Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-30
THE 1HREBFOLD GIRL
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX on THl NlaLEm
OF PARENTS TO EDUCATl
Their Daughtsrs Morally . Well Is Mentally
Overlooking Young Minds With knowledge
Mistake Of Thinking Girls are Angels
Forgetting the Animal Nature Which
Should Be- Watched and Dr.
rsctsd-Untidy Women.

Forgetting the Animal Nature winch
Should b Watched and Dr.
rctsd-Untdy Women.
(Cosyrsoht, 1898, By TA< Boz Syndicate Free
New York;
It seems to be the prevalent q
among American parents that girls need
only mental guidance In this age; that
II the daughter of the family Is only
"given q chance" to study, and has her
mind crammed with knowledge, her
future is assured.
II you tell them that their daughter
Is a threefold being. with . moral n .
physical nature which need careful
guidance, they will assure you that the
Church influences and good companions
surround her morally. and that, as she
Is endowed with excellent health, there
Is no anxiety about her physically.
In consequence Of this one-idead ana
short-sighted influence Of parents, we
have a vast number Of astonishingly
well-educated girls-as far as book edu-
cation goes-who are erratic, hysterical,
ailing, and totally untitled for the exl-
gencies and demands OF wtfehood ana
maternity when these relations come 10
her.
Besides this, our daily papers teem
with accounts of girls who stray away
from home In moods OF melancholy, or
who permit themselves to be kid
mapped" by vicious people, or who con-
ceive morbid and 'unaccountable pas
| sions for coachmen and interiors, or
otherwise develop ~propensities as dis
tressing as unexpected to their loving
but blind parents.
The moral nature OF q girl needs
something more than a Sunday service
to prepare it for the exactions OF duty.
| Morality means more than keeping the
ten commandments.
A man nay be driven to marital IN
f%aithfulness and children to dissipation
and folly through the door oil a dlsof-
DERBY and uncomfortable home.
The religious convert who attends
| church service with holes In her stock
ings and rags on her underwear, leaving
an untidy room behind her, Is not on
the road to correct moral training.
Order was Heavens first law, and 1t
should be the first lesson taughta child,
especially a girl. Not by scolding and
| preaching, but by persistent example,
| cheerful tact. and ~freqsent praise. Now
and then a grown person may be taught
a memorable lesson by q round scoid-
ing; but l doubt il 1t ever taught a child
anything except distaste for the neg
lected duty and the solder. l once
knew a man who, by a series OF mister
tunes-shipwreck, illness, and loss-had
become very poor. He was reduced To
one suit OF clothes, which he wore many
months while seeking for employment;
yet he always bore the appearance OF a
well-dressed gentleman. Indeed, he
failed to obtain one position for which
he applied during his dark days IA posi-
ton much below his station) on the
grounds that he twas too well dressed
After he again grasped the reins OF
prosperity | asked him how he had man.
aged to present such an appearance
during that time. at was all due to
my early training" he said, "a more
careless, disorderly child than / never
lived. My mother saw this, and made
it her duty to overcome the habit. No
servant was ever allowed to hang up or
brush a garment for me after | reached
a reasoning age. ] was taught how to
fold, hang, and care for my clothing,
and | was quietly told that l could have
no replenishing Of my wardrobe until
learned to take proper care OF what l
had. If, through hurry or laziness.
wore a creased or dusty garment out
among my playfellows, my mother ex-
pressed her modification at seeing me
present such an appearance, and | was
shamed into tidiness; while an orderly act
met with her warm praises. AS L grew
older my own pride came to the rescue
and spurred me to the care OF my be-
longings, and it has proven q priceless
blessing to me all my life" II this habit
OF neatness was so valuable to a man,
how much more valuable is it to a wo.
man! for on woman depends the comfort
OF an orderly home. An untidy woman
is a monstrosity 10 me.
A f~ervent young convert recently
asked me to tell her how she could be-
come more like Christ. by d~arning
your stockings, hanging up your clothes,
and keeping your room in order, so that
your parents are not ashamed to have
it seen by VISITORS" l replied. she that
is faithful in little is faithful in much;
show our love for Christ by making
those about you comfortable and happy
and no one can be comfortable or
happy with a slatternly woman about"
1t is lot only in the visible results OF
material comfort that a girl is benefited
by this training, but the habit OF sys'
tematic thought will follow her through
all the small and great matters OF life.
D~isorderly habits produce q disorderly
mind and conduct.
Mans moral and social relations ia
the world are such that we are liable to
forget that he is an animal. Especially
do we forget it in regard to young girls.
While they roll In the sand and bake
mud pies in the sun as children, and
roar with hunger, we speak OF them
laughingly as vigorous young AMI
mails" But when their swelling forms
and blushing cheeks and dropping lids
denote that the child Is developing into
the maiden, we forget and ignore the
animal nature, and think OF them as d.
vine beings with growing minds.
Yet never was there q time In q girl:
career when the animal nature needed
such thorough and careful direction By
wise parents and guardians as during
the few years which bridge childhood
and w~omanhood. Aside from wise and
discreet counsels, a young girls time
and mind should be fully occupied dur
ing these years. To simply crowd bel
brain with a multiplicity Of studies will
not do; there is all excess OF physical
vitality which must be considered. The