The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-06-18
CHILDREN OF THE RICH.
How Some of Them Are Being Pre-
pared for Life's Duties.


pared for Life's Duties.
An amateur investigator has d1scoV-
cred the following instances Of the way
in which some New York children are
made ready to struggle with life.
"Think of a girl of 49, she said,
"who has been taught to believe that
all her birthday means is the gift OF
a beautiful pearl from her grandmoth-
err From her very first birthday that
fact has been the most important thing
that has happened to mark the ami
versary of her entrance into the joys
of this life Her grandmother was like
all her family, very rich. 1t occurred
to her that she would like her grand
daughter to have pearl necklace that
should be as fine as any that money
could buy. So she hit on the idea Of
presenting the child with superb
pearl every year.
''In the meantime all the childish JOY
of the child's birthday celebration has
been made to lie in the acquisition of
that pearl. It has for twelve BIRTH
days been the engrossing event of the
celebration.
almost as singular in it's exhibition
of a parents idea of the right sort Of
influence for a child is the occupation
of 14-year-old boy that l know. He
has been entrusted by his family with
the care of all the social duties of his
mother and the other members of the
family.
''He takes charge of all the cards
received at the house, sees to it that
cards are sent in return and acts as
sort of social secretary for his sisters
as well as for the other older members
of the family. They are very much
amused by the enthusiasm and clever
ness with which he relieves them of all
social responsibility.
"He is now IA, and that is an age at
which seriousness may without too
much emphasis be allowed to play
some part in boys life. Yet his pa
rents apparently think that what he is
doing is important enough to be al
lowed to occupy much of the time that
should in fact be spent at his books or
in some more serious way. What he
will think about when he is 81 it is not
possible to say. Perhaps he will out
grow his Obsession with cardboard and
stationery.
"But what will be the future of the
13-year-old girl who was taken to Eu-
rope last summer for her first educa-
tional tour? She went with her father
and mother, and there was scarcely
corner Of Europe they did not visit.
They Travelled indeed more than 1900
miles. They are quite sure about that,
for they went in a motor and they have
the record of the trip.
Those 1900 miles were so divided
that the usual speed during all their
journey was forty miles an hour. What
a comprehensive idea of Europe that
girl must have got on her first educa-
tional trip to Europe! How must her
youthful imagination have been stirred
by the sight of the strange and quaint
sights she saw in those strange lands,
travelling at the rate of forty miles an
hour!
with all there is in European trav-
ell to stimulate child's mind If there
be the opportunity to enjoy what she
sees, think of chasing her across for
eign countries at such a breakneck
speed! No wonder she is not able to
this day to recall single scene outside
OF her experiences on the steamer.
which are about all Of what she re-
members"
Meanley-NO, sir; don't believe in
paying fancy prices to have clothes