New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-03
Bv ELISE WARD MORRIS.

r bed time Clara was in tears
n from shear WEAKNESS Of body,
4 n wide eyed from a too stimu-
lated brain. Clara's mother was tired
and nervous, zoe, and al from The same
cause.
For three afternoons in succession
practically every child in the reighbor-
hood had gathered on Clara's shady big
lawn 20 play with Clsra's busy-bodied
collie puppies, 20 swing in Claras
swing and TO eat the tea-cakes Clara
begged from the cook. Clasa's lawn
was bigger and shadier than anv IN
the neighborhood. Clara's playthings
bit more interesting than any owned
by the other children.
The little hostess. with all the innate
courtesy of good breeding and the con
sideration gained from eight years Of
careful raising, made her guests feel
their welcome, even If Tommy Briggs
did tease the puppies and Ssllie PhlI-
lips mussed up her clean doll clothes
They were none of them bad children
but There was d set look 10 her
tightly closed lips and CLINT in her
Kind blue eyes as Clara's mother
turned down the light. The little weary
brain had at last found quiet, the
weary little limbs had at last relaxed
when her mother closed the door, but
to reach that state a vast deal OF rub
bling down, mentally and physically
had been required.
Asked Mothers TO Tea.
Returning to the living room, Clara's
mother sat down at her desk and wrote
notes to every mother in the neighbor-
hood asking that they drop in for cup
Of tea on Tuesday afternoon.
Every one responded in person; they
too liked the big shady lawn and the
dainty china and gold spoons at Clsra's
house. When each mother left two
hours later she carried away with her
q we'll outlined plan for ways and
means of entertaining their own and
their neighbors' children, but so deli
cately had the idea blossomcd nc one
vas quite sure who had first sug-
gested it.
But when Clara's mother counted her
cold spoons before going TO bed that
night there was a little smile OF salts
faction about her mouth. There would
he no more WEAKNESS Of brain to put
kinks in Clars's temper, no more wesri'
ness of body TO put aches in ner limbs
Each Child an AT Home"
T. had been decided TO give each child
an eat home" day. These "nt home
DAVIS were not 10 be in the nature OF
entertainments with party eatings" to
unset children's stomachs and party
asussp 70 excite little folks imagina-
,;ors The day when Tommy was at
bor,e~ was merely day when the chill
dren of the neighborhood could come
70 Tommy. house TO play. A DEFINITE
mart of the house was given over 70
them. and except that en- older person
was always within sight to settle dis
rutes or prevent accident the children
were left TO select their own games ana
means of amusement
II the day was rainy possibly there
would be a candy-pull, but generally
the refreshments consisted only OF lem
onade or hot cocoa and little cakes or
sweet biscuits. When the weather per-
mitted the children were out OF doors
or. on cold days, in the kitchen. There
was never the danger of having them
make a mess" over the floor. And
there was never enough 10 eat 10 make
even the most delicate child Ill. Each
mother was TO supply what little re-
freshments she had in the house that
could be fixed with the least amount OF
trouble, and the little host or hostess
of the day was 10 assume the dignity OF
serving the lemonade or cocoa.
At first the children objected. They
could not understand why they could
not 20 TO Clsra's, or Tommy's, on Mon
day il they wanted to. in place Of