Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-09

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wan she stood, the
stylish street gown scarcely touching the
figure that it covered SO snugly at the be-
ginning of the season, and her big eyes
bright with feverish exhaustion.
'Why don't you go home and go to bed?"
I asked. impatently.
"And let all these splendid addresses go
,mheard! Why, papa would be scandalized.
I confess my brain is too weary to take it
all in. but feel as though must try and
absorb a little of it. fear am not as
strong as 1 was when left college," she
said little pathetically. 81 could stand a
great deal of hard work then, but since I
came out I have been SO occupied with
social engagements that there seemed to
be no time for anything else find that
my digestive organs are all out of order,
and that am peevish and cross; even my
mental faculties are not up to test. think
sometimes I'd like to run away from 1t all,
but mamma is ambitious for me to be
social success. and papa is such a dear
blind ole fellow that he can't see why
can't keep abreast with him just the same
as l used to do when his study was my
haven, and his books my favored compan-
icrs. I am fast learning that one can't
serve two masters. Tell me how to build
myself up. ready for spring, can't your"
AHeu remembering an engagement Tor
lunch. she hastily left me, and the next
day 1 saw that she was among the guests
at an afternoon" a dinner, and a dance.
as well as the luncheon.
Advice about how to build ones self up
would help a woman like that with
vengeance, wouldn't it? Between Scylla,
her father. and Charybdis, her mother, the
one whetting her appetite for higher educa-
the other drawing her into the whirlpool of
society, whence very few escape physically
sound. my little friend has not enviable
sailing. 1t isn't bit of use to ask If this
premacy Is worth the WHILE" because to
these who are engaged in it, it certainly is.
1t is their whole life scheme and out of 1t
existence would be blank.
Mothers to Blame. .
Good health should be a woman's first
thought, but it Is generally her last one.
A woman perfectly sound Of mind and
body is an unusual creature; yet she
should be the rule instead of the exception.
half believe, too. that 1t is woman's own
fault that she is so lacking in strength
and stamina. OF course, there are hered
itary taints for which one must make al
lowance. but even they can be overcome
to large degree by proper living. and the
next generation made the happier and
healthier for it.
think that mothers are largely to blame
for not instructing their growing GIRLS in
all those matters pertaining to woman
hood, and their failure to do SO often leaves
the field free for noXious seeds of disease
to spring up, which the labors of a long
life cannot eradicate. Then ambitious
mothers press their girls too hard IN school,
at home and in public. The years between
fifteen and twenty are critical ones for a
girl. At fifteen she begins to feel her i'm
portance as a factor in the family and in
the worlds work as well. Particularly Is
this so if she is at all bright and ambitious.
Irycf ot no frDa han oil hnr ctr ptyfh &c
needed to aid her expanding womanhood
she is pressed in school, and coached in
the accomplishments which every woman is
supposed to need, and all her energies bent
toward making brilliant exit from col
lege and quite brilliant an entire in
.ciety. AS in the case of my little friend
the commencement gown might almost an
swer for the debut, so closely do they fol-
low each other It Is a small matter for
wonder that girls break down in their first
season, when they are put through the
PAGES, as they have been during the past
winter, for instance.
The breaking down being an accomplish
ed fact. the building up should begin i'm
mediately, but doctor is not needed. Wo-
men are too prone to fly to nerve tonics
and blood purifiers and constitution build
ers, patent stuff that fills the system full
of poison and lays the foundation for
train of ills. the most horrible of which Is
taste and craving for narcotics. If the
woman who insists on turning night into
day would only give up the day to the
sleep that nature demands for her healthy
creatures she would get along very WELL
ceasing worry, that makes women wear
out and get tired clear through to the
bone" Inability to sleep is the very first
stage of insanity. Overwork, lack of proper
the causes that lead to insomnia, and in
somnia will bring in its train lot of ills
that will break down the strongest man
or woman living. The first thing to do is
~. hot lrffc IN hn nc W
eled sleeve Of care" If you would clear up
your skin, brighten your eyes and Danish
wrinkles.
Rest the Great Medicine.
Now, If 1 felt all tired out and knew that
it was my own fault, that is, that I had
been OVERRIDING myself, would drop some
of my responsibilities and rest. That would
be the very best medicine that a tired
woman could possibly take. Unfortunate
ly, there are women who can't do that
Their shoulders are burdened so that the
load cannot be lifted. Such women are
not in society and don't do a great deal of
complaining, but they are the ones who
make the world tolerable by their gentle
unselfish ministrations. They are the ones
who are going to get the gold crowns over
yonder, am sure. But If I were society
woman, as I have said, I would rest and
let the mission and mummeries, the pa
trOneSS business ana the society 1uncllonS
go by the board and devote myself to get
ting back my health, for Of all the possess
sions of earth there is nothing to be COM
pared to good health.
The mother who does not make their
health the care of her life when her babies
are growing up is too ignorant to have
children of her own. Even serious con-
stitutional weaknesses and defects can be
oy ercome by vigilance and watchful fore
sight during the growing period. Life
without health is a burden. One too great
to be borne, as many sad suicide testi-
fes. I confess I have not much patience
with people who deliberately invite i'll
health by their gross violation of natural
laws, knowing perfectly that such viola
ton brings upon them severe penalties.
You know you cannot cheat Mother Ma
ture There isn't a woman living who does
not want to be considered beauty, as well
as amiable and entertaining and to be
sought for her charming qualities-most
laudable desires.
Knowing this SO well, I have never been