The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-06-23
NEW DUTIES OF PARENTS.
Somethi:'g. About Nose, Ear and Ely e.
lash Culture and Its Prac-
teal Application.

teal Application.
The responsibilities of parents seem
to be increasing. Formerly when a
child was born with "a pug nose and
grew up with the same style of nasal
appendage the father and mother were
sorry if the nose didn't please, but
their conscience WAS easy. Likewise
if their young hopeful's ears were of
the aspect which is delicately called
alert they were grieved but not re-
morseful.
1t is no such easy going for parents
to-day. Molding character is some
what out of date in these days of new
tangled child culture, but molding
noses has supplied new outlet for
parental energy. "A tiny little nose"
says one authority, may be changed
and much improved in shape. 1t can
be enlarged by gentle but persistent
massage. 1t can also be heightened
by series of gentle pulls, steadily and
continuously applied" This authori-
ty, however, admits that he should
hesitate at the nose-pulling in the case
of boys, as they generally get plenty
of it sooner or later. "a nose too gen
erous in size," he continues, may be
compressed by means of an ingenious
little instrument a good deal like
ciothespin. If properly applied it can
not injure the nose, as it acts simply
by diminishing the flow of blood to the
nose.
Of course, the ear question is settled
now. If person grows up in this day
and generation with outstanding ears
he will be at liberty to rise up and call
his parents shiftless, to say the least.
Another point to which painstaking
parents are invited to give their atten-
ton is the care of the eyebrows. A
judicious and persistent application OF
vaseline to the arch where these de-
sirable items should grow is said to
work wonders. AS children do not n ow
wear long and heavy bangs, another
piece of advice is, perhaps, not neces-
sary just at present, but it may be
slowed away for future reference. 1t
is given on the authority OF an old fam
lily doctor, and though it sounds good
deal like an old wives tale, he vouched
for it. He was present one day when
little girl came in. Her golden hair
was hanging in the way which has been
celebrated in song and story, down her
back. Also a heavy bang was hanging
over her forehead, reaching almost to
her eyes. Now, the doctor declared
that if the bang was allowed to hang
over her eyebrows it would be at the
cost of the latter, because, as he said,
luton of the problem of badness.
However that may be, the fact re-
mains that few persons seem to have
any idea that the eyebrows and eye
!ashes should receive especial care.
The use of vaseiine is good for the eye
lashes as well as for the eyebrows,
and when it is judiciously applied it
will have a very perceptible effect on
them, making them less likely to fall
or be rubbed out. 1t is the reckless way
in which people rub their eyes which
is to a great extent responsible for the
scarcity of lashes. 1t is almost always
the lower lid which bears the brunt of
this rubbing, and the result is apparent
in the much smaller quota of lashes
which the lower lid always has. This
is another direction in which parents
are expected to look out for the phys
ical we'll being of their children.
This is the day of the anti-spank
movement. Advanced mothers talk
learnedly of allowing child to de-
velop spontaneously, of not checking
and controlling him, but of letting his
individuality come up as a flower, with
out interference. Some mothers are
trying to live up to these beautiful
theories, even though their children
seem to come up more like a volcano
than like a flower. TO this variety of
mothers the nose culture is especially
recommended. If their small imp of
boy, developing his own ego a la the
lily Theoretically, grows too obstrep-
erous, they can take him by the nose
and pull him steadily and continuous
ly" around the room. If he protests,
or If any apostle of the new child cul-
ture surprises her in the act, she can
scout the idea of having punished the
boy. She has been simply doing her
duty in the line of nose culture. So
with the clothespin method.
In fact, this physical training may
readily be made to supersede old-fash-
Toned forms of punishment even with
mothers who stand by the old theories.
Instead of sending child supperless to
bed, he could be condemned to wear
a clothespin on his nose for an hour.
Instead of giving him a foolish spank.
ing he could be required to undergo
10 minutes of nose-pulling, and so on.
This method would have the advantage
OF combining practical and beneficial
results with moral discipline and could
be Indefinitely extended to include
such faults of physique as Topping
ears, pigeon toes, round shoulders,
stubby nails and so on.-N. Y. Sun.
Rennet Dessert.