The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-09-12
Mrs. sImpieton's Advice.
From Harpcr's Bazar. l

Mrs. Simpleton has n reputation for good sense. This Is founded on solid buttress of achievement. Her family are almost invariably well. and they enter upon each days experience with that zest in life which 1t Is the object of all good housekeeping to secure for the inmates of the home. This aim, by the way, is often misunderstood We do not keep house for the sake of preserving the house in good condition merely. but for the sake of preserving the people in it. She is the successful housekeeper who manages to secure for her family health and happiness from one years end to another-which implies a clean and orderly manage ment, to be sure. but this is not the view generally held.
 Mrs. Simpleton, however, works upon this line, and the results of her policy are much admired by many of her neighbors who would not for anything follow the rules which she scrupulously observes.
 One of them came to her the other day and said: My dear Mrs. Simple ton, our Percy is miserable this season. You know what dreadful attacks of illness he has had during the past year. The doctor says that we must try in every way to raise the standard of his general health. He fears that the child might not pull through an- other of those awful attacks. He is just seven now-a rather critical age, you know. Do advise me-"
 Give me an idea of his diet," sug- gested Mrs. Simpleton.
 The neighbor. with some care, de- tailed the chfld's usual day-to-day bill of fare. Mrs. Simpleton listened atten- lively. and made several recommenda- tions in regard, to minor points, Chiefly she urged more fruit for the child.
 ''He seems to get along, somehow with very. little fruit from one weeks end to another" she remarked. 'Now my children have fruit three times a
 
 children might not thrive on so liberal a diet. Suppesei you begin giving Per- cy an orange every morning, with an- ether at noon after few days if the one agrees with him, and gradually in- crease the amount until he takes more or less fruit at each meal, in case al- ways that it seems to agree with him. I should not be surprised if you should find that if you give him fruit freely. 1t will improve his condition greatly in the end"
 It was three sweeks before Mrs. Sim- pleton saw the neighbor again. Then she hastened to inquire for Percy A coolness came over the manner of the neighbor.
 Percy has been quite i'll for week." she replied.
 T am distressed to hear it. ex- claimed Mrs. simpleton. What are his symptoms?"
 "Oh, he is out of order in every way and we think that we gave him too much fruit.."'
 Just how much did you give him?"
 "Oh, began as you said. I gave him an orange in the morning and then gave him another at noon, after his lunch. and both of them seemed to agree with him. About week ago thought I would let him eat fruit as freely as he chose, as you advised"
 How, freely, for instance?"
 "WeH.l the day before he was taken i'll he, had two oranges for breakfast in the morning and at noon I let him have two oranges again, and two bana- mas, scraping off the fuzzy lining care fully. as you told me that rendered bananas indigestible. Then he had a plate of dates, perhaps dozen, and a dish of pineapple, cut up with the of stewed prunes ready for his supper. but he never got to that. for he was terribly nauseated during the after noon, and he has been miserable ever since. The doctor has advised us to stop the fruit diet entirely. Of course you meant well, Mrs. Simpleton, and I thank you, but, you see, it hasn't turned out we'll"
 IT." gasped poor Mrs. Simpleton-- T really ought to have mentioned that I should not think of giving the child more than one kind of fruit at a time, but"
 You said freely" quoted the neigh bor, mercilessly.
 And Mrs. Simpleton by dint of striv- ing and prayer, managed to wait until the neighbor was out of hearing be- fore she calculated the rest of her sen- tence: but I did count on your hav- ing a little common-sense!,'
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