Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-02


her own mother. There il no stranger
TO whom she could not more freely speak
her rSal thoughts. and before whose eyes
she could not more easily fetch forth for
display her little secret hopes, and plans
and aspirations and affections,
Nor is there any other Girl In the circle
Of her senusintancez with whom the
lurother Is so little really acquainted as
She ls With her own daughter. She
knows more about tho girl next door. She
Ia on terms OF a closer intimacy with the
girl across the street. All she really
knows of what her own daughter Is
thinking and feeling is what she gathers
from the teasing remarks Of the other
girls.
why IL this Mother says It's the
daughters fault. and she's bitter about
Il. She says that nobody ever loved
their daughter better than she does hers,
or was better to one. She points to the
sacrifices that she has made for the girl,
and then says it's pretty hard that daughs
Ter doesn't oonfide In her.
No doubt, but confidence between people
isn't a matter of right and duty. It's the
result Of a spiritual correspondence and
A oomradeship that makes you want TO
be bahble that makes everything complete
until you have turned II over and talked
It over with another. All girls have
this impulse. il Ii what makes having
an intimate friend AZ Emmy. you said.
an absolute necessity 10 them, and II
mother hasn't been foxy enough TO estab-
| lish herself IN the position OF intimate
friend. it's her own fault.
Before blaming the girl because she
doesn't conflde in you. mother, suppose
you try TO look at the matter from her
standpoint. OF course. you and l know
that your motives are the purest. and
that all OF your adm0nltions TO her. and
your criticisms Of her. are Just the re-
suit Of your over desire for her to be
perfect and make no mistakes. But this
| Is about the way II works out. Mamie
comes joyously into the room and throws
herself down on couch. She Is bubbing
over with some plan. but before she can
speak you begin:
For goodness sake. Mamie, won't you
ever learn TO enter a room like a lady?
Why can't you come in quietly, without
banging the doors? Do sit up. and draw
your feet in: don't stick 'em out like
hoodlun. And hold your shoulders back.
You're getting TO be a regular humpback.
Is that gum you're chewing? How often
have ! told you that It's the most unre-
fined thing to do? Whats that you're
reading? l don't Sc why you waste your
time on trash when there are so many
really improving books. Where have you
ben? To Bessy Thompson? You know
II disapprOye Of her because she's so
silly and flighty. and who was that came
home with you: Bobby Burnstt-well.
| shouldn't think a girl Ike you would
waste her time on a great big numbering
foot ball player like he Is. Now. don't
bounce out Of the room. II your own
mother cant talk 10 you I don't know
who can. But you've never got a word 10
say at home. Id never even know half
you did II II wasn't for the neighbors."
DO you think that line OF conversation
is likely to establish a confidential foot
ing between mother and daughter? Yet it
is the way ninety-nine mothers out Of 100
talk 20 their girls.
The truth Is that in the minds Of the
majority Of girls mother figures only as
killjoy. She Is the veto power. She is
the critic on the hearth. and they don't
confide in her for the same reason you
don't put a tender plant out in a tenn
perature Of 40 degrees below zero. You
don't want your little hopes and plans
nipped in the bud. IL Mamie knows that
mother is going to raise a thousand OBJ
ieCtions 10 every frolic. no matter how
innocent and foolish. she naturally
doesn't tell mother until after it Is over
and then It Is often tragicaIiy too late.
Then there are NAMES bezux, callow
Young boys gho bring her books home
from school. and shamefacedly come to
take be. ~ frat dances. and who hang