Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-17
IN BRIEF.

IN BRIEF.
There can be no difference of opinion
among the wise as to the value of physical
culture for girls. The danger lies in car
rying it to excess and undoing what it is
intended to foster, the physical develop
ment of women so that they may be better
prepared for the duties of wifehood and
maternity.
Through mistaken delicacy mothers leave
daughters to find out the mysteries of
their own natures, when it is mothers who
should explain to them all that is necessary
to be known for the maintenance of health.
Divested of mystery, because natural, a
girl will not sacrifice pure-Inindedness in
pursuit of such knowledge as she ought to
possess.
If mothers will talk to their girls as
mothers can, then the gymnasium, the
tennis ground and other places for athletic
training will not be so'fraught with danger.
In all things mothers ought to be their
daughters first, in fact their only conf
dant until marriage The way to young
girls confidence is not always, perhaps
never, easy, but it should be mothers
study to obtain it. One way is open
never to laugh at her; to endeavor always
to remember ones own youth, and however
simple, even silly, the matter confided may
appear to maturer Judgment to enter into
the feeling that leads to the confiding.
There can be no clashing of duties when
the care of a daughter is in question. The
foreign idea of a chaperone is repugnant to
American independence, but it is not in the
foreign sense that mothers Should regard
the duty of being their daughters compan-
ion. Until the judgm entis matured girl
needs protection against the world, and
who so fit for a protector as the mother
who bore herr Her presence and over
sight is not an espionage, but as guardian
angel she throws around an untried nature
the protecting wings OF moJher-love.
To dissent from the customs of the COM
munity in which one lives requires cour-
age, but who so courageous as mother
when her child is in danger2 Dangers
thiclzly bestrew the pathway of the young
girl, hence the need for a mothers vigil
lance, for the protection of a mothers
love and for mothers counsel, which can
only be wisely given when there is be-
tween mother and daughter that love which
''casteth out fear'' and which makes girlish
condolences easy. -.
Ward McAIlister who has sifted society
down and esteems himself authority on So
cial high life, seems to regard the art of
bowling well as a credential ''of high breed
ing or a high moral character -
Only pausing to remark that his estimate
of high breeding and high moral character
appears to be the same, the point of COM
ment is that he urges mothers to teach
their sons to bow well. BY his own teach
ing he reverses the order, II a mother sue
ceeds in instilling into her sons such princi-
pies as are essential to a high moral char
acter, if she instills into them the belief that
women, their elders and their superiors,
deserve their highest consideration, If they
are taught the universal creed of good
breeding, that of preferring others to them
selves, Of being quick to see the wants of
another and ready in ministering to them,
there will be according to McAllister's own
dictum, little necessity to train in the out
ward manifestations of the gentleman
within.
Mothers enormously excuse selfshness
in their boys because, "boys will be boys,''
men learn in after years through expedi-
ency to polish their boorishness, but it is
only plating the base metal and when the
tests are applied, the false ring, or the IN
derying grossness betrays the cheat.
That head which is early taught to bow
in reverence to the pure and the holy, the
hand trained in boyhood to be helpful,
these and only these can ever become in
dices Of high moral character whatever
may be said Of high breeding.
-
There is no economy in life so detestable
as economy in praise. Humanity seems to
besrudge or fails to see the pleasure to be
bestowed and the good to be gained by a
word Of commentator. Much of the CON-
plant against servants would be hushed,
the labor of employer and employe light
ened, if the worker oftener heard, 3'You
are doing good work." or 81 am pleased
with what you have done"
An excellent housekeeper was in the
habit after each meal of calling in her cook,
and prefacing any fault finding that was
necessary by word of praise of what was
deserving. AS result her judicious praise
was esteemed and the effort to please re-
doubled.
There is nothing so discouraging to
worker, child, servant or grown person, de-
sirous and conscious of doing his best, as to
wait in vain dax- altar 5ax, fo,. a r-o,.3 ~