Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-25
Written for The Evening Star.
TALKS TO MOTHERS.


TALKS TO MOTHERS.
What One Of Them.says About Their Duties
to the Little Ones.
ED hs.T the ShdTsR my brothers.
e B. Broc,in0.
THE WORLD IS FULL OF ORACLEs,
Il each with his own cure-all for the ills
mental, moral and physical-of poor humanity.
1t is always 'easier to tell twenty what to do
than be one Of the twenty to do my own bid
ding"
have no desire to join this army Of wise
heads; do not profess to be q solomon or a
guide board to perfection. But in passing
along this perplexing life Of ours one with her
eyes open can hardly help gathering here and
there bit of wisdom that may be helpful
to mothers at the beginning, instead of nearing
the end, of their motherhood days.
The "cry Of the children of our time, as it
comes to me, is for mother; not a nurse, nor
stern trainer, still less slave to their whims.
but a true mother, who shall start them on their
voyage of life as well equipped for its rocks and
quicksands as she is able. They have a right
to demand 80 much Of the woman who stands
in that relation with them; not wealth, advan-
tages, education, or this or that, but simply
and solely mother, in the full sense Of that
word.
THE GREAT MOTHER LOVE
born with a baby usually insures that he shall
be of importance, but unfortunately it does not
SO surely bring wisdom. The most conscien-
tious, as well as the most loving. may fail mis-
erably from thoughtlessness from pure ig
norance. Many mother brings gray hairs
upon herself and lays up bitter sorrow and re-
grets for her age by the mistakes of her youth.
For in those days Of quiet and reflection. with
the results before her, she can look back and
see her errors in training.
No matter what outside duties seem to be de-
manded OF human being, to IA mother nothing
on earth can stand before her obligation to her
child. There is nothing except this which can
not be done by some other person, but no one
living can ''mother" her child. BY mother
INF" L do not mean doing everything for his
physical welfare, such as washing and dressing
and looking after him every moment. 1t is
never best, where it can be avoided. that q
mother should wear herself out physically or
nervously with this care. On the contrary, il
possible, she should carefully keep herself fresh
for his sake. Bodily services can be performed
by nurse, but the mother should be the SYM
pathizer and friend, the confidant Of his Joys
and sOrrows, the provider of his pleasures and
the source Of hi information.
ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
The latter is by no means the least important
duty. The mother should keep herself not only
so well informed as to answer rightly all an
swerable questions of the eager, open mind, but
fresh enough to take an interest in doing SO
and to do it in way interesting % HIM. One
who has not observed closely has no idea how
much the general intelligence of a man depends
upon careful and intelligent answers to the
questions of the child.
By allowing herself to be unable to answer
these requirements of the wide-awake minds in
her care the mother not only foolishly de-
prives herself of the sweetest reward of mother
hood, but she teaches her children the sad les
son of getting on without her, of keeping their
own interests and their own affairs to them
selves. She may lament in later years that her
son and her daughter never confide in her,
never ask her advice; but why should she ex-
pect them to do SO il she has never made her
self necessary to them, never taught them to
feel that she Is interested and helpful in all
their plans and undertakings.
A GENTLE FRIEND.
Besides the confdant, mother should be tho
wise, yet gentle friend, that shall correct the
errors of her children without alternating their
hearts. She should be the impersonation OF
justice. the soul of honor, the always ready ad-
wiser and helper, and their best friend always.
This is hard to live up to?-granted: but if a
mothers work ia the most difficult, as it is the
most important work in the world. it is also the
sweetest, and brings the richest reward
In these days Of woman's awakening, a COM
mon feeling among young mothers possessed OF
taste and abilities crying for Development, and
OF ambition to achieve something, is that chill
dren are a hindrance, that their proper care
demands the sacrifice of the mothers best years
and the freshness Of her powers.
WOMAN IN HER PRIME.
That is a serious mistake although a natural
one, for the woman at twenty it appears that at
thirty-fvs she Shall be past enjoyment or cult
walton. The contrary is true Che will be in
her prime, with (if blessed with fair health
thirty or forty years of vigorous mental and
physical life before her. Her Judgment will be
natured, her powers under better control and
the enthusiasm and zest OF accomplishment no
less strong than in her youth.
DO not grudge the years you devote to your
babies" said wise elderly woman in nv hear
ing TO young one who felt that the best part
of her life was going into the nursery. '.You
will never regret it; it will pay better than any,
thing else all the rest Of your life. Enjoy
every minute of it; ar: and music will keep.
you can have them later
The thoughtful young mother took the ad-
vice to heart, and while keeping up warm in
terest IN the world of art, hearing and reading
everything she could on the subject, and thus
all the time fitting herself for better work when
her time should come, she threw herself heart
ily into the work of the nursery. Today she
has three or four bright, promising children.
and more and more leisure for study and work,
| as their time Is taken up in school and play.
OLIVE THoRNK MILLER,