The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-18
GIRLS WHO RUN
 AWAY FROM HOME

'tWhen I loved you can't but allow
 had many an exquisite minute; But the scorn that. II feel for you now
 Hath even more luxury in it!
 Thus, whether we're on or we're off,
 Some witchery seems to await you. To love you is pleasant enough,
 But, oh, 'tis delicious to hate you!
 By all that I can see or hear. can learn by tale or history, am led to the observation that it does not auger well for a girls future for her mother to give her her own way from child hood up to young womanhood-
 She knows just what she wants, and from the time she was 10 years old, and indeed even before, I all lowed her to select her own hats, eloaks, and dresses; choose the new rugs, and even decide what we should have for our dinners. So, when I raised a, decided protest against the young man she was inviting too often to call upon her. was terrified at her resentment and rage at what she deemed my uncalled for interference. She threatened to run away from home. If I do not permit this man whom I know to be a worthless scoun- drel-to visit her, she will assuredly carry out her threat. Then my heart would break
 This is an excerpt from letter (which a tormented mother has written me, asking what she shall do fo thwart the girls avowed intention of running | away.
 We have all heard of the uselessness l of locking the barn door after the frol- icsome young colt that has never known halter or hindTance5 has de- camped to fields new and pastures green. It also is useless to look back ward and point out what should have l he a hn1 f0 the pest-to cause the daughter to look
 up to and respect her mothers opinion
 and heed her decision.
 l We must make an appeal direct to l the girl, endeavoring to show her the 1 folly of leaving kind and loving hearts, the roof that has sheltered her, and the ffresfde around which those who
 love fo gather, to cast her lot among strangers in a cold and merciless
 world
 I There are girls who are foolish
 enough to believe that they are able to go from home, find a position with the
 utmost ease, and that while supporting
 themselves they will be able to enter
 tain the company they like and quite
 as often as they please.
 A fortnight's experience is ample to take the fine enthusiasm out of the most determined young woman. Posi- l tons that yield scarcely more than enough money to hold soul and body together are quite as hard to secure as the better ones ,wf gre there is sell dom or never a, vacancy. Boarding l house land1adies do not ask her what she would like for dinner She has to take what is set before her, not daring
 to make protest.
 l In regard to her company, he finds little welcome. The parlor is for all; he cannot monopol1ze it. If he puts
 in an appearance three or four times 8 week, the businesshke IandIady
 makes no bones in pronouncing "Men who have no compunction about com
 ing around to wear other people s
 chairs out, burn gas, and take up room''--a decidedly unweIcome visitor
 in short, a nuisance If the girl re- torts spiritedly, she is soon after re- quested to give up her cheerless hall bedroom for some working girl who has no visitor
 If the girl weds the young man whom nobody likes, she is apt to find she has made a still greater mess of it. There's two in the hall bedroom of some other cheaper boarding place, and her scant earnings have to be stretched to cover the cost of feeding husband What the home folks say about her lover should have much in huence with girl Under no circum- | stances should she run away from a loving mother and sheltering home. She would have all of her atfer life to repent of it.