The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-07
HOME OCCUPATIONS.

The best thing that mother whose means
are ample can do for her daughter, after see
ing that she takes out of door exercise sufll-
cient for her health and physical develop
ment, and that her diet is wholesome, is to
put her in the way 0! learning to occupy her
self pleasantly indoors.
say this to wealthy mothers, or to fathers
who feel that they can assure their daughters
comfortable incomes for life. Those who see
before their girls II struggle with poverty,
are likely to give them trade or II proies-
| Sion and need OF bread or bonnets will gener-
ally serve as an impulse to clever girl and
| force her into the field OF usefulness.
| Poor women, whether they are obliged to
work for bread. or are the helpmates Of
struggling wage winners, are seldom op-
pressed by idle moments. It Is the womun
who has plenty OF money who sometimes
| finds lie burthen in her middle age
50 many Of these ladies live in rural dis.
tricts, or in suburban homes remote from all
! places of amusement.
| The women Of the city can at least go shop
( ping, or find somc lecture, or concert. or
exhibition of pictures to entertain her. she
mas probably friends within short walk, but
there in tn, old family mansion the widow
or spinstcr who has passed the time OF life
when day-dreGms are delightful and one can
idle and smile away ones hours, lives half
her life behind glass" She looks out
through her window paRes upon the rainy
landscape or upon the hish-ped snow
The mud is deep between her home and the
station. Nobody will call. She Is tired of
reading. only the student by nature can
live perretually on books,
Sewing the long, white seam" IL an occu.
patton that needs little thought, and permits
all those regrets OF the past and fears for
the future, to flock thick and fast through
her brain. Besides, the seamstress sews
better-what is the use OF it all?
So she wanders about wishing she had
something to do that interested her, and
In the worst cases, goes out Of her mind, or
hangs herself in the g2rret.
But all that has nothing to do with your
Kitty or Fanny. You say, they are the gay
est of the gay, ride their bycicles play at
awn-tcnnis, run about, rain or shine, never
have weary moment,
That is very true, but time will pass. Tn
less your girls die early, they must grow
older, and be less able to spend hours out OF
doors. They may not marry, or if they do,
the blessing of children may be denied.
without being inyads, they may be far from
strong, and thus little shut in. To such
women, the knowledge OF some pleasant art
or industry is Invaluable. If she can carve
on wood, or hammer brass, decorate her own
fans. paint chinG, or satin, or velvet, and has
merely reproduce, but creates designs, she IL
armed against such tedium. Ii she learns tc
do that sort Of embroidery which Is called
art-work, she will find much the same inter
est in It. Il she can sketch from nature
paint flowers well or manage q portrait oi
the kitten, even though the Academy oi
Design might not hang her pictures, she has
actually entered into art-iiie and will taste It's
strange happiness.
so If she has genius for music. and cult.
, Yates the art for It's own sake not merely
that listeners may admire at evening ia Eies
Il she can model In clay, or carve hcl
thoughts in marble in fact do anything that
occupies the hands and the brain at the same
time, she will never be as foriorn and loneiy
rs she would otherwise.
Let your girls play their out-of door games
ride and run, walk and row IA much US they
like, nothing is better for them, bus give
them also, beseacA you, II thorough train
, Ing in some artistic, home occupation tC
which they may turn, when. those things be-
; come, for any reason, impossible.
The so-called accomplishments Of the pas
, generation were dropped in disgust BY
= women Of sense, and were yaluless as oeeupa
tons because they did not enter the region
| of0rt
| What healthy parents may have their girls
, taught to-day will grow more Interesting
with every year, and I'LL the life when thl
7 hopes Of early youth are over.