Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-02-25
BAB'S INTERESTING LETTER
Her Desire to Help Crush Out
Petty Gossip.
MRS. HURTFUL'S BAD INFLUENCE
Fancy for Real Lace Growing
Daily.
The Modern Nurse a Thorough Reformer
OF Children "A Sure Cure for Greedy
Tots-Carrying Our Fads Into rhe Grave
Are Heroes Scarce Nowadays?

TOts-Carrying Our FHhs Into the Grave
Are Heroes Scarce Nowadays?
Special Correspondence = Gazetteanl journal
New York, Feb. 10. The world, it ia
said, is growing more and more cul-
tured. But did you over happen TO
think how it is given over 10 petty
gossip? When we pick up tho diary
of Mr.. Pcpys we laugh, in a semi
pitying way, at the minute descriptions
among whom he went. We forget,
however, that those were the days
when the newspaper was of little
worth, letters wera long time in
going frog, place to place, few people
Travelled, a spade was very emphatically
called spade, and art, with capital
A, was not thought OF. 1t is true that
in those days there were heroes, and
nowadays heroes are scarce. As the
world grows larger ii grew broader,
anil mon and women counted il an
evidence of ill-breeding to indulge in
gossip about little things Probably
human nature didn't change, but there
was day of dignity when ladies' did
not chatter 80 much after the fashion
of monkeys. and mon found them less
guod comrades. but very much more
celestial beings, to whom great respect
must he shown.
Possibly tine woman of to-day ia more
interesting, but how she can talk She
has very little fear of anything, or
| any body, and rs gossips and scolds are
no longer ducked, or pu. in the pillory,
she can give vent TO all her small dis
| likes and in the most positive manner.
Of course, there are many women who
| find no pleasure, either in listening TO
or INDUCING in this small tattling
| but the clever gossip who is a bit
vicious has her place today, and is
feared as much as she is laughed at.
Sometimes this type of gossip wears
masculine clothes and claims to be a
man, then he 10 that much more con-
| temptible; for small sins, especially
sins of the tongue, have been at various
times conceded to women when they
were counted mean and low in man.
The best way to down the woman OF
the vicious gossip type is to listen to
her with look of perfect indifference
upon your face. This makes her furious.
She doesn't mind if, by speaking 10 a
friend, she makes you angry: she
doesn't mind il, when she rattles the
bunes of your family skeleton, she
hurts you; but she does long to claim
your attention and force your interest.
| 1t requires some courage to look at her
inditferently. and as If you were sizing
her up; it may make her hate you, but
il will force her to confess that you are
beyond her and her type since you dc
not care in the least for their malicious
tals.
A woman of this kind seems to de.
light in hurting young, defenceless
girls. At reception this winter, to
the horror OF everybody, Mrs. Hurtful
said to the debutante: "How and where
is your mother?" The girl almost
tainted. but she had gnod blood in her,
and she had that wonderful something
called pluck, which stood by her, 81
she held herself UP as well as she
could, and said "Thank you, she's
quite well; she's ON the Continent. u
The truth was that three years before
the mother of this girl had been the
heroine in a dreadful scandal, and il
was a well-known fact that she waF
living a horrible life in Paris. Somt
one did have the courage to ask this
woman why she seid what she did
And she answered: "Oh, well, thost
people are always SO far above every
thing that's little human that
thought I'd give them u hit.' 1t wa'
true they were above mean acts. but
after all, the world is not so bad fol
among the women who were presen
when this happened, at loast five tool
Mrs. Hurtfu's name off their list. arc
her enemies were increased.
Nowadays, except with worry little
children, you no logger seq the Frenct
nurse In her place with the chidre
of tine rich. is the English nursery
goyerness. She ia apt TO BIO rathcl
guunt looking, but she is certain TO ht
woman of gentle birth, gentle man
ners, aud with sufficient education t.
answer until tho children are ready t
gn under regular governess. Thil
autocrat of the nursery brings with her
in addition to a perfect English accent
pronounced English IDEAS on the sub
ject CT children q pa, tics, sweet meats
baths, clothes, waiting on ones self
lessons and spanking. In this last ar
she is an adept. She teaches tho chill
dren that they must eat and ca
properly, and they learn, very early il
4 their acquaintance with her, that sh,
obeys King Solomon's order, and il
not economical with TIE rod. She il
absolute monarch in the nursery. o
course, she really does no real msnia
work, but she absolutely regulates thu
lives of the children, hears their simple
lessons, and cutivates in them thos'
nannera which, for centuries, we'll be
haved children have been expected I,
copy. She ia making the American
children of the rich splendillly groomet
little animals, and she is teachin!
them, which is good thing for then
to learn, the desirabiity OF waiting OF
themselves. at the table they mus
learn To help themselves to Il prope
quantity Of food, taking not too muci
and not to take too little. 4 tin,
maiden OF my acquaintance is bein!
taught this neat art in a sad but goot
way. | was in the nursery when tn,
children were having tea, and Will,
each one was enjoying, with cup o
weak tea or a glass of milk, Eieue o
hot, but simple cake, this Little mait
of was eating. oil dinner plate
some cold vegetables and some coli
pudding. She was inclined to be hi
greedy, and when she fancied disl
helped herself to great deal Of it
Tho English governess brought tn
remedy for this bad behavior. Whel
she took too much Of anything he
plate was reserved for hor and ell
had, for her tea, the overpius Th
medicine was very unpleasant one
but | am sure in very little while th
unhappy child will take hut small
| mn finn of tbe dish that she lilres an,