The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-09-14
The True Mother Love.
BY Ella Wheeler wileox

uehic Vi inulScfetloA aHect1ng elder
ly men and young women was pas
sing over the land
Within short period of time three
young women have married men old
enough to be their fathers Tor grand
fathersl after forcing mature wife
to obtain a divorce.
Scandals affecting the reputation
OF young women and the men are Of
too frequent occurrence to cause
surprise.
Almost invariably, OF course, the
man in the case possesses a fortune,
and the young woman is benefited
financially by the association.
But at what cost, morally and
socially, are such benefits gained /.
1t Is not so much with the parties
implicated in such affairs that this
article deals, as with the mothers Of
the young women brought to unpleas-
ant notoriety through the pursuit of
old men admirers.
Mother love is supposed to be a
wonderful thing.
1t Is said by sentimentalists to be
the most "unseifish OF emotions. +"
The assertion is, however, open to
question.
Observation does not prove it to be
a fact.
A seventeen-year-old Dleilah, who
had shorn tifty-year-old Samson of
his locks OF moral strength and fnan-
cial attentions to the discomfort of a
wife and six children, was sustained
and defended In the situation by her
devoted MOTHER
That "unselfish" woman declared
1t to be the business of no one out
side her family il this married man
and father visited her daughter and
showered money favors upon her.
He was said to have known her
daughter since her childhood, and
his interest in her was "fai herly"
and "platonic. "
There Is always one sure test of
the extent of the "fatherly" and
"platonic" element in married
mans interest in young woman
If she Is as intimate with his wife
and daughters as with himself; if the
women Of his family receive her with
as great cordiality as the husband
does, II there are no clandestine
meetings or rendezvous, and no let
tiers exchanged which the world and
the wife might not see, then, indeed,
the mother may feel that her daught-
er has a platonic and fatherly friend.
But even under these conditions
the really loving and wise mother
does not countenance tete-a- -tete calls
of the married man upon her daught-
er or approve of his acting as her es.
cort unaccompanied by any member
OF his family.
The unseltish, unmercenary and,
kind mother brings her daughter up
to young womanhood in manner
and with such ideals that the young
woman herself would not permit
friendship with married man o
reach the danger point. She would
not receive gifts or attentions from
him.
The state OF Connecticut is fortu-
nate In having for its prison warden
a man Of exceptional brain, heart and
sympathy; a man who thinks, feels
and acts In accordance with the most
humane and practical religious prin-
ciples in his association with unfor-
tunate humanity. Not long ago this
man said to visitor: "Children
who receive the right menta training
for the first ten years of life never
wear prison stripes in later years3.
All criminal instincts can be eradi.
Gated by forming the right kind Of
brain cells for children before they
are ten."
The speaker did not mean educat-
ing children in book lore. lie meant
teaching them how to think, unself-
ishly, sanely and sensibly.
NUU Ole HiOtHef III tDOuSdn0
teaches her daughter or her son this
three-fold system Of reasoning.
The scores Of glowing and devoted
mothers" OF whom the sentimental
lists write and talk, consciously, or
unconsciously, train the minds OF
their children to desire financial sue
cess, position and social power. Oft.
times children are taught TO envy
the wealthy and to covet their advan-
tages through listening to CONVERSE
tion Of their elders not intended for
their ears.
Few little girls OF 10, IL, or Is can
be found, who do not cater to the
fasbioably dressed woman. irrespect.
i've OF her character. They long TO
emulate her rather than the woman
OF great mental or moral attachments
who makes less show In the world.
This is not the fault of the child
ren, but OF the elders vino have FORM
ed their minds.
The mad desire OF hundreds OF
mothers TO have their daughters
dress we'll, 10 appear In smart" so.
ciety and tn travel and eniov tho