The Washington times., 1931-07-08

! I0IG ~ |NSI &C
Let's go back three years and
take a look at the Schmidt
family, Mr.. Schmidt, Mrs.
Schmidt and two daughters.
Sophie, the eldest daughter,
was 13 at the time. Lena was
10.
AS far back as she could
remember Sophie had found it
very difficult to get along with
her father. And when, say
difficult I'm putting it mildly.
He was extremely suspicious of
the child. No matter what she
did, his mind was such that he
Immediately placed the wrong
Interpretation upon her reply.
Even at the age of 13
Sophie was given an occasional
beating. She was completing
her first year in high school,
which proved that she was an
intelligent child. She certainly
had the thoughts and desires
of any normal girl. Yet she
was afraid to speak of them
because of her fathers inevi.
table reactions.
After the evening meal he
would spread his paper before
him and devour the scandal of
the day with great gusto. But
he would grunt disapprovingly
as he read.
Imagine such a thing as
this" he would growl. I'm a
town in the Middle West a
child of 16 has eloped with a
married man. The paper says
her parents are broken-hearted.
Children Grow Up
"Well, they might be. If I
had such a child I would kill
her with my bare hands. When
was a boy l had respect for
my people. 1 honored my
father and my mother. But
now, in this crazy country.
the children have no respect
for anything"
He would glare at Sophie
and Lena. They would move
closer to their mother. And
Mr.. Schmidt would turn his
paper rapidly in order to find
stories that we're just a little
Mr.. Schmidt, of course, was
the biggest kind of fool. AS
I write this I try to make
excuse for him. Perhaps he
honestly thought he had the
correct method of raising chill
dren. But, somehow or other,
I doubt it. He was too narrow,
too small and too much of a
beast to be on the level with
any one set Of feelings. I'm
afraid don't think very much
of my character.
The children grew, which is
a bad habit that children have.
Their father failed to grow
better. AS a matter of fact, ne
grew worse. If Lena, now ap.
preaching 16, asked permission
to go to the public library at
night, her father would pound
the table.
You are not going out" he
would rant. Il know what you
have in mind. Standing on
corners with some of chose
loafers. Don't you lie to me
about libraries. It's boys you
want. Well, you're not going
out. You understand"
What's that you say? You
think I'm exaggerating? Well,
you're wrong. If anything, I'm
merely giving a few of the
milder things that man said
to his daughter
OIrl Graduates
We arrive at a, day when
Sophie was but a few months
from high school graduation.
There was to be a dance and
practically the entire gradual
ing class was to attend. You
can readily imagine how much
that girl wanted to go. I
think she would gladly have
chopped five years from her
life if her father had given his
consent without any argument.
And she unfolded the fact to
her mother.
please, mamma" she begged,
please S-eak to father. Please
make him see that I'm not a
baby any longer. Please let me
have a little fun. 49,
1--WE studied hard, mamma
I'm one of the youngest girls
in my class and I've never done
a wrong thing. Won't you
please ask papa to get me my