The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-06-12
THE UP-TO-DATE GIRL.

| 'N''S - ''hNi' - ~ SiNstt Iui w ttt
mother, who has great many ideas
good and bad, which we call Ol1-fasl.
toned, and this mother cannot make
her daughter like herself, do what she
will.
The best plan is to give up the cf-
fort. Your patience with your daugh.
ter may be sOrcly tried, but still dc
not let it give out. When she talks a
great deal OF rubbish about the new
woman. she does not half the time
Know what she is talking about. She
does it often because other girls do it
because it is the faslIion-becausc-
well, she docs not know quite herself
You will not help her by trying to
force her out of her present life into
your groove. You should rather re-
member that she is growing, and that
minds, like bodies, have "growing
palms." and be as gentle with her
mind you as you used to be when she
was Il gawky girl getting into her
teens.
Things have altered since you were
a girl. a great earthquake has come
into the estate Of wOmanh0od, and
left things very unlike what they were
before. Girls, years ago, did not go in
for more physical exercise than was
involved In a game Of archery or cro-
Quet, unless they rode or walked we'll.
They have professions nowadays
which force them from that quiet
home, with its shelter and its atmOs-
pherc Of peace and--dullnesS, and in
stead Of looking forward only to
natrimOny, or in default Of That to
being a burden on others if they are
working in some way, or fitting them
selves for 50 doing. Consequently they
must learn to take care Of themselves,
to go.ab0ut in train and omnibus, and
to do things unhcard of when you
were in your teens.
All This is quite right. But in what
is called being up-to-jlatc there is a
great dead that is quite wrong, and to
that your eyes should be fulIyopen,
and You should guard your daughter
as you can do if you will. 1t is ever
to be remembered that, though new
ways of life have altered many things,
still there are some Of the old fashion,
cd ideas which Should never be OuStcd
for new ones.
Modcsty, purity Of mind, and refine
ment should ever be associated with
woman, aud while your daughter is
up-to-date in working her way and ac-
ccptlng the quasi nprotcctedness of
the situation, she need never lose
sight OF these everlasting virtues. it
is quite possible to embrace a profes-
sion, to 90 about unattended, to mix
more with the wording world than
was ever dreamed of years ago as pos
sible for a woman, ard yet to keep
"the sweet brery fence" always as Il
protection Of the body. and to shun all
that could sully the mind, and to keep
that pure.
Consequently you should do your
best to inculcate these ideas in your
child, and gently but firmly to insist
where you are within your rights to
do SO. Not only should you not per-
NIT your young daughter to read ii
risque novel, however fashionable, but
you should not have it in the house,
or read it sub rosa yourself Many So
ciety plays of the present day are quite
unfit for girl to sec. and your ma
ternal authority should be exercised
in this respect.
While your daughter is in her teens
you can insist and forbid Both
should, however, be done gently, and
withluying'tact After that age you
must use moral suasion more than the
direct veto. -
In your endeayor to separate the
wheat Of c0mmonsenSe 'g0ing with
the times"'from the chatf of what is
really retrograde from all standards of
what is right and wrong for IL woman,
do rest content with keeping your girl
from what is Objectionable and bad.
Much good will be done by your earn
est cndeayor to give her full frcsdWp
in what is right, and to be oadeful to
obtain fer her plenty of innocentand
suitable employment and recreation.
So let her be np-to-datc in all that
is commendable, and be true, brave,
and womanly enough to,own by word
and deed Chat in other respects she is
bellind the times. ,.'s,.e