Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-20

Just so long as meddling is not made a
capital offense meddlers will continue to
run riot, yet there are few wrong-doers
outside the penal code who cause more I'M
happiness.
We are all familiar with the woman who
interferes with the way her relatives bring
up their children Probably she never had
a child Of her own; possibly she never
wanted one; but all the same she is thor
oughly convinced that no one was ever bet
ter fitted by high heaven than herself to
the task of training the infant mind
She offers suggestions to the mother ad
libitum. and-she puts her theories into
practice when the mother is not near. She
upsets the system of home discipline with
an air of conscious virtue. and II she does
not succeed in running the child's DISPOSE
ton 1t Is only because her opportunities are
limited, the mother exceptionally wise OF
the child exceptionally sane.
TIE parent who interferes with her chill
dren's teachers is another widespread type
Of neddIeI. In eight cases out Of ten she
breathed a sigh of relief the day Willie was
Old enough to start school, since already
the answering of his questions and the con-
trolling of his small wriggling body-had
got beyond her.
She knows that the quiet-voiced, capable
looking young woman whom the municipal
room has been weighed in the balance and
found equal to most educational emergen-
cies, yet for the life Of her she cannot re-
frain from offering advice. She sends Will
lie to school one day armed with a note, in
which Miss A. is cautioned against pushing
SO bright and frail little fellow too fast:
size comes down to see the principal the
next day herself and asks him II he really
thinks Miss A. Is competent. Her little
boy seems to have come all but to a stand
still since he has been in her class. And
unless the principal has been schooled in
adversely and seasoned with the wisdom of
long experience he Is apt to go to Miss A.
with the suggestion that she might try to
please the parents a little better
There isn't any vital harm done, perhaps,
but Miss A. will have an uncomfortable
half hour and there really wasn't any rea-
son why any Of it should have happened.
Who hasn't come in contact with the
soured bit of middle age who wants to regu-
late the amusemenis Of all the young people
she knows? I knew young girl who, hav-
ing secured a position in district school
the fall after her own graduation, went
with her news to relative. from whom
she had every right to expect interest and
"There are some awfully nice young
people In the neighborhood and there will
be lots going on after school hours" she
concluded. joyfully. Il expect to have a
very nice winter.
You have no right to expect anything
so foolish" retorted the elder woman, tart
ly. "A girl who Is working for her living
has no time for gayety and frivolity. You
should no. think Of going out in the even
ings: 1t will unfit you for the next days
duties"
Fortunately. circumstances spared the
girl more than temporary interference, but
1t was weeks before she shook OF the eff
feet Of those few depressing sentences.
I am reminded Of the history, Of family.
two sisters in which married, the other
members, fortunately for the mates they
might have chosen. remaining single. The
Tod hrn md icfn
time as remained from Interfering with
each others pursuits In offering advice to
their newly acquired brothers-n-law.
Never having entered into the holy estate
of wedlock themselves, they naturally felt
better qualified for 1t than those whom
nature had selected to play the part. and
they succeeded within a decade in bringing
about two virtual separations. which prob
ably would have ended in two divorces had
not death interfered more capably than