Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-15
LOVES CHRONICLES.
INTERESTING FAMILY ANNALS KEPT
By FOND MOTHERS.
How to Write and illustrate A Home
journal Thnt Records the Daily Life
OF the Inner Family Circle.
written for the Dispatch.)


written for the Dispatch)
Thine walks In slippered feet" and In
few incredibly short years the little
children that now gladden. our homes
by their bright faces and winsome ways
Will be only memories. hardly recalled
by the equally dear presence Of the tall
sons and womanly daughters that Will
have imperceptibly taken their places.
They will have disappeared as utterly
az though they had gonc to another world.
Their existence merged into that Of
others quite unlike them. the little crea-
lures whom we so tenderly love will
really exist nowhere.
Many mothers heart yearns in Sc
cret over her lost babies. scarcely COM
forted by the thought that they are only
changed Portraits at every stage Of
babyhood are usually the treasured me
MORALS but anything that shall serve to
recall the personality OF the dimpled
darlings will, few years hence, be well
coined and priced.
one mother whom I know, has re-
corded In blank-book the funny wise.
or brilliant sayings OF her three little
ones, which are quite as marvellous as
any we read Of. and peculiarly interest
ing from the Characteristic individuality
of each. The book is covered with
dainty Powered cretonne, and tied to-
gether with a ribbon.
PICTORIAL RECORD.
Another fond mother. who has some
artistic ability. has kept a pictorial record
OF the life of each OF her children, be-
ginning with the first photograph, sur
rounded by 4 wreath OF the flowers that
were blooming at the time Of his or her
birth, and a view OF the child's first home
Next follows something illustrative OF
each event OF the young life, through
babyhood, through school-days, depicting
in pretty aquarclles scenes or travel ana
pleasure up 10 the time OF the wedding
day OF the eldest daughter, when, beau
ttfullv bound, her special book was pre-
scented among the bridal gifts. The cover
was made OF cloth Of gold, decorated In
the rocco style, with mock-jewels form
ing a border an inch wide. A monogram
OF pearls and turquoise Ornamental the
centre. and under it the family motto
Deus. non Fortuna" done in tiny gilt
beads. Ii was both rich and unique. The
Jewels were easily procured. as the
IA shion OF the day was for trimmings
profusely decorated with mock precious
stones.
WELCOME REMINDERS.
There are times when to recall me-
mories of former happiness would be a
torture. but a book is so unobtrusive'
that il need be opened only when its
chronicles shall be welcome reminders OF
nloasant things, that we feel the richer
or hammer for having once enjoyed
Such a record has been kept for twenty
wears by one woman, who counts II
among her most cherished possessions
Each year is represented by a volume
The book always lies open upon her desk
and the custom Of jottng down a lew
lines about the interests OF each pSlss'h :
dav has become so habltual as TO require
no effort. ..
4 sample page contained reference 70
the death Of a great man. or whoh the
world was talking, and one or TWO pO'-
taiions from the newspapers ot l"C's
about him not generally known - ol'
of social news came next ana thelu u
strong helpful thought that the fDdy ha'
hanr,.ned TO read. and which she wei
coined "a heaVen-sent. few words loi-
lowed. telling of letter received, a
friendly visit enjoyed-a little schooi
triunph OF one of the children. case OF
charity reiieved-all pithily expressed ana
condensed in the manner which such
rapid chroniclins had taught her.
BOOK OF REFERENCE.
The symptoms Of illness in the family
and what had controlled them, expert
ences m travelling, the price paid IOI
some special thing-made 1t Vaiuaple
book of reference. If a member OF lle
hc,,e.bo,d had been absent from home the
book was sought upon mis- or her ie'ui li u
i'm order 10 learn all that had occurred
d,rine, ahseucc. ANY one Of the family
,,.os FREE, TO make an entry When 50
,,irded-froun the yOuugest-whoS" uncer-
,ain nenmanship and original spelling De-
ENC an interesting domestic curiosity
lotar-to the master Of the house WHO
occasionally added remark or crl'lCi9 ~
ab.,ut his wife or children. in vein nan
humorous. hair compIimentary-tha were
REGARDED as quite the choicest Things l"1'
| the book contained.
Tho interest Of such a domestic history
| IN future generations as taithtul picture
Of the times in which It was written i's
unconscious revelation or the character
| AMI DISPOSITION OF the members OF inc
sar,iIv would be great and make II a
ais
,va cannot realize the ideal. We can al
! Ieast trv TO idealize the real contain
| ,ruo nhilosophv. and one way or making
cvorv-dov life seem ideal. or At least lrss
| COMMONPLACE. would b. to keep some such
,pcord. The mere fact OF being one
| own heroine seems 10 put one In a more
| picturesque setting
ILLUSTRATED STORY.
worry, SLIGHT skill in the use Of water
o,lo-s ,vould enable one 10 make an IL
/ ted story Of ones life that might De
artistic and crafty the romance that Is
/ hidden. more or less, deeply III every
vornan's heart. \ thread OF explanation
| might run through II, expressed III az
! ouo,dtions IoEgfellow's Hne-l 81 anu
,r,,sa ill past like present seems on
! the title page Would HuS captain VIA
was 10 follow. ,...,e,.
II We live 10 old age We shall doubtless
| ioo, hack to our present as 10 a soldeh
80" can We not anticipate that JudS-
| r,.pt and try to see our lives mere anu
noy through the spectacleS thdt sHd-
! ,bon seem 10 be rOse-colored' wheh III
| r.etel towards the present scene? Coulu
yo see the circumstances now surrouHu-
! ins, us with The eyes OF our SIrlhOou' We
| sSould doubtless see romance III VIA
we have grown to regard as the most
m1tter-Oi-iact prose. ~ a.,
| mother. and mistress of nome Is the
common lot Of most women OF mlddie ase'
| bat what devoted wives, what te"de'
mothers and what accomplished house
v,ives we were to be- in the rosy imagi-
nation Of Is? ,-
chronicle Of the passing days
whether artistically illustrated or simply
! sot down in black and whtc-wouli nave
somewhat the corrective effect upon our
conduct that a daily keeping of accounts
does upon our pocket-book. We should
sec ourselves in perspective. as 1t We're
and II we ever doubt that the happy, sun
/ shiny days in life-in every life-predomi-
| nate over the Swallowed ones, such re-
cord would convert us to optimism.
MRS. BURTON KlNGSLAND.
TIE cNRN-STAlK RNRER