Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-20

house limited means and a perfect raft
of children. She is worried nearly to death
She is too tired to train her children prop
erfy. too tired to control her own temper
too tired to maintain discipline So she
does what she never would do If she were
not at her wits ends. She
Gave them some butter without any
bread,
And whipped them all soundly and sent
them to bed
That merely goes to show that you can't
expect model motherhood from a woman
who Is wife, cook, seamstress, housemaid
teacher. nurse and mother all at once"
i suppose the my son John who went
to bed with his stockings on had that kind
thusiastic member.
one shoe off and one shoe on?" the
hostess inquired. Now. I've always
thought John was Just a little-er-that ia
to say, intoxicated when he did that"
But would any woman tell such a thing
as that on her own son?' suggested the
enthusiastic member.
My dear child" said the woman in the
bluet hat. some women tell everything
even their ages. i dare say she was COM
planning about John to her best friend.
I've known women to get up in prayer
meeting and ask for prayers for my errnS
son. quite as If the son hadn't a sensitive
spot in him. I'm always surprised that
such women don't have worse children
they make virtue so repellant"
The hostess smiled in an uneasy way
that reminded the last speaker of the way
ward son the motherly looking woman has,
and to NIL In an awkward pause called on
the Congressmans wife.
My text is Peter Pumpkin Eaters Wife,
said the Congressman's wife, as she set
aside her cup Of tea and referred to the vol
ume of Mother Goose on her lap.
Peter. Peter. pumpkin eater
Had q wife and couldn't keep her.
He put her in a pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very we'll
Mr. and Mrs. Peter are the modern young
couple who marry and go to boarding
Peter is devoted to business, good, simple
minded man, and Mrs. Peter falls into the
habits of women who spend their lives in
boarding house. She does little fancy
work, and reads few novels. She dresses
four times day, and goes to matinees.
she has nothing in the world to do, and the
boarding house is filed with other women
who have nothing to do, too. Mrs. Peter
falls to gossping. Peter being out in the
world all day. hears SO much gossip that
he cares for no more and declares he hases
gossip. a masculine proposition Just about
as true as the other one about masculine
lack of variety. And Mrs. Peter, having
nothing TO do, meets young men and fills
her time with the occupation of a woman
whose hands and mind are empty-she flrts
Peter neglects her, good soul that ne Is,
and-wel. matters go OH till Peters jeal-
ousy bazes UP. There are miserable bick-
erinBS. Mrs. Peter is restless. There Is
actually talk of divorce. when some friend
advises-the pumpkin shell. Peter gets a
home, puts Mrs. Peter in it, devotes himself
10 her, gives her the cares Of housekeepiup,
TO occupy her mind, and Mrs. Peter settles
down TO happy humdrum life content
with Peter and the pumpkin she'll"
My version doesn't end that way" re-
marked the Advanced Woman member
My book SAYS:
he taught her how to read and SPELL
And then he kept her very we'll
Ihat Is to say that when women are
educated, when they realize all that nature
meant them to be. when they take their
proper places in public and political life, all
the foolish quarrels of married life Will be
nave so many resources within herself that
she Will be not only a model wife TO Peter.
but happy and contented woman She
viii be no longer either a slave or a play-
thing, but an actual factor in the worlds
life"
This ended the list of verses for the dav,
and quite hastily, as IL they dreaded to hear
more about the wonderful things that ere
going to happen to the world when the new
Mother Goose Club members began to dis
perse.
We'll" said the enthusiastic member af-
ter good-byes had been said. and she was in
the street again. what do you think of
1t? Isn't IL fun? 1t is such an Intellectual
treat"
Indeed 1t Is" assented the stranger, with
a smile.
"And. my dear" went On the enthusiastic
member. did You notice the way the trim
ming was put on Mrs. West Ends gown?
spent all the afternoon fixing Ii In my
memory, so 1 can tell my dressmaker About
1t. and have my brown broadcioth made
over that way. I do think the club Is love
~, don't your