The record-union., 1894-09-20
THE LITTLE MOTHER.
How She Delights liz Day in th
Fields.


Fields.
There are not many more interesting
charities than the one which gives the
young elder daughters of very Door
lamllles IN the city summer outing for
day or week. There are none more
unwelcome to the families from which
the little women come. For in all these
families the elder sister is a sort of sec
ond mother; she saves the first mother
countless steps when at home, and when
away from home she takes her place.
clearing up and cleaning as much as may
be, making the food ready when there is
any food, seeing to the fire and the room
and the babies generally; and whether
the mother Is at home or abroad this
eldest child is always to be seen carrying
IN her arms or on her hip a baby big
enough to give her spinal curvature,
Although she always takes as good care
as she knows how of her especial baby.
and sees that it has its full share of anv
street entertainment going, and loves it
as ner own flesh, yet she does not always
love babies as race; one of her kind,
taken out OF town to lonely house of
elderly people, cried out with joy at be-
ing In place where there were no babies.
But they never stay to think whether
they love them or not; the babies are
there to be cared for, amused, fed, and
Iugged about, and they mind" them as
II that duty were fact of the universe.
something as natural and commonplace
as the air or so much of the sky as they
see.
1t is not always easy, then, to obtain
the consent OF the authorities of the moor
home to the temporary departure of this
valuable parsonage; she is far too neces-
sarY an article to them. When you ask
for her you are reminded of the beggars
IN the Azores, who go begging with
servant to carry the bag; for the little
creature Is really as much a servant and
general factotum in her home as the
Marchioness was in the home of Miss
Sally Brass. OF course, if she is gone she
Is sadly missed; the next eldest may be
TOO underslZed TO struggle with the Jug of
beer from round the corner; may not be
discreet enough to be trusted with the
other children and the matches: and even
If father and mother want the little girl
to have the outing in sweet country air
they do not see the way clear to doing
without her.
But, all the same, is it worth while to
make the effort, to supply her place, if
need be, by some other form of help, and
TO get the little maid under other skies.
and into short experience of irresponsi-
bllity and freedom and Joy, where for
brief time she, too, can be a child, and
forget the load of care which is making
her little old woman. All who have
seen the ecstasy OF the little girls when
coming among green fields and hills and
gardens, which seem to them like dreams.
and into houses which seem palaces, will
be glad to contribute literally of their
means to make il a more general and fre-
quent delight. And fortunate children
who already have homes in the country
can do no sweeter or kinder thing than to
raise money with fetes and fairs and rural
entertainments in order to furnish the
means for the little mothers to drop the
burden of their cares and pick up their
own strength in the midst of summer
pleasures. -Harper's Bazaar.