St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-17

The following letter OF advice to
mothers comes from a mother in St.
Louis. Mo-. and was written in reply to
the woman who asked Aunt Polly what
she should do to keep her children at
home in the evening:
4 man might have said. "GiYe me the
training of a child for the first five
years and no one can undo my work,
and ruin the child" \ wise mother,
who has worried through the babyhOod
and childhood of a large family of chill
dren, says she had then just begun the
important work Of life; and, alas, with
the freshness and yigOl and confidence
of her bridehOod gone forever. If she
has neglected for moment even her
duty during this time hard indeed is
her task who Just then begins to interest
her children, and to keep them from
bad influences. We can sympathiZe
with such mothers. for We know OF the
agOniZlBg circumstances which often
hinder many OF our less fortunate
sisters. Ii mothers would watch with
out Intrusion other mothers ways, and
learn OF them by their mistakes or sue
seSSeS. talk more together-"gOlden Cos
sip, instead of the fOibles of their
neighbOrS-that would be one help;
even to take the advice of the mother
ln-laW'S experience might be another.
There is no royal road to bring up chill
dren successfully, though. One mother,
whose only rest and helpfulneSs was in
attending morning service on the Sab
bath day, whose husband must 20 for
the mail and spend the morning at his
place of business, would leave children
all neatly dressed for Sunday school.
As they passed each other at the church
door, to her diSmay, there was George
with great hole in the knee of his
stocking, Frank had blood spattered
over his neat collar and coat, Susie
needing a handkerchief, which had been
placed so carefully in her pocket. Kate
with the water still dripping from her
eurlS on her satin ribbons. On reaching
home little Willie tells her, that after
she had gone George had played he was
an aux and craWied on his knees and
tie rest were all big WalruseS who ran
after him, the large pictorial she had
placed upon the table to keep them
9uiet had suggested this mischief. They
had Il pillow fight upstairs. as the cases
all attested. Frank ran against the
baniSters and made his nose bleed,
Kate had 10 make her curis again, and
Susie had made rabbitOf her handker-
chief To amuSe the baby. Papers were
nut all over tie floor. The room must
Dc cleared before papa'S return. dinner
must be locked after, as it is Tie only
lay he is sure with them at meal time,
and is often out Of the city then; the
"nishing touches must be given to the
lining table which only her hand can
10. TIE time is filled up, and the little
wolves are home again. They kept
their promises never TO do these things
again, but their inventive geniuSes were
ever inventing something new, equally
1emOraliZing- SILL. that mother made
hose children love their home as no.
where else. kept their confidence and
love till they were all good men and
women, who StIOVe to amuSe and nurse
mother in their turn.
She would turn her back yard into a
shaking rink in the winter, which was
shared with their playmates, with apples
or dOugh-nutS 10 add an additional charm
10 the place.
Spare times during November and
December were spent in making Christ
mas presents, the boys, with their tools,
made furniture out of dry goods boxes
tor their sisters play houses and painted
them; ships that would truly sail in the
bath tub, Tor the boys, with a neighbOr
boy friend OF two, to make suggestions.
HallOw- cen was celebrated with all of
the lore tests Of Olden times. JEAN.