The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-22
DON'T CUDDLE BOYS
Too Much Feminine In
fluence Often Results
in Priggishness.
FIRM AND CONSISTENT AUTHORITY
Lessons on the Art of Bathing
Hair Pomade and How to Use
It-"The Word Lady

1t has been said that "the greatest
misfortune that can befall a man Is 10
nave been an only son, brought up py
a tender, timid, widow mother ana no"
often we notice the result of the 'fussy
mothers influence in every day lie.
1t is easy to tell at a glance, says the
Philadelphia Press" among a CROWD OF
boys, who has been educated under eA-
clusively feminine influence. The long,
cnrled, shining hair, the fantastic TIL
mic the lavish use of embroidery, the
soft. dainty. well-behaved manner, the
delicate. thoroughbred hands, all marx
the boy of whom the mother has SO OFTEN
wished that he had been a girl, and whom
she has made as like a girl as possible.
And his intellectual education has peen
as unboylike as his daily breeding.
Mothers boys are taught to amuse
themselves with painting. or netting, or
perhaps, a little wool work" in the even
ing. ANYTHING 10 keep them quietly seated
around the family table, without an out
break of boyish restlessness or ~inconven-
ient energy; but they are. never taught TO
think and plan for themselves; to use IN
yentive genius in manufacturing poylsh
toys, and they are not taught TO rae 10
hunt. to shoot, to swim, or ever 10 pay
at cricket or football, if their training IS
left entirely to the o~ver-anxious mother.
LET THEM PUSH THEIR OWN WAY.
There Is danger IN all. and evil III
some of these things. and 1t is important
m make this thought emphatic; for
mothers cannot bear that those they
love should run the risk of either. Al
though these boys may be truly modest
and virtuous they are not manly; ana
when they go out INTO the world as they
must sooner or later they are laughed
at for their 'priggishness.' or they go
to the bad" by the very force OF reac-
ton. The mother has allowed them to
learn but little that will be OF any use
to them, and they will enter the great
arena wholly u~nprepared either TO nsht
or to resist. to push their W way, OF
to take their own part. They nave been
Kept "t.ed to the apron strings until
the last moment. and only when abso-
luteiy forced by the necessity of events
will the knot be cut and they allowed to
go free.
Even when the time comes for college
life the mother will often go with her
daring and take lodgings in town that
she ms be near at hand to watch over
his healtal and morals. and continue her
careful labors in making him dependent
and irresponsible. The chances are that
q youth so brought up never becomes a
real man. He is a prig. Il he is good, a
deAauchee of the worst kin If he "kicks
over the traces at all. He will be a
fussy man with a dread of strong meas
tres physical political or mental; a
crotchety man but not a man ut Tor a
mars society or for a mans Work.
when rhere are many boys instead of
one to be governed by the timid nervous
tn2taer th ne t qppos ste 6 81 f taa5 f tbe en nur caIs,
they escape from all control whatsoever;
and if one wants to realize a puerile pam
the world S the household of a feeble
spirited mother Of many sons, where
UUiRsIDr@sf+Y WITHoTST PEING FrTssv.
IF mothers all over the land could only
wise, watchful and firm discipline over
themselves first. and then over their
children. untold good would result. It
from boyhood to respect our authority,
being careful to develop the self control
and wisdom in ourselves that will de-
q the next place, teach them to be
neat and orderly 1sfy without being fq asys
each one a place in which to keep his
toys. Make it a rule that each child
shall help the nurse or mother and help
tac0 CLutr 10 PICK up III tOyS, uOohS. VI
games and put the nursery in order be-
fore the evening meal. As they. grow
older do not put a veto on an booyish
d~eafenfng'' or $50 trying to the nerves"
or '.they get themselves so dirty. The
dirt is. easily. removed and they should
be early taught to keep themselves neat,
washing face and hands and smoothing
tangled hair as often as necessary with
out the business that will keep them
from engaging in healthful, boyish
sports.
The wise mother will endeavor to find
out the special tastes of Ter children and
develop them instead of forcing them
into studies that are entirely r%epugnant
to them, She will make the bedtime hour
day and will win the child's confidence
in the pleasant chats that will be en-
joyed at this time. The children should
not be put to bed hurriedly without a
word of love from the mother, nor should
this. be the time for reproof for the
faults of the day. for we all know how
pitiful Is the restlessness and the sigh
ing and sobbing in sleep when it has
seemed necessary to administer bedtime
punishment. Seal the evening conf
dence with q kiss and a blessing. Give
the children a happy childhood, of which
no future can rob them. and this rosy
youth need never involve wild license.
Thousands of children have been ruined
by too much indulgence but not one by
too much love. A manly boy will never
cause to regret being tiled to the apron
strings. of a wise and loving mother:
mother that makes this knot" of i'll.
T6n1Ifo