The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-25
HOME HEALTH CLUB
(Edited by pr. David H. Feeder, of
 Chicago.)

a. letter yesterday from an old lady
 who is crippled and i'll, she is living i alone in a house that her own sons
 would not sleep in for a single night. In that part of Ohio the winters are severe and were it not for the gsher- osfty of Christian neighbors she would probably freeze. The men of the neighborhood cut hrewood and heap 1t up in her kitchen while the women bring her food and clothing.
 She is old and poor; she has raised several children and they all have comfortable homes and are eonsid cred prosperous and have children of their own. The neighbors of this woman 1 pity her and blame her children, for 1 as they put it, she has always been a i on them from the time they were born
 until they turned her out when she was too old to wait upon and serve them longer.
 In her pitiful letter she says that she would even now do anything, no mai ter how nenia1 the task, for her chiI-
 dren. Y ou may think it strange and that am an unnatural freak, but do you know pity those children more than I do the mother. It's her own fault, not theirs. The mother wh o will go out in the rain or snow or ey en in tie bright sunshine of the most
 beautiful day in June and carry to the house a pail of water or armful of wood while her husband and sons are sitting idly by does not deserve one
 spark of pity of later on in life they send her to the poor house whole l they take the home that she has
 earned.
 One of the first lessons that the child should learn is to serve. and first and foremost of the duties is to serve mother. The boy who is
 taught to serve mother always, to an- |
 CT need to be- taught courtesy in after life. His wife will never complain
 for lack of attention. Tired women
 will never be obliged to stand in a street car while he sits comfortably
 reading the evening paper His
 mother will never have less than he
 has. Tn her old age her comfort will
 be his first care I know a family in which there are four boys, the oldest one less than ten
 years and nothing makes them more proud and happy then to be called
 I'M others little helping hand.'' If
 mother drops SO much as a handker- chief there is an immediate scramble for it. If she mentions being chill
 ly. like lightning one of them runs
 for a wrap They are being taught
 service. They are well served but in
 such a way that they express gratitude for favors and not as this woman served her children. in a slave-like manner.
 Last Sunday while at play,i little Lee
 got bad lump over his eye. I app piled remedies at once but it became quite swollen. Naturally he cried but had Soon forgotten it and was en- toying himself as usual when mother
 came into the room When she saw the swollen eye she felt badly and him for being such a brave. big boy. He looked at me sideways but prompt ly climbed upon her lap and let her cuddle him up close and kiss him. That was all right for a few moments but presently she became interested in talking to Me of another matter and forgot that she was keeping g 4 1-2 year old boy from his play. He wait ed patiently fearing that he might hurt her feelings of he should get down and at last he raised LID and during a Iu1I in our conversation ask ed in his slow quiet day, eAre you nearly through loving me mother ?" Do you think that boy will ever let his mother go to the poor house while he is able to work She is the best wife and the best mother who com mands and receives first place in ev- erything about the house, to whom all render service Not the simperfng, whining, complaining wife and moth CT. A good speaking is what that kind needs. But the quiet dignity of the true wife and mother that teaches her children so we'll that they never know any other way but to be polite. courteous and helpful
 One of the first requisites to ser vice is expr essed appreciation, say eff you please and thank you'' to
 the little ones. just the save or even
 with greater promptness than you would to a stranger and they will learn
 the lesson we'll
 .,sz
 CLUB NOTES.
 1 Dear Doctor: Please tell me what to do for a dry scaIy skin. My gen eral health is good The scaliness is worse some times than at others I
 have been troubled with this even since was a cF1iId have a 1if+I,