The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-07-08
Our Social Chat.
Aunt n LETTER.

Our lives are in the eyes of those
who observe us fantastic, matter of
fact, commonplace or pathetic acts
on the stage of life. Some there are
who are continually in front of the
footlights and enjoy the publicity of
their special parts in the play. To be
known by all watchers is their desire,
while others are less bold and dread
the eyes of the simply curious.
There is, or ought to be, a curtain
to screen the family circle from too
much publicity. There are some Sc
crets in every family that the public
has no right to know, and he who has
the efrontery to ask concerning them
is no friend. Trivial things they may
be, but they are sacred possessions to
the family and he who ventures to pry
into things sacred to others has not
the proper reverence for the finer
human sensibilities. We are actors,
it is true, but sometimes rude hands
would rend the curtains and expose to
full view all the paraphernalia of the
dressing rooms at the rear of the
stage.
Our homes in the towns and cities
have been deprived of privacy by the
usages of society. Miss So-and-so
calls and before she takes her gracious
leave of us, she has managed to see all
over the house and very often even
the kitchen and store room. Now this
kind of curiosity may be appreciated
by some housekeepers, but it is often
times not only not appreciated but
detested.
Let a family move into a new town
or even into a different neighborhood
in the same town, and if there are
children in the family, other children
are sent to see them Cbefore the moth
er dares call herself) to inspect the
belongings of the family. Such ques-
tons as these are quite familiar to
some who read this article: GLOW is
the house furnished? Have they so
and so? Do they do their own work?
What was the mother doing?" If these
questions are answered satisfactorily,
the neighbor mother calls; if not, no.
body meets her, but none fail to see
her pass with that conscious elevation
of self with which most of US are ia
Now this is all wrong. A social sys-
tenn which tolerates and even encour-
ages the child to go where the parent
dare not, is essentially at fault some
where. My child is mine and I am its
mother: We are equally bad or we
should be equally good; my opinion of
people and life are formed follow
no teacher; in these matters my judg-
ment is rarely biased by trivial hap
penings. Not so with the child. He
is learning, and let me tell you that
bad is not easily forgotten. Do you
think it wise to subject your child to
probable evil influences by thrusting
him into homes of which you know
nothing and encouraging him to play
spy for you? Do you not think that
it would be wiser to go yourself, if
go somebody must in order to crafty
that morbid curiosity of yours? Dia-
.onds are found in the rough and
be cut and polished before their
is perfected. Your boy is a
diamond, you know; SO be careful as
to the many little facets and how they
are polished lest the gem be spoiled
your own hands. This inordinate
desire to rend the curtain of privacy
the home of our neighbor is the
foster parent of many other evils.
Sincere, Happiness and Mrs. D.,
contribute much to the pleasure of the
this week, with their interest
letters. This is Mrs. DIS first
call, but we hope that she will come
again ere long and bring with her that
-ovely daughter, Patience, whom we
all like.
AUNT JENNIE.