The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-02-05
POOR. LUCKY OLD JANE.
Being Part Of the Confessions Of
a Successful Business Man,
Concernino Chiidren.
CONCERNING Children.


From the Saturday Evening Post.
The Italian fruit-vender on the corner,
whose dirty offspring crawl among the
empty barrels behind the stand, knows far
more Of his children than do we Of ours,
will have far more influence on the shap-
ing Of their future lives. They do not
need us now and they never have needed
US. A trust company could have per-
formed all the offices of parenthood with
paid others to be father and mother in
pal dothers to be father and mother in
our stead-or rather, as I now see. have
had hired servants to go through the mo-
tons for us; and they have done it well.
so far as the mere physical side Of the
matter is concerned. We have been al
most entirely relieved Of care.
We have never been annoyed by our
children's presence at any time. We have
never been bothered with them at meals.
We have never had to sit UP with them
when they could not go to sleep, or watch
at their bedsides during the night when
they were sick. Compe ent nurses-far
more competent than we-washe their
little dirty hands, mended the torn dress
es and kissed their wounds to make them
well. And when S o'clock came three
dainty little Dresden figures in pink and
blue ribbons were brought down to the
drawing room to be admired by our
guests. Then, after being p%araded, they
were carried back to the nursery to re-
sumo the even tenor of their independent
existences.
No one Of US has ever needed the other
members OF the family. MY wife has
never called on either of our daughters
to perform any of those tritiing intimate
services that bring a mother and her chill
dren together. There has always been a
maid standing ready to hook up her dress,
fetch her book or her hat, or q footman
- .-i-- .,,retofro oSfor tho fNrrrOffan
gloves. And the girls have never needed
their mother-the governess could read
aloud ever so much better, and they al
WAYS had their own maids to look after
their clothes. When they needed new
ones they simply went down town and
bought them-and the bill was sent to my
office.
up anything that another in the family
might enjoy 1t, or forced to stay at home
that her sister might have the pleasure
instead. No: our wealth has made 1t pos
gible for each Of my children to enjoy
every luxury without any sacrifice on an
others part. They owe nothing to each
other, and they really owe nothing to
their mother or m~yself-except perhaps a
monetary obligation.
But there is one person. technically not
one OF my family, for whom my girls
nave the deepest and most sincere affec-
tion-that Is. old Jane, their Irish nurse,
who came to them just after they were
weaned and stayed with us until the peri
nd of maids and governesses arrived. l
Maid her SIS q month, and for nearly 10
wears she never let them out of her sight
grooming over them at night: trudging
after them during the daytime: mending
their clothes; brushing their teeth; cut
ting their nails; and teaching them
strange Irish legends OF the banshee.
when / called her into the library and
told her the children were now too old
for her and that they must have q gov
crness. the look that came into her face
haunted me for days.
Yen be after taking my darlin's away
from me?" she muttered in a dead tone.
"'Twill be hard for mel" She stood as II
the heart had died within her. and the
s1o0 bill I showed Into her Hand fell to the
floor. Then she turned quickly and hur-
ried out of the room without a sob. i
heard afterward that she cried for a week.
Now / always know when one OF their
BIRTHDAYS has arrived by the queer pack
age. addressed in old James quaint half
printed writing. that comca for them. She
has cared for many dozens of children
since ,heh. hut loves none like my girls.
FOR she came to them in her young wom-
anhood ARD they were her first charges.
And th9y are just as fond of her. IN