Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
Then He Got Mad.


For herself Anna had prepared q lot
Of white house dresses. light lawns and
frail lace trimmed gowns, and besides those
white skirts by the dozen and undcrciothes
in proportion. The pile of linen was simply
appalling! Now, 1 submit that IL a man
ever has a right to swear-which, OF course,
he hesn't-John had right to swear over
the folly Of getting ready for pleasure
trip by preparing a wardrobe that would
bankrupt a Vanderbilt to care for II. He
had protested all along, and when his usu-
ally CHEEKY wife got up with headache
from sitting up too late finishing off a small
dress. weak eyes from doing too much
drawn" work. and frazZled temper from
over-strain of all kinds, he simply few all
to pieces, and said that women were ali q
Tot of darned idiots. anyhow. and he be-
lieved he had married the biggest one"
That feeling wore of by night, l have an
idea and by this time Anna, John and the
five young Johns and Annas are domiciled
il the quiet country house where they were
going. and the stock of white apparel is be-
ing rapidly prepared for the wash tub, while
Annals frugal soul is narrowed to ribbons
dozen times day by unseemly grass stains,
abnormal rents, and terrifying fruit stains
on those immaculate clothes over which she
nearly worked herself into q decline. When
left her after my call she was stin in
sisting that she would never go to the
country another summer. as it did not
pay"
Well, / should think not at tina: rate
Now. why viii women be such fools? am
not now talking of society women who
have nothing else to do but to eat and
sleep and dress, but OF the tired mothers
who have little ones whose one glimpse of
nature is obtained In the short summer
visit in the country. The child whose whole
life Is spent in the city grows up like a
hot house flower, and there Is always about
1t an air OF artiiicialty. 1t cannot get pure
and strong, when the only air it breathes is
first heated on dusty asphalt pavements,
and it cannot be as bright mentally as 1t
ought to be if all its ideas of life are COM
passed by brick walls and keep Off the
grass" signs. What 1t ought to have Is
communion with nature, so that 1t may
gain the
knowledge never learned in schools,
OF the wild bees morning chase,
OF the wild flowers time and place
Flight of fowl and habitude
OF the tenants of the wood;
How the tortoise bears his shell.
How the woodchuck digs his cell.
And the ground mole sinks his well:
How the robin feeds her young.
How the orioles nest is hung;
Where the whitest lilies blow
Where the freshest berries grow,
Where the ground nut trails its vine
Where the wood grapes clusters shine;
OF the black wasp's cunning way,
Mason of his walls of clay,
And the architectural plans
OF gray hornet artisans"
1t is cruel to deny children the one chance
to broaden their minds and strengthen
their understanding that they get in the
brief weeks of summer outing. but It is
worse than that to hamper them by CLOTH
ing unsuitable for country pleasures. Leave
the dainty white dresses at home ready to
transform them into mannikins when you
get back, II your idea of duty to your prog
eny is to make them absolute slaves to
Dress but do let them have one month of
comfort out of the twelve.
Sensible Country Clothes.