The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-07-13
TALKS TO MOTHERS,
1.-THE DEMAND FOR A MOTHER.
BY ONE OF THEM.

lCopyrlsht by Cambridge Literary bureau anu
Press, 1892
| "po You hear the children weeriag, my
| brothers,
| Ere the sorrow comes with years."
| E. b. BROWNING.
The world is full of cracles, each
with his own cure--all foi 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 bidding"
have no desire 70 join this army Of
wise heads; l do not profess to be a
Solomon or guide board to perfection.
But in passing along this perplexing
life of ours one with her open eyes 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 a mother;
not nurse. nor stern trainer, still less
slave to their whims, but true moth
err, who shall start them on their voy-
age of life as well equipped for its rocks
and quicksands as she is able. They
have right to demand so much of the
woman who stands in that relation to
them; not wealth, advantages, educa-
ton, 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
conscientious, as we'll as the most low
ing, may fail miserably from thought
lessness, or from pure ignorance Many
a mother brings gray hairs upon her
self, 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
3 her, she can look back and see her err
rors in training.
No matter what outside duties seem
| TO be demanded of human being, to
mother nothing on earth can stand be-
}. fore her obligation to her child. There
Q is nothing except this, which cannot be
done by some other person, but no one
4 living can mother" her child. by
. "mothering" / do not mean doing
everything for his physical welfare,
such as washing and dressing and look
- ing after him every moment. 1t is
!, never best, where it can be avoided,
that a mother should wear herself out,
" physically or nervously, with this care.
On the contrary, if possible, she should
carefully keep herself fresh for his sake.
- Bodily services can be performed by a
nurse, but the mother should be the
sympathizer and friend, the confdant
of his joys and sorrows, the provider of
his pleasures and the source of his in
formation.
important duty; the mother should
keep herself not only so well informed
as to answer rightly all answerable
questions of the eager, opening mind,
but fresh enough to take an interest in
doing SO, and to do it in way interest
ing to him. One who has not observed
closely has no idea how much the GIN
eral intelligence of a man depends
upon careful and intelligent answers to
the questions of the child,
By allowing herself to be unable to
II answer these requirements of the wide.
-, awake minds in her care, the mother
~, not only foolishly deprives herself OF
the sweetest reward of motherhood,
% but she teaches her children the sad
~ lesson of getting on without her, OF
v keeping their own interests and Their
own affairs to themselves. She may
lament in later years that her son anG
her daughter never confide in her
p never ask her advice; but why should
she expect them to do so, II she has
d never made herself necessary to them
peyer taught them to feel that she il
interested and helpful in all their plans
'r' and undertakings. -
=. Besides the confidant, mothe,
should be the wise, yet gentle friend
that Shall correct the errors of hel
t? children, without alternating theil
liz hearts. She sould be the imperson
alton of justice, the soul of honor, the
always-ready adviser and helper, and
be their best friend always. This is hare
ID to live up to?-granted; but if moth
er's work is the most difficult, as 1t il
the most important work in the
world, it is also the sweetest, anG
GO brings the richest reward.
In these days of woman's awaken
4 ing, a common feeling among young
r. mothers possessed of taste and abilitie.
e. crying for development, and of ambi
. ton to achieve something, is that chill
dren are hindrance, that their proper
care demands the sacrifice of the
mothers best years, and the FRESHNESS
n of her powers.
u That is serious mistake, although
natural one, for to the woman oftwent,
it appears that at thirty-fve she shall
" be past enjoyment or cultivation. The
contrary is true. She will be in he
prime, with (if blessed with fair he alth
thirty or forty years ofvigorous menta
Il and physical life before her Her judg
m ment will be matured, her power
av under better control. and the enthu
We siasm and zest of accomplishment n
es less strong than in her youth.
do not grudge the years you de
vote to your babies" said a wise, elder
ly woman in my hearing to youn
oe one who thought that the best part O
he her life was going into the nursery
a' ''You win never regret it; it will pa
better than ANYTHING else all the rest O