The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-22
Tot long ago Young girl who was

~ the only child OF well-tO- do and
most devoted parents, disappeared
Her frantic mother was sure that the
glrl has been kidnapped by white slaverS.
or murdered. or had suddenly lost her
mind and was wandering dcmcnte1
about the country, or that some other
untoward accident had happened to her
She knew that Mamie could never have
lett home OF her own accord
"Why" she said. Mamie was 20
years old. but we'd never even allowed
her to have a beau think a girls
best companions are her parents, and
never let her spend nigh, away from
home with another girl, and when girls
came to see her, always sat in ,h>
room with them
But We made things very pleasant
Tor her. Either ! or her father always
went walking with her, or took her our
selves when she wanted to go to the
movies, or the thcatcr. or any little
party she vas invited to. She had no
boy or girl chums and so is absurd 10
"cn think she could have run away
| from home
But Mamie hadrun away from hom-.
and she was eventually found working
nu, As servant girl and perfectly
happy enjoying her first taste OF per
sonal liberty
Aud She didn't want to go back home
where she was a prisoner OF love, but
Just aS much prisoner as II she had
! been shut up m Isil, instead OF a
comfortable aud luxurious home.
This story has moral in IT for all
father, aud mother, who. IN their anx
iciy to watch over their daughters. keep
such careful eye upon them that they
degenerate INTO spies, whose ceaseleSS
lnquiSitlons any girl with particle OF
,plrit.iu her would resent
Ono OF the hardest things to endure
IN family life, anyway is the utter lack
oi privacy II affords the individual the
inability to get a letter, make visit,
receive friend. or even make a pur-
chase that everyone else IN the house
hold doesn't know all ahou, and feel
free To- discuss Ihi, IS CALLING enough
10 the grown up, who, at least, has the
liberty Of action but when YOU add 10
! 'amlly espionage the authority OF the
parents that gives them not only the
right to know everything the girl IS
doing or thinking OF doing, but TO
forbid II II it doesn't chime IN with their
,asteN, YOU have one OF the reasons
Nhy girls leave home
Undoubtedly mothers should watch
over their daughters, but II should be
done from aiar and as disoreetly as
Providence watches over the stumbling
steps of weak humanity Etpd the girl
should be made to feel thai She has
personal liberty within large bounds.
For mother 10 open Mamio's letters and
cad them before Mamie sees them
icrSclf. for mother TO eaveSdrop
Nantes silly little conversation with
her friends, and for mother TO have an
agile gaic upon Mamic'S every act. l.,
imply 20 pu, a premium on Mamie :
'utw'tlng mother by carrying on clan.
le,tine correspondence and taking her
leasurcs on the sly behind mother 9,
back
| For somewhere the spy system always
| b'Nlf s'''iNliiNNN wv 'h'N'
dilhful watcher mods. and when II
ONES to the practice oi a deep and
uhtle chicanery anv child can outgen-
raj grown person Therefore, par
nts are foolish to put a premium upon
heir children having to deceive them
in order TO get a little freedom.
II is all very well for a mother to
aspire to be her daughters hest friend
She should be that. She should make
he girl feel that she is the one friend
that she can always come 10 sure OF un-
Ierstanding, and help, and sympathy
bu, any mother lacks intelligence who
fools herself into thinking that she can
ever be her daughters most intimate
md confidential friend.
The very nature OF their relationship.
he very respect IN which the girl holds
'cr iheiher, the very fact that her
mother is her supreme Judge who has
nc power OF deciding every question
II her life, preoludes a free interchange
IT thoughts between them. There arc
always things that girl could say IL
my other person on earth easier thar
she could to her own mother.
Besides this, no matter how much
, We older ones yearn for the society oI
our children, they don't yearn for Gus
, They interest us eternally, but we Dor,
! them. To our children we are old
I fossils, and back numbers They wan
! the companionship OF their own age, o
: boys and girls who have the sam,
I catch words, the same Jokes, the sam,