The morning times., 1896-08-16
HER HAPPY LITTLE FAMILY
Reasons for the Success Of
One Wise Mother.
HAS A MODEL NURSERY
This Is the Secret Of Their Felicity
Why Happiness Found a Place
Tnere-Experience Given.

The mother OF 1t is Eeither rich nor poor.
| As a girl she Inclined little to re-
| bellion Just enough TO make her pastors
and masters breathe happy. relieved sigh
| when she was safely narried-also 10
| cause the wiseac TO say. shaking their
heads obviously. they wished her we'll
the best in the world but they were sorry
or the poor fellow who had the temerity to
i marry her.
| When the first babe came the good wise
/ acres pitied il also. Its mother. they said
| would either neglect IL shamcruny- or visit
| upon 1t double the rigors OF her own train-
| ing. She had been SO wild and full OF
notions it was morally certain she could
| not bring up children in the way they
should go-mOst likely she would try to
| put old heads upon shoulders not yet out
Of the cradle.
Thus the critics. The woman they crit
icised laughed conten,edly when she was
told what they said. She did have theories
Of child training and home government.
she admitted further, she meant to put
hem in practice. Meantime, would her real
riends kindly suspend Judgment for say,
ten years then she would lie willing to
talk over the matter with them and per-
maps. with the advantage OF actual demon
stration.
AT the end OF that period she fluids
ierself with six boys and girls. At birth
they We're neither better nor worse than
the average young human animal. Yet
their mothers brow is smooth. her bloom
jut lightly touched, she smiles happily,
and all her face is irradiated with moth
=rly sweetness. She has time to sew, TO
read, to walk, to visit, entertain her
riends and her husbands, aud to think
over modern problems. Best OF all, her
children rise up aud call her blessed with
ciamorous acclaim OF small happy tongues.
She lives in an old-fashioned corner
house, with big, square rooms, and a
scrap of back yard. Two servants do the
work, washing included They have been
there since the household was set up, aud
are likely 10 remain until they can re-
tire upon age pensions, or go into new
houses with some one OF the younsters
they have helped TO bring up, for they are
kindly and justly treated, recognized az
human beings, with rights that are to be
no less strenuously respected than they
themselves are bound to respect those Of
master and mistress Especially are the
children trained to give them respectful
courtesy. You can never be ladies and
gentlemen admonishes the mother, "ir
you do not show your very finest manners
TO those who are less well placed in
life than yourselves
THE SECRET.
When asked the other day to tell the
secret OF happiness which she had so evil
iently discovered the lady smiled a little,
then baGe the qucstioner come with hei
~ the playroom. 1t is in the top of the
aouse-a big. light apartment, with three
windows, each protected by strong wire
gratinGs, which make fails from them i'm
possible. The floor is OF we'll matched
boards, and bare save for rugs and cushions
Iere and there. Walls and ceilings are
nard- finished and Of Il light pinky-gray.
Cheerful pictures flowers, fruits, birds,
animals, Cupids and cherubs, with Mother
Goose and lots OF brownies, hang all over
the upper walls Lower down there are
'lcks for pictures, kits, flags. lances, toy
ASKING rods and SO on.
For furniture there are deal tables OF
varying heights, wicker chairs to fit all
ages from one year to twenty: sto1t bas-
set for each child, with pockets inside
nj bag over the top. and several screens
watch began life rs clothes horses. To
ring them to their present estate they
nave been cove red with gray paper muslin.
1ut on very smooth, then adorned with
ictIres. paste az the taste or within Of the
aurscry occupants.
Under the window nearest tie open fire
piaceis baby especial proviBce-upon which
. mother prides tcISelf more than all
the rest. 1t is a movable pen, six feet
square. Three sides are of smooth boards
eighteen inches high Joined by hooks and
staples at tie corners and similarly fast
ened TO the Will which makes the fourth
side To this wall there is hinged shelf
BROAD enough TO serve as play table for
the tiny occupant 1t is set Jurs high
enough to corCc over the arms of lush
hair with base SO broad the most eDer-
getic infant cannot tip it over. But even
that should happen the Young person
would take no harm OF it-since the pen
is floored with a wool mattress made cx-
actly It's own size. upon the top of which
a rubber blanket is laid, and over that
washable cotton rug.
Here is the secret Of my ccCd children
that is. il there is any secret" the mother
said Prom the first. I try 10 teach
effectively, patience, courtesy, forbear-
aDce. respect for the rights of others
in short. self government. The whole room
belongs to the thiklren-one as much as
another The screens there are to d.
vide it into play horscs-wiien tircy will.
Each has n house. and is s5preme II IL,
but bound by the Ia W of courtesy toward
any OF the others who comes as a visitor.
I myself SIN only n visitcr-and would no
more think Of taking authority there. than
I would in any other house. l am bound to
say. though, that my trouble is mainly to
find enough advice and counsel to satisfy
ny dear hosts.