The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-02-02

|aSWi&o/s
A CHILD,S FUTURE

L
many girls have lived thru hard
Experiences that they might have
been able to manage without hurt
to themselves II they had had the
right kind of mothers. Why will
mothers rest calmly in the notion
that their daughters can do no i'll?
1t does not seem to me that l
would feel that my daughter
would be able to resist all assaults
of the world, the flesh and the
devil just because she was my
daughter, little book. But that
is the way some mothers feel evi
IDENTIFY.
l hope that I shall be able to
Danish platitude from my child's
education. l shall try and teach
her to think, which Is one of the
few things that people, men or
women. do.
When we have become race
of thinkers, instead of "a race of
followers of the few, the world
will have travelled far in the direc-
ton of the millennium, to my
mind. Those who are alive at
that time will know the joys of
a liberty which is for all and a
peace which will be unbroken.
Here I go, looking into the
future far as the human eye can
see, and planning that | and my
child and my child's child to I'M
numbered generations shall have
some part in its ultimate end of
perfection.
Oh God! How terrible-how
agoniZing It must be to know that
a child is coming to you and that
you must not weave hopes and
plans together into that wonder
full crown of woman-mother
hood.
Some time, on, great law MAX
ers. make all children legitimate.
AS write that word in that con-
nectiOn, little book, l almost
laugh to myself. That a little
child (who certainly, IL he had
been asked, would not have made
his debut into this world under
circumstances that label him with
disgrace) should be asked to bear
a stain thru all his life for no
fault of his own, is monstrous.
The blessing of baby's life by
bell, book and candle is a kindly
act, but just as surely as 1t is not
necessary to his entrance into
ithis world it should not be neces-
sary to make him legitimate in
the eyes of the law and the whole
world of men.
l expect that I am inclined to
give too much thought to this
subject. But to you, little conf
dant, I can say what feel can
open to you my innermost
thoughts and only you will see
This is one Of the subjects that
lies nearest my heart. 1t Is q
matter that I would like to talk
about to every man and woman
whom I could induce to listen.
| My baby is coming to me under
the blessed circumstances Of re.
spectability-a responsibility held
lup by the law and the church, and
so I cannot help thinking of all
those other poor little mites who
must be banned--and of their
poor mothers who must be dis.
lgraced.
| I believe I am beginning tic
look forward to being a mother
again, but every little while II
comes to me hat l must not lei
myself look forward with toe
much anticipation.
| l do not believe that I coulG
stand another disappointment oil
such great hope as I did when
knew that Sonny would never RESI-
within my arms. am dreadine
to tell Dick the news, for altho
am sure he will be glad, I know
his mind will Immediately rever,
to the long sickness of body ant
mind that / went thru after The
loss of Sonny.
| I am glad, little book, that
am SO very well now.
| It will be queer. little book
won't 1t, to have a baby in the
house after all these years? y
Ito Be COntinued.)