Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-04-21
a little TaIk as Mother Win Mother.

peranee Union.
Little Talk as Mother With Mother.
| by Mrs. Woodallen Chapman.
| Ny boy istwelve years old and ought
To receive some instruction. His father
Is no more, and know Of no man to
whom | could send him for this teach
ilg. Shall give 1t to HIM myselYn
| The boy must be wisely taught, if ne
to be safeguarded from evil and
gwen ides Is # personal purity. The re-
sponsibility is yours, as his mother;
10 not look upon itas burden, but
rather as sacred privilege. Talk to
aim IN some such way as follows:
My son, you are Now about to enter
your teens~one of the most important
periods of your life. / want to tell you
something Of what it all means, that
you may know how to meet the var.
ious experiences that are coming to
you.
"You look forward to the time when
| J .
strength and mans opportunities tor
doing great things for the world. So
you will be glad TO know that the work
of preparing you or mans greatest
responsibility is about to begin in you.
"What is mans greatest response
bility? Have you ever thought about
| ito prnholIy NOR but aap x,o,, thint y
of any greater responsibility than
bringing another human being into the
world? 1t seen to me that nothing
man can do with material things
can ever quite equal the greatness OF
his opportunities as father. You will
not only call a human being into ex-
istence, but you Will also determine in
large measure what shall be bis ply
steal, mental and moral possibilities.
Not only that; he will, too, in all pro-
liability, have children in his turn,
and those children will have children
until, in time, there will be a multi
tude of human beings owing their ez-
istence toyou What Napoleon's great
soldier, Marshal Ney, was tainted
with the fact that he and his associates
had no noble ancestry behind them he
replied, I'VE are ancestors That is a
thought which all boys and girls
should have in their minds. And it is
the work of fitting you tn be an ances-
tor which is about to begin in you.
"That part of which has laid dor
mant in your body urto this time will
soon begin to develop. You must learn
how to protect these new powers, not
alone for your own sake but even more
for the sake of your possible descend
ants.
"The development of this part of
your body is only a part Of the great
change that is taking place. In reality
every part of your body is affected al
this time, but you will be able to per-
ceive only few changes. You will no
tice that you are growing taller, that
hair is appearing on your body, and
that your voice is changing in quality.
You may not be AS strong for awhile
as you have been you may find your
self feeling very stlange and awkard.
"There will be new mental and emo
tional experiences; greater possibilities
for both good and evil will be awaken
ing in your nature. 1t will be your
| work to crush out the evil and develop
the good. Do not be afraid to come 10
me with any questions that you may
want to ask about these experiences,
for that is what / am here for, to be a
help to you in all times of difficulty
and temptation.
You will readily understand that
powers fraught with such tremendous
consequences to other human beings
could not have been given you for your
own selfish qualification. They are to
be sacredIy guarded from all possible
harm for the sake OF future generations.
40 use them contrary to COD law
will bring Its punishment. Iwooi the
most fearful diseases known to man
kind have come Us result of the mis-
use of these powers. If the punish
ment fell only upon the transgresSois
of the law of morality it would not De
SO bad. But the innocent must help 10
bear the burden of the guilty. Ira man
has acquired one of these diseases
through his own wrong dong he may
directly affect his mother or sister, fof
these diseases may be transmitted
through the use of the same drinking
cup. the same towel, through KISS
and In other sim liar ways Most Ire
ouently, however, lit is the innocent
wife who suffers, and then the children
in their turn suffer. Think now
man must feel 10 see his wife an III
yalid-for life it may oe-ahu MS
children deprived OF their rlghdui in-
| .s...,.o of bodily VipOT because OF LIS