River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-08-18
TALKS TO MOTHERS,
BY ONE OF THEM.
vIm.-THE uNsELrIsH ,rorHER

III tiAC AhSCAASAi- & dSStfI~-anu
many examples could be brought to
prove it-that the self-abnegation OF a
mother fosters in her child some of the
most glaring faults, disrespect. tyran-
ny, selfishness.
4 devoted, self-saeriticing woman is
far from uncommon. though so persist
entity does she keep herself in the back
ground that the world is apt to pass her
by without notice
Her husband and children are obvi-
GUS enough, and mother. where's
this?" and mother, won't you do
that?" are painfully common upon their
lips. The thoughtful listener cannot
but wonder what manner of mother
this may be, who is supposed to
know the potion of every ones be-
lodgings, and to lend hand in every
ones duties.
When discovered, she generally
proves to be n worn, tired-looxing per-
son. dressed very plainly-poorly, if the
family income is slender-with hair
drawn straight back, and no ruffies or
ribbons about her She moves around
silently, answering questions. tying
cravats, hunting mp school books, lend
ing a hand here aud brain there, till
every member Of the family is in order,
and equipped for the day, and when
she has closed the door behind the last
one, she proceeds to devote her day to
working for them, and preparing for
their return; not one thought of her
self. not one moment for rest or reerea-
ton, not one plan for personal pleas
ures or improvement does she in
dulge in.
The motives of the unselfish mother
are above reproaeh. She aims to give
her family her whole self-body and
soul. and she does, but not her best self.
When woman with no more than
twenty-four hours to her day is the
keeper of every ones possessions, the
rectifer of every ones faults of idle
ness or carelessneSS, the willing serv-
ant of the whole household, how can
she manage to keep her body well and
refreshed, her mind enlightened and
abreast of the time, in order to perform
these higher rises? AS the training of
mind and heart is more important than
the physical comfort of child, so is it
more imperatively a mothers duty to
prepare herself and keep herself fit for
that work.
Not that physical comfort should be
neglected, but it should always occupy
subordinate pace. For instance, "a
mother should provide suitable gar
ments and conveniences for keeping
them, but she should not put them on
to a child big enough to serve itself,
nor hunt them up when carelessly mis-
laid Ia,- 10 m la
her children's clothes, she should not
spend hours and davs over ruffies and
furbelows, because Mrs. A, with
twice her il ~ome, dresses her daugh-
ter in ruffles and furbelows. If
obliged to do her own cooking, she
should not waste her energies concoc-
ting buildings and pies because her
family like them, and are used to hav-
ing them. Something far more impor-
tant than fine dress or elaborate cook
ing demands a mothers freshest pow
ers: it is wisest for her to economic
her labors for their physical welfare,
that she may have more to spend on
the molding of character.
In other ways also, the unselfishness
of mother affects her family. For
Children who have always been waited
upon are really to be pitied when
forced TO live without their lifelong
servant They do not know how to help
themselves; the daughters cannot keep
a room ~ order, the sons can never find
/ their things
Then again, although they may love
her after fashion, as one loves use
full being of lower order of intelli-
sgence, children cannot respect their
mother-as they should-as their SUI
perIor in mental and spiritual develop
ment
Furthermore, unselfishness eultivates
tyrants. There is no despot like the
child who has always been waited
upon. and none who viii be more disa-
greeable TO live with all his years.
Selfshness - utter selfishness = is.
however, the most fiourishing crop
from the mothers unselfishness. That
anyone's wants can be so important as
his own never enters the head of
child SO trained. That anyonet COM
fort is to be considered, that anyone
has rights that he must respect, are all
unsupported facts in his theory of life.
That everything should go on smooth
ly-his clothes ne always in order and
in place, the dinners always perfect.
the service always up to marks no
more, in his estimation, than that
the sun shall shine or the leaves come
out in the spring. 1t has always been
30 in his experience-ergo, it must
still be so; if not, the woman at the
- = - 80. 10. al
abnegating mother becomes bugaboo
in her sons household, and My mother
did so.' the shibboleth before which it
quakes.
A wise thought for herself, careful
preservation of her best powers of mind
and body, is n mothers duty, for the
sake of the souls she has to train. No
less imperative is it, for their sake also,
that she understands her position and
maintains the dignity of it. To give up
her needed rest that her young and Wig
orous daughter may have some pleasure
she has set her heart on, though a
strong temptation to a mother, is in
every way unwise; to take any chair
because her son is occupying the
easiest, is unjust TO him, depriving him
Of his training in courtesy. to superior
age, to woman, and above all TO his
mother. 10 wear prints that her
daughter may shine in satins, is. Il pos
sible-worse, cultivating the girls self
ishness and disregard of her mother.
Respect for the Office of motherhood
is indispensable TO a right minded man
or woman. and where shall it be ac-
quired if not in the study of their own
mother in thei childhood
OLIVE TnoRNE MILLER
College Tragedy.
The state college of Delaware has a
curious and tragic touch in its history.
The college was founded il 1884. but
during the whole decade between
go and 20 its doors were closed and it
was apparently dead. Its coma came
Of the staying OF one student by an
other in a quarrel growing ont of the
junior orstorical exhibition. 4 son of
the chancellor of the state was accused
of the crime, but the evidence was in
sufficient to hold him. and he was gen
orally regarded as innocent, though
his dying fellow student accused him
of the homicide. and others brought To
trial for the crime were cleared
COnVicts in Calcutta
A correspondent writes from Calcut-
Ia, India. of a most inbuman practice
carried on there by the native infantry.
He SAYS that a regiment is summoned
IN the iaii at Alixlora every six months