Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-03-19
THE TWO MOTHERS.
ONE Wt.o HELPS HER DAUGHTER
and ANOTHER WHO REPELS.

Forget Theft Own GirIhood.
There are many girls, pretty, willful
and attractive, whose only need is little
ympathy-sympathy just because they
arc willful and beautiful and attract lovers
as the flame attracts the moth.
OF these there is occasionally one who
has a mother who has retained her own
youth and the memory of her own girl
hood days. To such a mother the girl
comes and pours out her girlish conf
dences-silly condolences, many times, no
doubt, but vital 70 her, either in the way
of JOY or sorrow. Her heart is full of
them, and the average girl simply must
tell it all 10 some one.
IL to such girl the mother bends pa
tient and observing ear, if she does not
laugh at her daughters foolish little trou-
bles nor turn coldly from her when she
tells of some love affair, then the girl
comes again and again, and, kneeling 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 IA little toward n more salts
factory harvest than her own has been, for
there is no teacher like experience, and
girls do so many things heedlessly.
But if the mother is too much engrossed
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 contidant In this
case she is very apt to seek one of her own
4 IL
easily seen. One Is as wise as the other
and ii is IA case of the blind leading the
blind
Once l knew girl, pretty, impulsive
and fun of life who entirely misunder-
stood by those who should have known her
best, barely escaped a life of misery. All
The age of II she became acquainted with
young man of dissolute habits and was
greatly taken with his handsome face and
winning, nattering manner. She met him
at the house of one who professed 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 that the young man intended
to marry the girl if he could get her. Her
people were well TO do in the world, and it
would be what is called good MATCHBOX
aim. At last the girl thought that she
would tell her mother about the new emo
tions which were stirring in her heart. She |
was not in the habit of doing this, and she |
approached her mother with a little fear |
ana trembling The mother had never in
spired her daughter with very much con-
ddence-it was quite enough that she saw
70 it that the girl was clad and fed, school |
ed and sent TO church
But this was different, the girl reasoned |
Surely the mother would feel deep inter. |
est in the sweetest emotion that the daugh- |
ter had ever known AT some remote pc
Rod she must have 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 mothers side.
'In love- cried the mother sarcastical-
ly after listening to the girls trembling |
story. What do you think chit like you
can know about love? Baby love-calf love,
perhaps. Let me hear no more of this non
sense. And, what is more, don't dare TO
meet this follow again. Do you under
stand:"
The girl understood, with heart beat
ing with Indignation and sense of injury. |
To whom could she turn if not 10 her own |
mothers Her heart, sore from this recep-
ton, turned back toward the one who had
ever been kind and fattering TO her She
became from Il dutiful daughter q dis
obeuient one and ran away at 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
desirable.
She met him again and again at the
house OF their mutual friend. She strolled |
with him through the park and stole care
fully back 10 her home. She promised to
be his wife, and the marriage would have
been consummated, for the time was set
only for the intervention of merciful fate
which showed the lover in his true colors.
one evening the girl was TO meet him at
tic house OF their friend but he was unac-
countably late 70 keep the tryst. At last,
after she had begun TO feel anxious lest
terrible had befallen him, he
calnc-came staggering under a load of
whisky, with bcfuddled brain, thick ut
teranco and sickening breath.
Fortunately the girl had sense She did
hot take upon herself the task of reforming
him Moreover she was IN all probability
merely Northumberland sincerely in love- as
She mad fancied. She turned away, sick
ened and disgusted, went home and hid
her shame and sorrow and modification In
,he 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
hat does not interest the mother. She
leeply realizes that there was time when
me little word of kindness and sympathy
would have won her to look Oh more than
me side of the question most momentous
10 herself. That word she had not received
In its place she had only found cold looks
md sarcasm and stern commands Con.
she had very nearly walked over
, precipico into IA gulf of lifelong misery.
This picture is ever before her, and it keeps
Ter heart open to the feelings and emotions
If her girls. They come 20 her with every
hing of moment 10 themselves They
'omc with perfect confidence of certain
and kindly advice.
some girls are very strange" said a
woman the other day while speaking of
omc little escapade. Il don't remember
II ever wanting TO do such things. have