Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-06-04
THE TWO MOTHERS.
ONE VIVID HELPS HER DAUGHTER
AND ANOTHER WHO REPElS.
Typical Story Of Young Girl Which
Shows che Need of Confidence Bctweea
Mother and Daughter-Women Who
Forget Theft Own GirIhood.

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There are many girls, pretty, willful
and attractive, whose only need Is little
sympathy-sympathy just because they
are willful and beautiful and attract lovers
as the flame attracts the moth
OF these there is occasionally one who
has mother who has retained her Own
youth and the memory of her own girl
hood days. 20 such IA mother the girl
comes and pours out her girlish conf
dences--silly condolences. many times, no
doubt, but vital TO her, either in the way
of JOY or sorrow. Her heart is full OF
them, and the average girl simply must
tell it all TO some one
If TO such girl the mother bends a pa.
tient and observing ear, If she does not
laugh at her daughter foolish little trou.
bles nor turn coldly from her when she
tells OF some love affair, then the girl
comes again and again, and, knceling by
her mothers side, pOurs out her story.
A nd the mother looks into the young
heart and reads the lessons Of her own
youth over again. If she is wise, she
plants few seeds of her own long gone
experience in the fallow soil, and thus per-
haps helps little toward a more salts
there is no teacher like experience, and
girls do so many things hcedlossly.
But If the mother is too much engrossod
in other things, or for any reason does not
feel any interest in the things which fill
the young mind, then the girl will Ger.
tainly seek some other confidant. In this
case she is very apt To seek one Of her OVID
age and lack of experience. The result is
easily seen. One Is as wise as the other
and ii is a case of the blind leading the
blind.
Once l knew girl pretty, impulsive
and full of life, who, entirely misunder-
stood 10y those who should have known her
BEST barely escaped life of misery. AT
she age of II she became acquainted with
Ayoung man of dissolute habits and was
greatly taken with his handsome face aid
winning, 1attering manner She met him
at the house Of one who professcd TO be her
friend, but whose friendship consisted of
always allowing people to do just as they
desired regardless of consequences.
AS the acquaintance ripened it became
quite evident TINT the young man intended
TO marry the girl If he could get her Her
people were well 10 do in the world, and it
would be what is called "A good match-for
aim. At last the girl thought that she
would tell her mother about the new emo
lions which were stirring in her heart. She
was not in Che habit of doing this, and she
approached her mother with little fear
and trembling. The mother had never in
spired her daughter with very much con-
ddence-it was quite enough that she saw
10 it that the girl was clad and fed, school
ed and sent TO church.
But this was different, the girl reasoned
Surely the moi her would feel a Ipnr IN for.
est in the sweetest emotion that the daugh-
ter had ever known. At some remote Pc
riCd she must hHye been in love herself,
and she would remember and tell her just
what was for her good. In this frame of
mind she sought her mother Size.
I'm love-" cried the mother sarcastical-
ly after listening TO the girls trembling
story. ~ hat Go you think chit like you
can know about love? Baby love-caf love,
perhaps Let Inc hear no more of this non
sense. And, what is more, don't dare TO
meet this fellow again. Do you under
stand?'
The girl understood, with a heart beat
ing with indignation and sense of injury.
To whom could she turn il rot TO her own
mothers Her heart, sore from this recep-
ton, turned back toward the one who had
ever been kind and fattoring TO her. She
became from Il dutiful daughter a dis
obodient one and ran away ut night, when
she was supposed to be in bed, to meet the
fellow" she had been forbidden to ever
look upon again. The very fact that she
had been forbidden threw glamour over
his attractions and made him appear more
desinibls
She met him again and again at the
house OF their mutual friend. She strolled
With him through the palk and stole care
fully back to her home She promised to
be his wife, and the marriage would have
been contaminated for the time was set,
only for the intervention of merciful fate
which showed the lover in his true coiors
One evening the girl was to meet him at
the house Of their friend, but he was unac-
countably late to keep the tryst At last,
after she had begun to feel anxious lest
something terrible had beiallen him, he
came-came staggering under Il lead Of
whisky, with befuddled brain, thick ut
terapce and sickening breath.
Fortunately the girl had sense. She did
not, take upon herself the task of reforming
him. Moreover, she was in all probability
merely infatuatcd-nOt sincerely in love, as
she had fancied She turned away, sick
ened and Disguised, went home and hid
her shame and sorrow and modification in
the darkness of her own room.
Long after she married, and now has
daughters OF her own. There is nothing
that falls into the lives of these daughters
that does not interest the mother. She !
deeply realizes that there was time when
one little word of kindness and sympathy
would have won her to look on more than
one side of the question most momcntous
to herself. That word she had not received.
I..s IL. 4 u
and sarcasm and stern commands. Con. |
sequently she had very nearly walked over
precipice into gulf of lifelong misery. |
This picture is ever before her. ana it keeps |
her heart open To the feelings and emotions
OF her girls They come TO her with every |
thing of moment to themselves They |
come with perfect confidence of certain |
sympathy and kindly advice.
Some girls are very strange" said a |
woman the other day while speaking of |
some little escapade. Il don't remember