Evening star., 1942-08-03
Children
Away on Their
Vacations
News From Home
Prevents Their
Being Lonely
Kelley Photo.
Bv Leffice Lee STREET.

ny LEtuCc Lee O"eEh
In this country. along with many
other of her small countrymen, Is q
sweet little English lass, 8 years old.
I have seen several of the letters
this child has received from her
mother, far away and lonely for
her little daughter.
These pages, written with great
care and devotion, show no trace Of
worry or despair. There is nothing
in them to make a small girl feel
alone or unhappy. They are not
sugary or sentimental, either. In
stead, they are gay. honest and
written In words that 4 6-year-
can fully understand.
The formula this mother uses
seems to be just about the same
each time. She starts with chatty
news about her child's own world;
the kitchen cat has had kittens; her
own pet, Caifnsterrier, has learned
q new trick; the little girl next door
has bobbed her hair and she wore
4 new dress y1sterday, blue and
white checked gingharn. All through
this childhood gossip the mother
inserts brief descriptions Of how
places and people the little girl
knows look. This part Of the letter
tells the child over and over again
Of her own way Of Enslish Me, lest
she forget.
About in the middle OF the letter
there is always . story-one that
teaches without being prissy or
preaching. Once she recounted a
brief incident in the life Of Christ,
simply and sweetly told; another
time she spoke entertainingly about
the domesticity Of two wrens who
set up housekeeping under the caves
and she pasted . small photograph
Of = wren beside her words. From
time to time she spoke Of vegetables,
flowers and animals, always drawing
4 picture Of them and weaving 4
story into all she had to say.
Each letter ends on the same
note, praise for the small daughter,
just as though mummie were really
talking and understood all q little
girl might have in her heart about
being in . strange land away from
those she loves. Finally, bright
words like this say good-by: Soon
we shall see each other, my darling.
We are proud OF you because We
know you are helping by making
friends in America. God bless you
and keep you, and may you follow
in the footsteps of the Boy Jesus
and know that He Is with you and
holding your hand"
Is 1t any wonder that this small
girl carries her mothers letters in
her pinafore pocket until they are
wilted and grimy?
Many Of us have children away,
either at camps, farms or visiting
relatives. We are lonely for them,
particularly the first two or three
days after they have left. The house
seems achingly empty without that
CHEEKY little whistle, the sound of the
screen door banging and the loud
call, "Mummie, where are you?" But
we shall really see ours soon again,
happy, noisy and healthy as ever.
In the meantime. how about those
letters to camp or to somebody small
with freckles, in overalls or pig
tails, care of grandmother? In my
opinion. a mothers or fathers let
ters to their youngster can help the
child and be a subtle factor for
good.
But first they must be fun to read,
not too long and never stern or
scolding.
Envelope presents" such as a
packet Of needles, bobby pins or a
hair ribbon for little girl, stamps
df he collects them, fiat whistle
or mouth harp for q boy, make a
letter from home even more exciting
and guarantees that 1t will be read.
Such Is human nature.
Do not be annoyed il your child
fails to write to you as often as you
think he should. The well organized
camp allots certain day each week
for writing home" but the active,
outdoor loving child. II left to his
own devices. simply has not the
time to bother with pencil and
paper.