The Portland daily press., 1900-08-24
THE CHILD OUT OF DOORS.


By Christine Terhune Herrick.
I All children should, if possible, go
10 the country in the summer. But
there are some children who may be
permitted to stay in town if it seems
too difficult to get them away, and others
who should never be allowed to stay
there in hot weather, no matter what the
circumstances.
A child who is in robust health, may
not be permanently injured by losing
the share of outdoors he must forfeit if
he stays in the city throught the heated
term. Still, it is a grave question as to
whether he does not lower his vitality
to an extent from which he never re-
covers if he passes the summer months
in the hades of bricks and mortar, which
our large towns become when the hot
weather is once fairly under way And
so the parent should strain point to let
the growing boy and girl have as much
of the air of green pastures and noun
tain or Of sand and sea air as can pos
sibly be compassed.
When the circumstances are such that
the child cannot leave town until the
summer is well advanced, it should be
the study Of the mother to achieve a
tolerably good imitation of country GUS
toms. The children should be en-
couraged to rise early that they may
have the benefit of whatever freshness
is held by the new day Their break
fast should be light and simple. Enough
has already been said i'll these columns
of the food children should have in hot
weather to furnish suggestions in plenty
as to what the childs breakfast should
be. When this has been discussed he
should be allowed to go out of doors and
take what play or exercise he desires.
Should it not be convenient to have the
regular family breakfast at an early
hour, do not oblige the children to wait
for it. Fortify him with bowl of
bread and milk or some similar sub
stitute, and give him his regular morn
ing meal later. Do not let him go out
to play with his stomach empty, and the
temptation to fill it with unripe fruit or
anything else edible that presents itself.
During the hot middle of the day the
children should be kept in the house. If
they will take nap, so much the bet-
ter If they Will not-and it is not all
ways easy to induce a, child to do a thing
that would be so beneficial as to make
up for his early rising by a midday
siesta-encourag him to indulge in
sitting still plays. Keep certain games
for this time, and do not let the freshness
be worn off of them by permitting him
to have them at other times. Let the |
youngsters be as lightly clad as is con- |
sistent with decency. Tt is a sensible |
thing to make them undress and get
into their night clothes for the time they
are to spend in resting. Then, when it
is cooler and they are ready to dress and
go out again to get the little freshness
that comes when the sun is down, they
may be quickly sponged off with cool |
water, and their temperature thus low |
cred even further.
A word about the children's hot-weath-
er bed hour. The early time for re-
tiring that is a matter of course in winter
may be changed in summer A child /
who has been kept in all doors by the |
fervid heat frequently gets more good /
out of the time he spends out of doors in
the freshness that he would derive from |
the same period spent in bed. 1t is
akin to cruelty to animals to
oblige a child to lie and swelter Sleep |
him to remain out of doors a trine later.
Few are the cities that do not have |
breathing spaces near them in the shape
of extended parks or seaside resorts
or picknicking places. The parents
whom necessity forces to keep their
children in town late should plan to give
then an occasional chance to get a breath
Of country air. Nothing is pleasanter
than one Of these little picnics. if prop
erly managed. 1t is generally wise to
have them family affairs or else to take
along only such outsiders as can be re-
led upon not to prove an embargo upon
the freedom of the party In a certain
large New England city know family
who make a feature of their Saturday
night picnics. There are never more
than two or three people present besides
The family-which is alarge one. There
Is a beautiful little sheet of water about
i've miles from the town, and a line of
Lrolleys brings people within easy
walking distance of the lake. The
father, mother and two youngest chill
1ren go out to the meeting place in a
which also serves to convey
he baskets of provisions. The rest Of
he party go on the trolley, and all meet
at an appointed spot and hour. The
lime of gathering is generally about five
thirty, and the supper is served soon
lfter six. The meal is not an elaborate
affair, because the food must be such
Is children may eat. Then, when the
begins to fall, the party gather
ogether the impedimenta and take their
way homeward, braced and rested for
mother week.
(To be oontinued.)
LEMON NARMALADE.