The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-12-04


can trace the progress of the human
organism from its germ to its com
plete development, and learn what
may effect it for good or for evil.
Is any one foolish enough or mad
enough to think that this is an i'm
proper study for a minded
woman? If so he is in the depths
OF ignorance and in the bonds of
superstitious prejudice. For this
is not only her right but her duty
Is she, the future mother, to know
nothing of motherhood? She, the
producer, to be excluded from sex
ual knowledge! Let this rubbish
be taught to monks and nuns, if
they will, but not to the would-be
mothers of an imperial race.
The chief danger to young women
at the outset of their lives is hattery
especially male hattery. Foolish
mothers, in their fondness, cocker
them from infancy, teach them be-
fore they can lisp to love snowy
clothes and ornaments, compliment
them to their faces, and give them
the first taste of what may at length
become their ruin. Thus we see
little girls mincing in gait, and
affecting the airs of adult vanity
AS they SOW they reap. The girl
in her teer.s gets lover, who
''writes a sonnet to his mistress ,
eyebrow AS she grows older her
appetite for hattery becomes gross
er, and at length, Unsuitable. To
say nothing of others, the practsed
seducer-and we have large num-
ber CT that profession in our midst
plies her skilfully, artistically,
and fools her to the top of his bent.
All this has only one ending. All
know it; all foresee it. Yet, like
the poets brook, the stream of fiat
tery "runs on forever"
1t is most important, therefore,
that girls and young women should
be very careful in the selection of
friends and acquaintances. The
proverb says: "All are not friends
that speak us fair" One may rid
oneself at once of a worthless book,
but not so of worthless friend.
Such an one has limpet-like
capacity for sticking Casual ac-
quaintanceship is SO risky that it
would be better to be altogether
avoided, and only those Of known
reputation should be admitted to a
young woman's intimacy. Associ-
alton with worthy acquaintance
may ripen into friendship, but the
process should be slow and care
full one, no matter to which sex
they may belong. Friendship is
too momentous to be made hastily
or thoughtlessly. For the whole
course of life may be seriously af-
fected by it. "Friendship," said
a classical writer, ''is stronger than
kindred" If so how necessary it
must be to exercise the wisest dis
cretion in entering upon it.
If friendship requires careful
choice, love, which is of more i'm
portance, comes unbidden, and pro-
badly only comes once. We may
esteem from reflection, may like
from association, but can neither
love nor refuse to love at will.
Love, too, can neither be bought nor
sold, bartered nor bargained for.
As the proverb says "Love is the
loads tone of love-" And this is
one of the most powerful reasons
why a girl should guard against ,
chance acquaintance, lest she be-
stow it on some one unworthy of it.
and fits of fancy aris- {
ing from propinquity, are common {
enough and sufficiently mischiev- +.
Gus, but love is rare, is constant,
stronger than death, and deeper
than the grave. Wretched are +,
they who bestow without receiving:
happy are they who find it. The
girl who contemplates marriage
should be well assured that she pos
sesses real one and that it is mu-
lual. Nothing else can make we'd
ded life happy, or even endurable, !
to highly strung natures. And
that il may not be marred in after
life by any flaw Of constitution, orI!
by incompatibility of temper, she
should refuse to engage herself toIt
the worthiest man if any evil taint /,
is strong in his family or in hers, :
and should practice the habit of
from childhood. II is
better not to mate at all than to /
produce children cursed with hered-
itary disease; better never to marry
than to lead cat-and-doy life.
And that all contingencies may be
provided for, it would be well for
every girl to prepare herself, in case
Df necessity, to earn her own liveli q
hood in the way most suitable tol q