New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-02-04

~
The fourth story Of an entirely novel series: A
mother with SIX daughters tells the story Of the
as girls their love affairs, etc The story of Hetty
is now told.
"Yes-but mother doesn't understand. She IS old
fashioned and such a womanly woman
The words broke on my ears in the voice of my
fourth daughter. who at that time between
fifteen and sixteen. The schoolroom door was ajar,
Hetty's voice. clear and trihe impatient. f1oated
out to me as stood. arrested by surprise in the
passage.
Old-fashioned! Dear dear me- why I was still
in my thirties. I looked upon myself as quite an
up-to-date sort of person. and did not feel in the
least bit old-fashioned or passe. I often In
cl;ned TO pinch myself to make myself believe that
I was really the mother of nearly grown-up daush-
tiers. for still felt young ever and it seemed
as If it were after ALL only yesterday that Dick and
I walked across certain gorse covered common in
springtime, and he said to me. in that quick boy
ish way that covered nervous tremors:
Il say, darling do you think you could marry
me-"
What I answered to that abrupt question this
series of stories makes obvious but wish to make
it plain that really felt very little older than on
that afternoon nearly twenty years before, and Il
quite a shock to me to hear Hetty call me
old-fashioned. And also such womanly woman.
BLESS my SOUL I thought, what is the child
talking about or driving at?' and chuckled
little when told Dick the story in the evening
though at the time I sighed realized for
the millionth time what difficult creatures girls
were to comprehend, or our gardener used to
say, ito get up sides WITH and how many STUN
bling blocks lay in the path of mother Of six
daughters.
Dick laughed when asked him what line he ad-
vised TO take with Hetty-laUghed and said that.
being woman myself I was. naturally the best
judge of what girls made OF. and should be
easily able to bring Hetty TO her senses.
From the first Dick had been dear about what
he called my province in the household He was
not one of those men who wish to put their fingers
into every corner of the domestic pie and he al
ways said that I knew a great deal better than he
did what 1t best do with children and
therefore he would not interfere with their manage
unless specifically asked for his interference
The result of this wisdom on his part that he
and his girls delightful terms of bon
~camaraderie and he was not looked upon as dis
agreeable final court of appeal and punisher as is
SO often the lot of unhappy fathers
Bat it was all very we'll for the old darling to
say that I must necessarily understand the work
ings of a girls mind, because was a woman That
conclusion does not in the least follow. I know
the workings of one girls mind. my own ana
had once fattered myself that my daughters would
be faithful little copies of me But they were not;
their minds worked in utterly different ways. and
had found that a mother must make study Of her
children just as thoroughly and seriously as she
makes any other study, if she wants to know her
Perhaps for their good and that of posterity an
even more comprehensive study would be advan-
Hetty was frank and outspoken person. With
many of the characteristics of boy. and resolved
Next morning. therefore. when after breakfast
book she wanted 10 take 10 school with her. said
qWnfs{t d{{ aaar III. 70 na good ob,, viii, NV
girls; will you tell me why you think ] am old
fashioned and overWOmany2
h.rI ig1r of ,afr N.
color ran over her dear 1reckled face
Pld you near mummy g she 5 Sal1, note Of re-
anything to hurt you" she added remorsefuly.
T did not smile. though the child's almost
ternal fear OF having hurt my feelings was really
others answered; but it didn't hurt me dear:
simply want 70 thresh il out with YOU WHAT makes
you think a womanly woman poor sort OF
She looked at me frankly out Of her big brown
You see. mummy its such silly. petty sort Of
order dinner every day. and doing all the regular.
Won said ! couldn't go and play hockey with the
boys that made me think OF it, she ended desper-
smiled them really could not help it Muir
der will out and must confess r thar Hetty WaS
babyhood she had preferred boys TO girls and boys
games and occupations 70 the tanner amusements
foolish spirit but simply because she was simply
Her grave request 70 be allowed to go and play
hockey on the PuP9 grssp asar ogr o%n v aIpse
decided refusal from me; and l pointed ont that
jostle with boys ard must be content now 70 play
genes with those of her own sex
aTJet+v my dear I said after the long pause
that succeeded her last remark. YOU are SONG to
he a wou1an-not from choice, but OF necessity.
wouldn't IL perhaps, be more rational To decide
Pit don't see said the child why the
woman should have 10 do all the stupid stay-at-
home dull kind OF things. Why can't a woman
20 cut ana knock about In the world like man.
lust as l want 10 go and pleT hockey with the
boys
on eternal question Of the modern woman. now
had YOU evolved yourself IN my Hettys breast!
Dick and l were such sober, matter OF fact sort
OF people. without big warnings or strenuous
thoughts. only anxious make the best use or our
little span OF existence, and with simple straight
FORWARD IDEAS OF life and its duties. Hetty had