait to get to them. When they
noisily bounced upon me with that
wild Indian yell of theirs l almost
| yelled back at them. Such games
| as we had, | forgot | was grown up! FL
| nally we rushed ell-mell out upon the lawn,
and when found my breath what wonder
| full stories did tell! My brain just teemed
with brownies and giants. So remarkable
| did my declarations become that little John
| creptinto my arms and whispered, Nanny,
does bod know es much es yOu?" And
when they were all in bed, when John was
smoking mildly away, l rocked myself IN
my favorte chair and thought how lovely IL
| was to have the blues and get over them"
q