Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-14
THE uNsrLFIsH MOTHER.
By Lillian Mason
MISTAKEN NEGLECT on HfR ovN DRESS
PICTURE or A GRANnMulhfR.

MISTAKEN NEGLECT on HER ovN nREss-
PICTURE or A GHANpNulHfR.
We have read ia the story books Of the
ideal mother who always wOrc her hair
dressed in the same neat baids. and
whose dresses Of quiet gray were iash-
ioned the same year after year She
made a pretty picture IN the story, but
in real life would have been less saiis-
factory 70 her daughters and her hus-
band might tire Of the samoness OF her
daily attire. But even the monotony OF
a uniform style of dress. ii kept neat,
is more commondable than q slattorn
everyday toilet and spasmodio tidying
no for company. The most ohtusc man
notices. If he does not often comment on
a woman's general appearance. One
day he remarks, "What neat looking
woman Smiths wife is' or How like
distraction Jones' women folks look. "
He has mentally compared you with
them TO your credit or loss.
As a woman grows older she should
take more care OF her personal appear
ance. If you are a middle-aged mother,
do not say. 81 have had my day, let the
girls have it all now, for u is the most
mistaken kindness that You. can do Tor
them The shabby mother, IL ever so
good and kind, is a times a modification
to the young people who have not learned
to overlook these minor defects even m
one they love and who feel almost as
keenly the faults in mothers personal
appearance as in their own. Persistent
neglect however to make the most OF one 3
personal appearance after a time makes
the sons and daughters selfish; they grow
to think that all things belong 70 them
as "a matter of course.
But the mother may say, "Ne have
little to spare and the girls are going away
from home more than and make other
apparently reasonable excuses for a
mothers seli-denial Now, tasteful APP
pearance is not always the result Of eN-
pending large sum OF money. il costs
nothing to comb your hair in the pre-
vailing fashion, and If the girls kindly
offer TO arrange il in new and becoming
way do not refuse to wear Il so Just be-
cause it feels odd and the hairpins pull a
little. A day or two will accustom you
to the change If il is the fashion to
wear ruching in the neck don't stick to
bands because you happen tohave several
on hand. Don't neglect TO have a gown
ready for festive occasions, saying that
YOU never 20 anywhere, for Il the dress is
ready the opportunity will come. Nothing
to wear has been stronger force than ill
health to keep women at home, and 10
is not silly excuse always. Women
in wishing TO look well are thinking as
much Of their families as themselves.
That the young can see beauty even in
extreme age let me prove by relating
what a young girl once said as q group OF
companions were looking into the future
and telling what they would do. Never
mind, said the bright girl, ''who ! shall
marry or how / shall live, but when /
get to be a very old lady, if my hair
grows scant / shall wear a bit Of black
or white lace and / shall indulge in tiny
bows Of lavender ribbon on It. ] shall
wear a fchu Of muslin crossed on my
dress waist and, if ] can afford them
great white linen aprons, not with trills
and lace like those my granddauthers
will wear, but finished with a deep hem
But If this seems to make too much wor,
shall content myself with a light print
apron for mornings and in the afternoon
a black mohair. from which bits of thread
will slip easily or my dim eyes can sec
quickly to shake off. Then, If ! can be
allowed a breadth of black silk for an
I afternoon dress-up apron / shall be salts
fed as to the details of my dress anc
feel that in the background / shall make
a pleasing part Of the household picture.