Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-02-18

New York, Feb. IL. do you ever
stop to think OF the queer things and
the queer people in every day life? A
little while ago | mot the type OF woman
that | call 'the moral pincushion."
Everything stuck in her; but, unlike
the hard. commonplace pincushion,
that one which 10 only receptacle for
pins and needles, this poor, moral pin
cushion was hurt by every point and
WINGED as each pin, or needle was di-
rected, as she thought, at her. Tho
moral pincushion can always be made
to suffer by the people who make little
malicious speeches. In doubt as to the
becomngness of hor frocs, she meets
Miss Young Lady, who says TO her:
''Ah, you've got new gown.
thought Of getting that color myself,
hut was afraid to risk it. That one
speech means suffering for the season
to the poor pincushion, since she must
wear her dress, and she is now con-
WINGED that she looks a thousand times
worse in it than she really does. She
runs across an old friend, who says to
her: "How the years have gone by
since you and went to school! And
you married Charley Brown-well, well,
could tell you something about Mr..
Brown, but wont Now, there comes
worry and misery. The pipcushion is
convinced that her husband loved some
other woman more than be did her,
aud that he probably spends his days
in regretting his choice.
ANY little speech that she can pos
eibly take unto herself and make her.
self miserable about she seizes with an
avidity that is 80 remarkable that one
almost wonders il she isn't greedy for
stabs. Its true she's kindhearted, and
her eyes will fill with tears AS you tell
her Of some tale of woe, willis she is
the first to help where assistance is
really needed. But, from her child
hood up she has made herself the re-
ceptacle for all the nasty speeches
uttered before her. Sbe has allowed
her imagination to make tha worst of
everything; until she Is convinced that
she il the most maltreated, as well as
the most super. woman in the
world. 1t never enters her head to
protect herself. She never thinks that
all these careless speeches may not bo
meant for her; no, she goes along
through life hurt by every pin prick
of thoughtlessness wounded by every
needle-point of sarcasm, and unneces-
sarily unhappy.
There arc few families in which
there is not moral pincushion; and
the people who arc forced to live with
him are tho only ones capable of telling
just how aggravating these self made
martyrs are. | say self-made because
the moral pincushion 10 usually per-
son eaten up with self consciousness.
III she could eliminate the thought of
N herself from her life sho would be
NJ happier; if she would devote more
sympathizing with other people
and less with continual search after
unhappiEess in herself she would not
only be more agreeable, but better
looking. This type of woman gets
wrinkles around her eyes, has her
mouth drawn down at the corners, and
her forehead with heavy lines across it.,
the result of deep study us 10 how each
wicked speech could be meant for her.
It's the duty uf mother to find out
which one of the little people in the
nursery ia inclined TO be moral pin.
cushion, and to subdue the inclination
by doses of common sense, admins.
tered, not only daily, but hourly.
Speaking Of tho nursery, how many
women know how to train up n boy 10
the way no should go? The average
only boy, educated among lot oil
women, III, l am sorry to say, either q
molly coddle or a hyprocrite. At
years OF age one of these mothers boyi
criticized tho right Of preacher tt
hope that all the little dead babies
wouldn't DO sent 10 everlasting tor
ment! | don't know what medicine
would have been good for this young
man-sometimes | think n mixture o
calomcl and castor oil, with Iimiter
acquaintance with "those bad boys out
on the street." might have made hin
ft.t sNt I.,,t I Il. al, . .
When everybody else went boating h
charmed tho ladies' of his family b,
preierring to study his catcchism
when everybody else played tennis, o
croquot, or basket, bali. no chose I,
count the pennies that were to be usct
by tho missionaries to teach youn.
lady cauhibals how to arrange thei
locks inn Psyche knots. Don't mis-
understand me. don't like bad bo
hut a Fad boy could reform, Will
this boy, would never reform unless j
should be when he got into the peni
Tertiary after embe2zling the funds q
some charitable association.
like a polite boy, but like bo
who enjoys life as boy should; VIII
enjoys being out in tho open air; VIII
likes boys hooks and boys games
but boy who has boon bred SO we
Inut, oven w du CSTly uBe, Ee huuN
how to act rs gentleman should
Now. object TO the sissy aaG | bjeC
to the tough; | long for the happ
medium. And there are pianty of mic
boys. Generalizing, they are NOR
agreeable than small girls, though the
are seldom as smart. The small girl
overwhelmingly conscious, unless cir
are plentiful in her establishment, {
her best clothes; sho don't mind sittin
all through the long church seryiC
because sho's quito sure tho congrt
CATION enjoys seeing her. Vain litt
parsonage! How the girl is mother
the woman Sho's pretty to look upor
and she is desirable 10 have whel
boys are around, as she is tho refiuin
influence. The visa mother ear
teaches her boys that the first choit
OF everything must go to sister; thi
they must share their play toys vii
sisler; that they must keep their hea,
hands off the beautiful dolls that a
her delight. Consideration for stat.
is the keynote of an American nurser
Does it make the girl selfish? NJ
particularly; and it makes out OF ii
boy the American man who. no matt
how low be may become, alwaya has
his heart respect for good women.
English households the boys are t,
often allowed TO bully the girls, wi
b must wait on them. The girls a
taught TO consider the boys, big