The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-08
SOME MOTHERS
NEED SENSE
Foolish Traits Displayed in
Many a clearinghouse.
Their Children Permitted, and Even
Encouraged, tn Disturb the
Privacy of Others.

without a doubt. women compelled to
spend the best part of their. lives in
boarding house. if asked what they con
sidered the greatest drawback 10 their
comfort would promptly answer. the
children in the house, = says Dorothy Mad
dox, in the Philadelphia Enquirer. And
how all other evils sink into coDrs "a tive
insignificance beside this one. IL is par
ticulariy hard upon those vino have only "a
few precious hours to call their own. Then
it is that this clearinghouse nuisance
frets, chafes, harnesses.
/ viii cite single case. 1t will read
ily stand for unnumbeTed Others. The
complainant is q hard working girl who
looks forward to treasured moments or
secluSion in her own quarters as Just
50 many green ssots WHICH she has no
desire TO SHARE with very many people,
certainly not with lot Of chattering
youngsters
She is young. pretty and agreea ble. In
squeHce, she has been selected by
the small fry i'm tine house as a victim.
They have settled about her in swarurs.
There is always one or more ha nging
around the halls awaiting her -retmniat
night from the office.
As soon as she comes in sight She is
pounced upon with the petition, 2. May I
come in and see you a little while?
Mamma says may" or course mamma
is willing. she is only TOO gla d to getTid
OF the child
Leaving the dinner table as shyly as
possible 10 effect an escape from child
ish bore never seems to work. The little
one makes dart for the yOting W oman
and biurts out say. Miss Mamie,
can I go With your Mother is mum as
an oyster. She looks pIacidIy ON and
waits for the reply. IL is slow in com
ing, but what can the poor girl dog she
is afraid Of giving ofrense and so she
covers her disgust with a smile and
says YeS."
The little one, forgotten by its mother.
stays on and on. Finally the senseIess
parent happens along. spies her charge
and weakly protests against the length
of the vista ton. Come. dear. Won
have bothered Mics Mamie long enough"
There is a howl for more time. Mother.
with an exasDerating air OF cOndeseen-
sion. says: We'll, you may STAY lust
ten minutes longer" Then she shuts
herself up with a book and forgets that
she has an offspring
II j. about the neaneSt fOrm Of incon-
sideration women are capable Of-this
hOiSing their children ON other people
especially when those annoyed have so
few hours of privacy in which To es-
cape from the world and its duties And
yet It is Pronounced feature OF loarding-
house life. If children were not Sib.h
prying creatures: IL they were not such
restless animals. matters would not lie
quite desperate.
They wander from spot 20 spot IN a
room Ike hyenaS They do not hesitate
20 pick up anything they fancy. ana ask
questions Of the most embarrassing
nature. Then. after they have cen as
Troublesome possible the chances are
they viii finally go to their mother
with tale that totally nIisrepreSpnfs the
manner in which they have Teen treated.
Great heavens, How ! pHy such de
fenseless people. And this Old world of
ours; IL is tiresome enough. at times.
goodness knows. without being made any
more ~ by mothers whose natures are
stepped in seIfishness; mothers sadly lack
ing in discrimination in refinement,
in constituencies of soul. Sometimes 1
think they must he born idiots to fIatter
themselves that anybody on earth out
side their own immediate family cares
rap for their children. Howcanauy woman
with a grain OF wit lie ~ fOoIiShIy vain
as To- Imagine her tots capable OF interest
ing strangers?