The Prescott daily news., 1914-09-07
Confession of a Mother
A. A. M.

housemads were cheap to the "N'i' ,,boro thev were expensive and hardly procurabIe And l was a most avacting homemaker.
 'N, My husband was railroad conduct :. and most of the time away from Samo He was a kind man to his fam Tv Tv hut his absence left the domestic hnraen n, practically unshared on my ~n rather weak shoulders. Yet l al- w.vs managed to keep the house inn n,ocnlate and our two little boys neat and clean. But the price was a wea- r;ress which was sometimes danger onsly near physical exhaustion. So when another child was expect od if seemed to me that l simply eO,ld not bear it. 1 felt too weary to bp again tied down by baby, to lose my sleep nights. l must have been very tired. fretted over it till shame to tel,-I fairly hated the lit file life which was to come. Little did I dream then of the penalty which was some day to pay!
 When the child came it was a girl, dear little blue e-eyed, flaXon-haired crl. which soon learned to love, just as if she had always been desired. As she grew oldet. took pride in her pretty ways and in keeping her beau dfully dressed. Stella loved her l father from the first and romped and played with her brothers like the tom boy into which she quickly developed. She was always very cheerful and ready to shar. the very last treasure with anybody.
 But with me Stella was different. Even from babyhood, when l kissed and fondled her, she would turn her little face away from me. She would never sit on my lap or allow me to hold her in m5 arms. But l thought that this was just an oddity of char acter, sturdy independence of dis position It took me years to realize that toward me the child felt an in- born, uncomfortable repulsion. As she grew older. she showed this more and more. began dimly to wonder whether this might not be due to the prenatal influence for which I alone was to blame
 In most things Stella was like her iather' But one quality she inherit ed rom me, quick, violent temper. S'ella being very independent and very rigid, clashes between us were not lnfrequent, from which We both fetlred for days afterward to ache with pain.
 put Stella as well as her brothers through higE school. Then, as we were not in good circumstances she '0Ok position in an office as s'enographer and typewriter. She ,'ineu far salary and paid me for Ner board. She always gave me even more than asked. But her aloof- 'SS m rom me remained unchanged.
 HIS often lrritated me almost un- enuufaoy. Then I forced my rigid IV'iohS on her regarding her friend s"apS wlth other girls and laid down t tIieS Tor her conduct. But. really. m was not necessary, because Stella oaa s'fl Of fine principles. At last. ma Le :, uay We had conflict more terri ~. s'''i any preceding. In it hissed: w.0. 0a are no comfort to me. I never Were born" Sou de,,hI. ","ue no answer, but turned fr0a, y pale' The next day she moved all hume into rooms. Since then pis. "y coaxlng and humblest apolo- bacl nave ~, not availed to bring her Ioa Sne sometimes visit me hut Of duty. ''''S rom a sense to her presence seems repulsive And ,h; eSpeelally when she is sick could J on,.' naS been born in her. If my onlv S u'luo my wrong and have But, ps,h" uaughter as real daughter! ''''' from my experience. ri''ps mother may
 --o--
 forty Years.