The National tribune., 1907-06-20

nanuS OF Drain. or DulIp lHdl VIII
away the blues"
Unfortunately, it is not only the peo-
pie OF mature years who suffer, hav-
| ing had experience, they apply COM
mon sense to the cure of the disease.
! Persons of al lagos are subject to fits
of depression when, having nothing to
do, their minds dwell on their condi-
ton. and selfshness and morbidity fol-
low. Little children follow the mother
| from room to room with the plant,
"Wha, can 1 do now?" And sad is the
mothers life who can find no answer
to the Cry.
| Perhaps there is no one for whom
these days of inaction are more harm
full, now and hereafter, than the young
girl Just growing into womanhood. She
is neither child nor woman. yet has
many of the ideas, thoughts and as
IpirationS of both. If she is childish,
she is reminded that she is almost a
woman; if she is wOmanish, she Is
lridicuIed for putting on airs" This
time of danger-for there is danger IN
lit-may come at any time, but it is apt
to be felt most keenly during vacation
when the mind and hands have scarce
ly any obligatory work to do; then dis
content makes havoc with even the
best dispositions. During the long
hours of the long days the girls find
that time hangs heavily, and they
to place; no duty, no work, no special
thing of interest appeals to them. and
Ithey become absolutely tired of doing
nothing
Perhaps few mothers who have had
these facts suddenly thrust upon their
notice have realized what this time of
| "dOnothingness'' meant for their chill
dren. A mother may have seen the
freedom from study and rest change to
weariness and discomfort without rec
| ogniZing the symptoms; and she is
lucky if she discovers before 1t is too
late that the girl needs not more rest
and ease but something to do. She
ought to have some employment that
will be within her powers; a duty or
set of duties that will help by its very
routine to make the days pass evenly
and pleasantly.
Almost every girl has an inclination
for housework: it may be only the or
namental parts, or, possibly, the use
| full ones. DuSting and making beds
do not appeal to most girls. though
making cake or salad may Happy
| is the girl who can vary her tasks by
a genuine love for house-work.
Every young girl, no matter what
| her circumstances, ought to have a
certain amount of work to do: not
enough to make it a difficult or dis
agreeable task, but sufficient to keep
the hands and mind occupied for GER
tain time each day. 1t may be the care
of her room. darning stockings or
washing the fine china. These come
within the severely practical duties.
however, and may not satisfy the es-
thetic part of her nature.
If she is given certain day on
which she can bake. or try to bake,
though the materials are wasted at
first, the mother will not find it all a
loss. Plain cake. biscuits, mullins,
puddngs or any of the many things
that a beginner can attempt may be
undertaken with some hope of success
even by a child. And it is the making
things that gives them most delight.
Sewing is supposed to come by ma
ture to girls from the day their first
doll baby is placed in their arms. But
there are many ways of sewing, and
will scramble dolls clothes together;
not so much from. an inclinati ton to be
careless and untidy as from wish to
hurry and see how the things look,
and, too frequently. because no one
thinks it worth while to teach her how
to do better
When the little girl begins to sew it
is only a matter of a few minutes to
show her how to hold her needle, her
work and her thimble. 1t will not
take much more time to cut some pat
terms for her and give little instruc-
ton in the proper making of the dolls
clothes. the evenness OF the stitches
and the neatness of the work. The
time comes. of course, when the dolls
clothes are put aside, but if a love of
sewing has been created. there has
generally come with it a desire to con-
struct for herself and the young girl
may be anxious to try her hand on her
own clothing.
1t is the same disposition in us all;
hot .i.st oh.
ual training schools: the fascination OF
being able to form. to make, to build.
to create. No child reasons matters
out to n finish or reflects that she is of
use in the world. Frequently it is only
a selfish cause that stirs her to action,
but the result will be nearly the same,
if the proper work is undertaken and
we'll carried on to n finish.
One of the principal things a girl
should then be taught is-continu-
ance. .Stick-to-it-iveneSs'' is so fire.
quently lacking in young and old, and
the finishing of an article, the knitting
of the second mitten, is so often an un-
comfortable task.
Too little attention is paid to the sub
ject Of employment for idle girish
hands. Too little thought is given to
this in school or college or home. Boys
have greater liberty of action: their
whole minds are filled with their boys
"oih VI VI 1Hcy come
and go, almost as they please. always
in a hurry, always with schemes of
something to be done. When the same
liberty is given TO girl the result is
disastrous. What is more pitiful than
to see some of them. scarcely more
than children. allowed to roam the
streets until nine or ten o'clock. 1t
is not liberty the girls need, but occu-
patton.
To the boys are given tool boxes.
scroll saws. printing presses, with
which 10 satisfy the craving for work
that they can see grow under their
hands. the marvel OF inventive or crea-
tive powers Girls are believed to be
happy and satisfied with their dolls
and. after all. dolls are so often stuff
ed with sawdust'i
Young wives run the risk of MAX
ing themselves very unhappy by de-
rnandinS too much attention from their
husbands
They would like to prOlong the hon.
eXmoOn indefiniately, forgetting alto
gether that the practical side of life
must be attended to as we'll as the
ideal
man can't be always making love
and make a good living at the same
time.
Don't jump to the conclusion that
your husband has ceased to love you
simply because he does not tell you of
his love twenty times a day.
OF course he loves you just as much
probably better, than ever, but he has
I,gip hi