The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-09
Dorothy Dix TALES
A Too Optimistic Invcntory-a.
ny DOROTHY DIX
worlds Highest Paid Woman writer.

A Too Optimistic Inventory-2. -
That's the trouble with mothers
Their love makes them see the chill
dren as dazzling geniuses, and world
wonders instead of the ungifted. medi-
OGRE individuals they are. ana so in
stead of fitting them 10 fill worthily
the humble sphere In life to which
heaven has called them. mother I'M
fits them to make living by trying
to force them into some high place
for which nature never designed them.
Sally, for instance. has carroty hair,
a saleratus biscuit complexion, and q
dumpy figure. She dances like a bale
of hay, and has the conversational
nimbieness of performing elephant,
but she is strong, healthy, energetic
and capable, and has plenty of good
hard horse sense.
If mother could see Sally as she is
she would know that Sailys chance
of happiness in life lay in her becom-
Ing business woman, or marrying
some sensible practical man who puts
more stress on wlfe's cooking than
on her looks.>GBut neither sees Sally
as radiant creature born TO shine
in society and SO she pileGfine clothes
on her, and hawks her around the
marriage market. and breaks her
heart with chaErin wondering why
other girls have beaus and Sally has
none.
Toms a good honest Industrious lad,
who would make a steady, plugging
clerk who would work hard and event.
unlly save up enough money to start
a little corner grocery of his own. But
mother hears in his haltihg speech the
eloquence of an orator, and She forces
him into the law where he e;arves.
A famous alienist told me once that
it was a mothers inability to see In
her child any. defect that was respon-
sible for an enormous amount of fee
blemindedness. He said that If com-
petent physicians could treat the chill
dren who are under par mentally,
while they were still very young, thou
sands upon thousands of them could
be cured. or at least helped.
But the mother love kept the moth
ers even from admitting to themselves
that there was anything the matter
with their children. They would say
that their babies were. backward" in
learning to walk or talk. or that they
were delicate" or so sensitive, and
so cover up the mental defect until
it was too late to save the child from
the most cruel fate on earth.
1t is the same mother blindness
which refuses to see in a child any
blemish which keeps mothers from
helping their children to correct their
faults. Mothers know that any other
children who are permitted to grow
up VIA ana unCOnITOlfeds VIII IN
evitably grow into the kind of men
and woman who make undesirable
citizens and defy law and order. She
knows that a CHILD, who is never
taught to govern its temper develops
into the man or woman who Is fall
ure in life and brings sorrow to all
with whom ne or she comes in con-
tact.
But mother cannot save her chill
dren from their weaknesses because
she sees in their uncontrolled out
bursts only high spirits. and camou-
flages their RACES as nerves.
This is what turns mother love.
which should be the greatest blessing
that can come to child, often into
the greatest curse that can befali It.
What the world needs is a new gen.
GRAFTON of mothers who do not take
too optimistic inventory of their Off
spring.
tCepyright. 1919. by the ,wnesler syndicate
49, Incl