The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-13
When Son Leaves Home
By WINIFRED 2LACK.


10 the Big City and be cartoonist.
lie is clever. you say. and so say
his teachers. and he really can draw
SUCH funny pictures OF people that
every ono in town laughs over them.
and Inc doesn't take any interest in
anything Oh earth but pencils. paper
and ideas. Shall YOU let him zo7
Where? When?
Ought you 10 sell your homo and
go with him 10 take care OF him?
Is II right TO let him go among strsn-
gers? What IL he should fall? Who's
going 10 take care OF him u he should
be III? How is he going 10 know
what To say 10 the editors when he
Dear me. what mother YOU are.
10 ne sure: what a regular mother
from the very first letter Of your
nane 20 the very last drop OF ink at
the end OF your signature.
Let him. WHY. what else can YOU
his own.
Yes. know. | know you've nursed
him and walked the floor with him.
and you've sat up At night and taken
care OF him through that spell Of
typhoid, when the doctor said there
wasn't chance for him 20 pull
through. You've cooked for him and
mended for him and agonized for him
him.
Lets see. It's nearly nineteen wears
ago that you heard his first feeble
wall. wasn't II? Nineteen years. How
many parties did YOU stay at home
from for his sake: how many dresses
have you worn when you really should
nave had new one. to ssVe money
for his new suit? How many times
have YOU planned and thought and
worried To help him out of some fool
ish boylsh scrape2 lie is all YOU
have, you say; all you live for Well.
tnen In the name OF justice, give him
his chance to live.
Let him learn how few people
there are 1ho will care cent
whether he is hungry or NOT, Let
MIN learn how many fellows there
arc In the world who are twice as
clever as he; let him learn that the
only way To ge, anything on earth
Is 10 work for IL aud work In dead
and desperate earnest
Let him go. Let him learn TO be
lonesome and neglected and made
fun OF; lot him learn 10 fight his
own way. Give him room. give him
time. give him freedom. or what he
thinks is freedom.
Your boy Is too big and too strong
and too smart TO he ruled hy YOU
any longer, little mother: let him
go and rule himself, and let him go
with smile and a blessing.
Gngra teful. selfish, cruel hearted?
Not bit OF II; he's d boy. that's all
Some day he will be man it you'll
let him.
Dependent upon you. is he. under
It all? Can't find his own socks.
and wouldn't know how 20 buy a
suit OF clothes for himself IL ne had
all the money OF Croesus?
Hen find the socks all rieit when
he has to. and about that suit-cion't
times; he'll buy the wrong thing aud
have 10 wear 1t, and he'll lenrn.
A cartoonist, eb2 Poor boy. he'll
learn never to say that word above
l. L.
his own work and 10 smile at his
own disappointments. and he'll learn
TO be thankful for a chance TO he 2
plain, every day dub. as they call
papers, He'll be Joked for coming
from a country town. and he'll he
made fun OF TIL there isn't nm ounce
OF conceit left in him, and sometimes
he'll feel as II he'd give all the world
Just to he little again and run home
and hide his face in your faded old
dress and cry and have you comfort
him.
And then he,il fall in love with .
his heart, and he'll fell in love WITH
a woman old enoush to se ais
mother, and he'll spend every penny
he makes buying prcsents for sor1e
cold-hesrted creature who will make
fun Of him 10 his very face.
And he'll get into evil ways maybe
for While and walk along the brink
of the precIpice. You'd hold your
breath Il YOU could see him, but he'll
he has learned he'll come home and
tell you all about II,
And your faded face will look more
beautiful TO him than all the faces
and your tired voice Will sound to
him Ike the music of all the angel
choirs, and he'll bring YOU a new
gown and make you buy new pair
of pretty shoes. and he'll take you to
town with him TO visit
He'll Introduce you TO all his pals
and his voice will have a queer thrill
in 1t that will make the pals look Up
when he says "My mother"
He'll take YOU TO the theater and
10 the park, and he'll show YOU the
town and laugh at your od-fashioned
Ideas worry tenderly. And he'll buy
you posy 10 wear in your little plain
gown. and he'll show you the place
down and out md hadn't the price OF
nights lodging.
He'll take YOU 10 dine Mt the CAV
restaurant You read about in the
hemia." and hen let you hate oil his
enemies and love all his friends and
be sweet 10 all his sweethearts, and
then you'll see that IL was all worth
while The long struggle. the bitter
anNieties. the cruel care-all worth
While n thousand times over, for he's
man. the boy OF yours mnp. And
YOU. the little. plain mother thare
at home. YOU are the one who let
him be man. and helped him every
step along the road. though he didn't
know II and you didn't either. then.
Good bye. son. the road is wide
See how IT winds along among the
shadows there. Hark, What are
those strange voices calling from the
dark woods along the way? Look.
There's rough place. don't see
how you'll get over IL, but that's
your affair. and not mine. I've
walked the road. walked II in sun
shine and In storm. walked IL with
bleeding feet and with A sore heart,
walked IL when the stars sang to-
ther for very JOY.
What thirsty road It is, and how
hungry you'll be sometimes; how ach-
ing with WEAKNESS. Bur It's your
road your own road-take IL and
walk II like n man.
No. there are no tears in my eyes.
See, ! am smiling. There's the open
road, son-take Il Ike man.
Domestic helpers that are trust
vnvthv conacienfious and skilled look