Evening star., 1894-12-15

VNSEH2gE<xWI/ They came early, and
~as,lYTi NkfGi the business of the
tNh&lESsf[AM\ meeting not
tWWSTSSAN\ taken up until a
M NX4Sy dainty little luncheon
~ MN had been served. The
NNA Y ShWA table was set with
N%%ETlM w the silver and cut
TX NMMM glass that were we'd
ding presents, and on the side board were
five carafes and three cake baskets, all
just alike. The luncheon was a distinct
success. although it was evident to every
body that the forks were washed in the
pantry between courses, and that while
there vas an abundance of fruit knives, the
table spoons had to be skillfully managed,
and not used too lavishly.
The motherly looking woman presided
over the meeting, while the young hostess
sat on piano stool near her, as there was
a slight scarcity of chairs.
1t was Mrs. Fin de Sicle who opened the
meeting.
''The poem ] shall read" said she, 'fs
brief, but remarkably full of meaning"
Little Tommy Tittlemouse
Lived in d little house,
He caught fishes
In other mems ditches.'
"This is situation we so frequently see in
Tittlemouse profits by his labors. Let US
say that the man who dug the ditch was
a poor inventor. He has spent the greater
part of his life In perfecting a wonderful
invention. Yet the capitalist who buys the
| invention at starvation prices, or perhaps
even cheats the inventor out of 1t, reaps all
| the gains and his name is known the world
| over, while the inventor dies poor and un-
| known"
1T seems to me-" said the literary MEM
Der, that it might signify the lazy, good
for nothing son - an industrious, money
making father. The father spent his life
| laying up fortune. He died without hav-
| ing caught one fish in his ditch. His son
lives to enjoy the fortune he did nothing to
lay up"
| well it isn't the sons fault" remarked
the tailor made woman. The father ex-
pended all his industry in making money.
| He had none left to transmit to his son.
! There Is nothing so ruinous to a boy. you
| know, as having a gpeat man for a father.
| matter"
The influence of Home.
II think you are wandering from the sub
jcct," said the Coneressman's wife, 80
| I'll just read you a trivial bit of verse that
the opening of Congress suggests to me:
Hark, hark, the dogs do bark:
The beggars are coming to town;
Some in rags, some in tags,
| Some in velvet gown"
And by the heygars you mean Congress-
| men?' said the department woman, with
| emphasis. 90 ssC.
Certainly notri9the Coagressman's wife
| returned Indignantly; II mean tie train of
people who want something from the gov
| ernment, who always turn up about this
| time. They'reJof -eserys class of society,""
There was just the briefest possible pause,
during which the matron fiuted the leaves
| of her book.
Here's a poem that has always inter-
| ested me-" she said. hastily. ut is a little
| longer than most of Mother Goose's poems,
| but simple in the extreme:
| "'Three children, sliding on the ice,
| All on a summers day,
| 1t so fell out, they all fell in;
The rest they ran away.
Now had these children been at home,
| Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand pounds to one penny,
| They had not all been drowned
"All that, of course, is a trifing obscure.
| I think Mother Goose, by speaking of ice
| In summer means that danger is frequent
| ly present at those times when we least
| expect it. The moral of the story, how
| ever, lies in the last stanza:
"'You parents all. that children have,
| And you, too that have none,
| If you would have them safe abroad,
| Pray keep them safe at home
| you may provide fer the moral teach
| ing of children in public institutions in
| whatever way you will, but just so surely
| as water cannot rise higher than it's source
| the child will not be superior to the moral
| teaching he receives at home. 1t is to the
home influence we must look for the bet
tering of the world. If children are sur
| rounded in the home by the proper train
| ing, which will enable them to withstand
| the temptations of the world, they will be
| as safe in the world as at home. Most of
| the mischief in the world lies at the doors
| of the good women who do not do their
duty as mothers. They let their boys grow
| to manhood without one word of counsel
| against the temptations of the darker side
/ of life. The innocence of ignorance Is the
| innocence of weakness, and the boy or girl
armed only with that yields to the first
| temptation"
1.-The hand that rocks the cradle, -
quoted the literary member, ." is the hand
| that rules the world"
| Duties of the Father.
"Oh, bother the cradle" said the woman
with the past; "it is a barbarous institution
| that physicians no longer approve. How
| ever, Mrs. Mater Familias I heartily agree
with you. But don't let's forget the duties
| of fathers. Mother Goose says parents,
| yet where do you find a who really
| gives serious thought to the bringing up
of his children? Man, my dear, is COM
fort-loving animal, and he isn't going to
| put himself out for his children. He will
| buy them toys, or even whip them when he
| happens to feel out of temper, but not one
man in ten thousand pursues a systematic,
| self-sacrificing course of training his chill
| dren. Lay all the stress you please on the
| duties of mothers,i but don't let the fathers
| escape They ought to be made to realize
| what Whitman calls The great sanctity Ct
| paternity to match the great sanctity Of
You misquote, said the literary mem
ber, with an air. "Sanctity is not the
| word he used" I +
Mother Goose speaks, too. of you par
| ents who have none," said Mrs. George
| town Heights II think that the duties OF
| parents ought to be taught to our young
| women and men. Herbert Spencer says
| you know that future races will think our
| system of education was for celibates only
| for the important duty of rightly rearing q
| family is noktaught at all"
| IF there gone thing more than another
I'm thankful for,pt said Miss Pension Bu
| reau, 'it is that 1 don't have TO be chilo
| again to have any new-fangled ideas of ed
| ucation tried on me. am glad L was torr
before all this talk of properly educating
children began. The result of 1t all is thai
YOU are bringing up lot of prigs. Why
| children really don't believe in Santa