The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08
FOR FEMININE READERS
A THOUGHT FOR THE YEAR IN A
HOME WHERE s.MOTHER" STILL Is.
A Tiny Foot No Longer IA Mark of
Waists-One Change in Women.

The query ask this morning is a simple
one, says Dorothy Maddox, in the Philadel-
phia Inquirer. The answer is more comph-
Gated Have you a mother in your house
hold? Is she still young enough and active
enough to be at your beck and call? Then
let the problem for the year be: How
shall this mother, for the next twelve
months, be shielded from the hard rubs of
each days living?"
I think 1 may state with candor that in
home economies usually the very last
economy to be considered is the vitality
Of the mother of the household.
1t has become second nature to call on
a certain pair of hands ever willing, to
lean on a heart that never fails in SYM
pathy, to burden a brain always resource
ful. Mother has become so accustomed TO
nasty summons from her dear ones she
ceases to think of self She has the misfor-
tune to live in an age when sons and daugh-
tiers are ready to barter heaven for CRIME
ana glitter. There is mad tussle amongst
them for social foothold. The position is
insecure because of a precarious income.
only the woman so placed can understand
how cares multiply until they drive from her
life every note of real harmony TO her the
girls look for party frocks as fine as those
worn by the daughter of her rich neighbor.
To her the sons look for caioleries that will
placate an irate father. She it is who must
sacrifice hours of needed rest to mathe-
NAUTICAL calculations in order that certain
functions may not fall short of the young
peoples expectations. Never once docs this
mother stop to consider the rank injustice
melted out to her by her family. She is its
slave as much so as if she had been bought
and paid for. She is hunted down until the
sweetest Of womanly natures is stunted, I'M
til LIES delicate technicalities are thrown
cut of gear.
Let the problem for the coming year be
puzzled over, studied, arranged that cheer-
ness delight may be infused into the sur
roundings of the one who should be our
tenderest care. The rarest orchid in rich
mans conservatory should not be more care.
fully fostered than this mother Cherish
energies that you have misused have wasted.
Let mother declare If she will that she
loves to do things for people Poor soul,
she IS honest enough, and If she finds so
much happiness in waiting on others. are not
the capacities of her nature equally great
Tor the enjoyment of the smallest faVOrS
that come her way? Don't wait until this
mother OF yours is old enough for q chimney
corner before you are thoughtful of her.
Give her taste of the dainty morsels of life
Willie she can test their flavor. Nothing can
be done to infuse warmth and light into
thought and action is determined upon. One
unwilling member of a family may easily up
set the best-laid plans of the others. The
plans are made; some day mother finds her
self taking an afternoon nap, and one by
one her restful joys multiply After little
she discovers the family party for the opera
or play is not complete without her and that
her girls are becoming interested in her COM
plexion, her hair, her gowns.
And she no longer feels that she is taking
something from somebody else when her
boys bring her home bunch of violets or a
box of candy. She is still new this mother,
to the lovely sensation of reading a novel
without feeling she is committing one of the
seven sins She is still new to the sensation
or having her worn little hand tucked into
her boys stalwart arm and CALAMITY trotted
off to card party
How did it all come about? A good angel
takes the mending basket in hand. Another
good angel shoulders some other burden and
SO the days grow more and more sunshiny
for mother. She is beginning to lose her
careWOrn expression. The lines in her face
are rapidly disappearing
What a beautiful work for the year Plan
for it.. Pray that it may be successful God
will richly bless you.