HINTS TO MOTHERS. 



97 



preventing their opposites, thus making the after-way far easier for 

 Doth chila and mother. A contest with a child can generally be 

 avoided, and ought to be. Temporal and external obedience may be 

 obtained by it in some cases, though not always even that, but at what 

 a fearful cost. It not only causes present suffering, but affection and 

 confidence between child and parent are never the same after such 

 a conflict, and "breaking the will," as it is called, instead of training 

 it, is a dire mistake. There can be no self-governing force, no sta- 

 bility of character, without a resolute, well-directed will. The 

 young tree, you know, must be pruned never broken. The colt 

 must be trained by gentle firmness, not severity ; immortal souls 

 and human hearts surely need no less care and watchfulness than 

 inanimate things and the lower animals. 



How Parents Instill Offensive Vanity in Children. 

 This ignoble vice parents often thoughtlessly develop in 

 their children, to their irreparable injury. A writer from Saratoga 

 thus discourses on this subject: 



" It is disgusting to see nurslings with rings and bracelets, and 

 so on upwards through all gradations of age. Their little embryo 

 minds and hearts are already poisoned with coquetry and love of 

 show. They have " beaux," receive calls and boquets, make appoint, 

 ments, and rivalry and envy in their ugliest shape early take posses- 

 sion of their souls. For years I have observed this disease all over 

 the country, in all cities where I have seen society. Above all, it 

 is painful to one's feelings at the hotels and watering places. When 

 i see here, in the evenings in the parlors, rows of these little dolls 

 and fops dressed, ribboned and jeweled, fanning themselves, monkey- 

 like, in imitation of the elder part of society, I feel an almost irre- 

 sistible itching in the fingers to pinch their mammas." 



There is no influence ultimately more demoralizing to the men- 

 tal and moral welfare of children than the pernicious encourage- 

 ment of precocity in the most contemptible vices of their elders. 

 Right-minded mothers will endeavor to see that their children are 

 kept children as long as possible, and that every care is bestowed 

 to watch over the tender blossoms, and preserve them from the 

 heating, unwholesome influences of parties and motley company. 



Why Men Curse their Mothers-in-law. A stupendous 



imposition perpetrated by mothers is that of sending their daughters 

 into the world as wives without having taught them the most neces- 

 sary accomplishments of domestic life, such as how to make their own 

 clothing, and how to cook and properly conduct household affairs. 

 No one understands and appreciates or feels its blighting influences 

 on his home so well as the deceived and defrauded husband, who 

 desired a " help-mate," and believed that the object of his choice 

 would realize his utmost wishes. 



But now, alas, marriage has unveiled the deception. If the 

 silent execrations and maledictions that have been heaped upon 

 mothers-in-law for their dereliction of duty in this respect could bo 



