The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-05

Fauits OF winch Many Carefully reared
Esthetic Girl Is Guilty.
Lilly Martins room is perfect bower"
girl friend declares enthusiastically.
Tile window shelves are filled with flow
ers in fcwerpots that she has decorated
herself; and there is an embroidered COW
erlet on her bed, and painted tiles in her
fireplace, and she has done motto from
Shakespeare in kensington stitch on the
curtain to her bookcase, and another on
her mantel draperies
''She has the portraits of all her init
mate friends hung On the walls in painted
frames, and a painted text above her bed
and plaques and pictures and sketches al
most covering the walls.
"And there is a special shelf where she
always keeps candy or vanilla waters or
something of that sort ready to treat the
girls, set out in such dainty china that it's
as much delight to see as to taste.
Lilly always asks the girls up into her
own room, it's so much coZier and prettier
than the parlor; and the sitting room is
sure to have half dozen OF the younger
Martins in it playing and chattering, and
generally Mrs. Martin is mending stock
ings there besides
Lilly stays up stairs great deal; she
says she likes to be among her own be-
longings, where everything is orderly and
dainty and just the way she wants
it. I'm sure / can't wonder. All the rest
of the house is entirely commonplace and
inartistic, and Lily's taste is so exquisite
and her artistic sensibilities are so acute"
Lily Martin is one of the many. 1t is
natural for young girl to wish her own
particular part of the house to be as dainty
and pleasing as she can make it. The
prettier it is the better, and the more fully
its little appointments and adornments ex-
press her personality, the more interesting
it will be. But if the daughter of the
house has taste and skill, surely the whole
house should benefit thereby. If her sense
of artistic harmony is really acute and cor
rect, she will perceive this, and will not de-
sire to shut herself up in the single beauti-
full corner of an unbeautiful home.
Neither is it fair division of labor that
the daughters fingers should be busted
with paint brushes and embroidery silks
alone, while her mothers handle boot
thread, basting spoois and darning needles.
She should do her share of the disagree
able tasks. But often the mother would
honestly prefer to assume the larger por-
easy to her, if the artistic daughter would
but devote her talent to beautifying the
house.
II can buy my daughters work at
fair" said lady recently, land I often
admire it in the houses of her friends. But
l never own any of it myself. She thinks
she can paint me something when she has
finished Nays engagement cup, or Roses
A d.
soon as they are done: there comes some
other outside work, ala l have to wait
once more because am her mother and
any time will do" 80
1t is usually mere thoughtlessness or
carelessness that thus places the claims of
friends and fancy fairs above those of
home. Sometimes there is mingled with
this desire for the praise of acquaint-
ances, which seems to mean more than that
of the family to which the young artist
has become accustomed.
But after all TO satisfy ones own family
is more delightful than to please outsiders,
to help make home lovely to the eye as
well as the heart of every inmate is the
sweetest and most honorable task an ar
tistic girl can achieve.
II thought l cared only for the praise of
competent critics." confessed maiden of
some talent to q friend. ''but when heard
my little brother Dragging about me to an
other small boy who knew even less of art
than he did, found l was mistaken. l had
thought when l painted Tom a cup and
saucer for his birthday that it was proba-
bly, q waste Of time, as he would care very
little for it and it would soon be broken;
but he thinks the world of it. He shows it
off to all his new acquaintance and warns
them not to handle it, ana when he has
sufficiently impressed them with awe of it's
preciousness he marches them around the
house and displays the rest Of my handi-
work, and explains what a wonderful sis
ter he is blessed with. It's ridiculous-but
it's loyelyr'-Youth's Companion.