Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-09

Here Is true story that turns q
searchllght upon one of the uncon'
selously cruel and unjust situations OF
life:
A woman's husband died, leaving hei
with boy and gir baby and no meant
OF support. BY the most herloc efforts
the mother managed TO rear these chill.
dren. As soon as the girl was able she
went to work 10 help her mother, The
mother expected, even demanded II oI
her, but she spoiled and indulsed the
boy so that he grew up TO be idle, shift
less and worthless.
The mother is not able to work any
more now, and the girl supports the
family, the husky brother included She
is delicate little creature, prematurely
| aged by Ions years OF gruelllng Of
flee work, but she sticks to her post
like martyr Silent and submissive
she hands her pay envelope over TO heI
mother every week without even SO
much as peep at the contents She
denies herself everything possible, even
necessary dental work. while the mother
supplies the son with money for oiga-
rettes and base ball and beer that the
| girl has earned.
II seems impossible that such con-
dition as this could exist, or that any
mother could ever be 80 prejudlced IN
favor of bad son that she would be
willing TO sacrifice a good daughter &c
him, yet such cases occur every day
know one similar 90 that cited above
in which. when frall girl rebelled al
having to support a big drunken loafol
OF brother, the mother turned upor
hor flercely and approached her for be-
Ing so hard-hearted and stingy as not
to be willing 20 feed her poor brother
The best and most dutlful daughter on
earth has to take a back seat In a
mothers affections when the prodigal
son comes along
Biologists tell Us that there IL per-
fectly good rehson why mothers love their
sons better than they do their daughters,
and why n mother has tenderness and
sympathy for oven worthless son that
she doesn't feel for an angel daughter.
It's the way mothers are built and they
can't help themselves, poor things.
Anyway, we do not have TO be biolo-
gists to perceive that this is the way the
world Is run. 1t is always the cakes and
ale for my sons, while the erusts are
good enough for my daughters, 80 far as
the mother is concerned.
This Partially OF mothers for their
sons Is common to all ranks OF society,
but nowhere, else Is II 30 plainly exhibited
as In the unjust attitude which poor
mothers exhibit toward their children
who work.
In almost every case In which a girl is
bread-winner her mother requires her
10 turn over 10 her her entire earnings,
and the mother then gives back to the
girl what che considers proper for her to
have. The rest OF the girls earnings so
toward tho family support.
But does a mother treat her son this
way? Not once In thousand times. II
he Is good, conscientious lad he pays
his mother a reasonable board, and keeps
the balance Of his money for his own
enjoyment. And mother goes about
among her RcquAlntnnoes boastlng OF
what perfectly lovely son she has got
because he gives her little money. But
sho never dreams Of confiscatlng his pay
envelope as she does her daughters.
Many households are entirely supported
by the labor OF the daughters OF the
family. The sons are lazy and dlssl-
pated. but IN such cases you never hear