The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-18
ella Wheeler Wilcox DepIOres
Habits of Modern Maidens.
Many Lassies Lead Lads Into
Pitfalls of Destruction.
PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE
Fathers and Mothers Often
Worst Enemies of Offspring.
Girls Actually Entiee Men Into
Tete-a-Tetes Now.
nv ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.

l11 ELLA w AlN4L4lAA@AS hhAA@NO@~'
When we read of a tragedy result
ing from unrequited love on the part
of a young girl, we invariably feel
sympathy for her, and indignation or
contempt for the man in the case.
We leap to the quick conclusion
that the man has been the pursuer of
Innocence and that the girl has erred
only in too great trust and confidence:
But seemingly with the advent of
the telephone. the young girl devel-
oped an astonishing tendency toward
pursuit of the young man.
Two college boys of the writer's ac-
auafntance were sent away to travel
for a year. in order to protect them
from the attentions of young girls who
continually called them on the tele-
phone, suggesting social diversions
which interfered with their studies.
Led Into Marriage.
Still another high school boy was
captured and led into secret mar
riage by a girl of his own age.
Another pursued a sophomore until
she had compromised her name. Then
her parents insisted upon marriage;
marriage which was followed by a di
vorce in short time; and there was
pity and sympathy for the deserted
wife and condemnation Tor the Ialth-
less husband.
Yet II was an absolute case of Sc
duction on the part of a foolish, ro
mantle. bold and indiscreet girl and
a weak, ardent boy. He had never
thought of doing more than paying
this young girl the simple attentions
of a partner at the dance, in the com
pany of other young people. 1t was
the girls plan to secure his attentions
for herself exclusively. 1t was she
who made arrangements for tete-a-tete
visits and il was she who kept the tel
ephone busy calling him to her side
when he should have been at his
studies.
Parents TO Blame.
Like most blind. foolish American
parents, the girls father and mother
allowed their daughter to dispose of
her own time as she willed and al
lowed her to receive calls from young
men and to go out unchaperoned, be-
lieving that because she was their
daughter she must be prudent and
sensible.
They had never talked to this girl
on the subject of sex attraction and its
high and holy purposes, and of its al.
Turing dangers. They believed such a
would spoil her innocence.
This stupid idea of the stupidest
people on earth-parents-ha led to
many a girls downfall. 1t is the duty
OF parents to plan pleasures for their
children and especially for the girl
and boy developing into adolescence.
The father and mother who forget
that they were ever young and who
expect their cnlluTen TO settle down TO
the habits of middle age in their
teens, are enemies to their offspring.
Steam Must Escape.
It is as impossible for the expanding
nature Of youth to be satisfied with
uneventful days as for steam to re-
main peaceful in a closed vessel. 1t
must escape somehow, some way. If
not by natural egress. then it pro-
duces an explosion. It was the in
considerate parent who caused rope
ladders to be invented But between
the inconsiderate parent and the too
liberal parent, who crowd earths
highways, there is a beautiful middle
course wherein few fathers or moth
ers walk.
The really good and wise mother
will take her little daughter by the
time she is 10 years old and talk to her
of the charms of modesty and of the
necessity of discretion in her associa-
tons with the opposite sex She will
1nstill into the mind of the young girl
the incontroveruble fact that boys do
not respect girl who seeks their So
ciety or who suggests any pleasures or
diversions which necessitate their spe-
cial attentions.
Man Natural r5uggester.
II is the nature of the man from
boyhoOd to maturity to want to be the
suggester and the planner in these
matters However flattered he may
seem to be by the unsolicited atten-
lions of young girl, he. nevertheless,
loses certain amount of respect for
her.
Every mother should talk this to
her young daughter until it is fully
impressed upon the expanding young
mind. She should be so sympathetic
50 considerable, so thoughtful of the
happiness and pleasure of her daugh-
ter that it would be impossible for the
girl to hide anything from her mother.
Love which has to hide itself in
secret corners at first, finally flaunts
itself from every printed page of the
daily papers. A love affair which is
nobody's business usually becomes
everybody's business eventually. Love
which must shrink from the light of
day is never productive of happiness.
The moment the man of any age sug-
gests any action to a young girl which
he could not confide to her mother
that moment the man becomes her
mortal enemy. This old and impor-
tant truth has failed to be understood
by most of our American girls. 1t is
the fault of the mothers that it has