El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-01
The Joy Of Children
They Are No More Duties Than Are
Laughter and other Enjoy
ment. SAYS This Mother.
Nv VVfuTfred BIaeE
. BY Winifred BIZ
RE children a duty?

ment. says This Mother.
- BY WinIfred Black --I
A RE children a duty?
~ Dear me, is it possible that
= there is still alive anyone who
declares that children are duties, and
that no woman who has children or
not, as she thinks best, viii call her
self a good wOman2
Well, Welt suppose Inere S
someone. somewhere, reading by candle
light and sewing by hand because a
machine is a wicked invention of the
evil one to encourage 1dieness-
Children duryl Why bless their
hearts they are comforts, blessings
privileges, joys forever But duues2
Who dares to say so In this day ana
age2 / owe my duty TO my mother not
because she brought me into this
world of woe, but because she was
good to me after / got here
She could have let me starve, or
freeze, OF just fade away, If she nad
thought of her own comfort instead OF
me-but she didn't
She took care of me. no matter Whe-
Their she felt like doing it or not
She gave up the best Of two years
in the very best part of her life to
getting me started right-W1th the
proper amount OF teeth. and the right
sort of nails, and the appetite that
would make me grow She stayed at
home from church sOcials when / had
whOoping cough She gave up visit
to her home folks back east when I
had the Group. She never thought OF
leaving home for an hour when / had
the measles, and whenever didn't act
as if I had just come back from the
frozen north, with the hunger of an
eXiled sea captain. she said, Tx TX
with a gentle clicking sound, and went
and had something special made Tor
me in the kitchen.
That's why / ought to be good to
her-and why I would be good to any
one on earth who had done things for
me
ought to be good to my mother. be
cause ] love her j couldn't help low
ing her to save my life. She's the same
blood as ] am, for that matter, ana
we shall never be civilized and scien-
tiffc' enough to cease to feel the tie
Of that blood bond.
I ought to be good to her because
she's a good woman and I'm the one
she likes best in the world But the
mere fact that she brought me here
is not the least sort Of reason for me
to cove her a thing on earth, so lar
as can see.
She didn't bring me here to Oblige
me. or to give me a chance to live
do not bring my children here for any
such reason, elLner-and don expect
them TO relieve that I did love my
children because they are mine and
because they are the greatest joy in
the world to me Where does the duty
business GENE IN there, pray tellZ
Is il M duty TO laugh, my duty
to breathe, my duty to see the glory
mother ever can family hope 10 see
it2 1t is my privilege to do these
thluga-yes. Ny duty2 / can not see
il that way
Are children a duty2 Come here,
chubby cheeks. Look straight at me
W hal clear depths your eyes arei How
they mirror the TRUTH
How long viii they stay so. won
arraL- rrsNr
Where did you get those cherry lips
How came you by that smile that
Hghtens the gloomy world for me-
What's this in your pOcketZ Tell me
A string2 What a TREASURED You IN
tend to make an airship for the frog
What frOg2 The one who croaks IN
the pond there o. nightsZ He is tired
of the pond, you know, because you
weds, and asked him, and he said
'Tir-r-edl Tir-r-edr' just as plain.
Hither. little girl with the tousled
mass of red brown hair You nave
Marie. YOU call her-and her dress
is rose colOred, toO-and she is so
sWeet-and her new shoes snail DC
rOse-and she is to wear crown or
luacs, braided in little chains, at the
dolls wedding-and-
Duties" are you2 "Duties?' Little
friends-little comrades-dear COM
paniOns-sweet links that hold me
ClOSe 10 Lne joyous near Z OF 4DuLLL- ~
er saw I. then. such sweet duties since
this world has been my dwelling
place
Shall we ever discuss which owes
each other mOst-yOu and little boy
with the clear eyes2 VIII you weigh
what I am TO do and what you should
be to me. and dole out my reward as
il seems Just 10 YOU then2 VIII you
ever chide me for hoping that YOU viii
love me for myself. little girl, just be
cause I left my work today, for IN
stance, and helped you make the lilac
chains for Rose Marie's head2
Duties" When children become
that. then may cease to breathe