The record-union., 1896-05-24

of ours who, in one way or another,
are always regretting and complaining
that girls from II to IS are not pre-
maturely old women. They would
have them gifted with the wisdom of
Solomon and as experienced as Prince
Metternich. They should forsOoth act
as if the weight of years attributed to
Methuselah were upon their young
shoulders, while the prudence of gray
hairs and power of reflection depicted
upon the face of an owl ought to be
their birthlight. Science and philoso-
ply they should of their own choice
prefer to poetry or fiction. They should
be fond of sober -colored gowns, with
high necks, and wear their hair cOmbed
ST. aight back, guiltlesS of curls and
frizZies, not to mention bangs, and un-
ornamented in any manner whatsoever.
Dickens and his cOmpeers should be
avoided as dangerous, while Bacon and
Sir Isaac Newton ought to furnish
proper reading matter enough to sat
iSfy the cravings of a young mind.
Young men should be looked upon with
decided hostility, and beetles, bugs,
spiders, butterflies, etc. should be stud
led until our girls themselves look like
the fossil remains of some antiquated
species, to be found encased under
glass, in the collection of the Museum
Association.
But what utter nOnSenSei" you eX-
claim. Why, yes, certainly; I agree
with you entirely, but let me tell you, 1
have known mothers who were just as
rigid with their daughters as those in
the picture / have just drawn, forget
~, nd
every impulse belonging to the transi-
ton state which makes or mars the fu-
ture man or woman.
1t is no use, mothers, girls will be
girls as long as the world wags, and
that will be for some time yet, since it
is evidently good for some centuries be-
yond you and me- They will continue
to commit a thousand follies, make un-
dying friendships which last week or
a year, until the mood wears off; they
Will fall madly in love dozens Of times
and fall out again, if too great opposi-
tion is not brought to bear on the
bread-and- butter passion of their ten
der, impressionable young hearts, and
they will be none the worse for it, / as
sure you, if mother is the right sort of
a mother, who will take this rosebud Of
existence into her arms and kiss away
her little trials and disappointments
(Which to the young are every bit as
heavy and hard to bear as the trials
which come in after life), with tender
est love and sympathy. THE heart
knoweth its own bitterness" and
know how a young girls heart can ache
over some transient worry.
Thank Providence, times are chang
ing, and girls are not expected to be
old maids at the immature age of -,
as they were fifty years ago, by every
one. There are some old fogies left who
preach upon this text, when l was a
girl" by the hour, if they can find any
one to listen to them. What would our
great at-grandmothers have thought had
a nineteenth century miss suddenly
appeared, riding down upon her astride
q bicycle, tricked out in full bloomer
costume? Can you not imagine the
holy horror with which one of those
good danes would have regarded her ?
Why should anyone condemn the
young for trying TO make themselves
look as attractive as possible? 1t is
just as natural for young girls to love
pretty clothes and bright ribbons and
''lots of fun" as it is for the flowers tc
love the sunshine that gives them the
power to take on different hues. Those
croakers who want girls TO be old
women before they are maids, and
would deck them out in sober browns
and drabs before they are out of swad-
ding clothes, would probably wish tc
extinguish the sun, have the sky paint
ed a somber lead color, and the festive
green grass and gorgeous blossoms
faded to a nondescript hue, inoffensive
to their very proper and correct taste
But the God who made the flowers anc
butterflies and gave them their beauty
placing the life-giving sun in the heav-
ems for their pleasure and benefit, made
also these human blossoms, and gave
them the instincts necessary for their
health and physical development.
Let the girls, then, enjoy their illu-
sions and dreams as long as possible
The day of disillusionment comes soon
enough, as you and i know full well
7. OF them fiutter out the brief hour oi
their butterfly day, which has its owl
charm as well as use, both in looking
hack over years past and forward tc
those ahead. Time viii full soon re-
veal to them what the world expects
ave demands, of the woman who has
lost her youth, no matter how young hel
heart may be. Mrs. Grundy does moi
talxe anyone's heart into consideration
in the summing up of conduct; she
barshly lays down a law for each pc
-,.;,a of our existence, according to oul
,-aars and woe betide the woman who
dares to be law unto herself.
Tt is interesting to note the changes