A Word To Mothers

Not long sinco thore cama to our knowlidge an instance of' a young life blighted br want of that confidenco which should sist between motliers and daughter. ould this girl, at whose cbaracter tbc oisoncd arrow of' suspiciun had beon uu ustly aimed, bavc f'ound a cnnfidont in her luother, tho rankling wound she received light have been medtcated and licalcd. Va it was, she brooded in silcnce over the orrow she could not intrudeuponanothcr, nd under the pressure of' her mental suf 'crings broke down in inind and body and ecame an invalid for years. One plain, eind, frank talk with her mofher. or with ome friend capable of understanding and ympathizing with her trouble and of medating sympathy with wisc connsel would ïavc saved her untold agony of inind and uffering of body. Tuero are a great many mothers who aink that when a child is rightly fed and lothed and put in the way of getting a ood education tho uiother's duty is dishargcd. They do not recognize tlicmclycs as the custodian of' the aoali uf' licir childrcn. They do not makc themelvcs the mirror of thcir childron's heart?, nd nee reflected in thcir own consciousness nd knowledge day by day whatevor oes n in thosc hearts. They do not cultívate liat openness of communion and comniuication between themselves and their hildren that renders all concealments imossible. Now, we believe that the mother hould be as cognizant of the growth and oodition of her child spiritually and intelectually as she is physically. She knows ïis clothe8 must be enlarged as he grow3 lder. Is it not more important that she hould know when, where and how to enargc the bounds of bis spiritual nature nd to give it room to expand and dcvelope and rise higher and higher? There are children so open-hearted and out-spoken and care-free that there is little langer "concealment liko a worm will eed" on their vitáis. And there are retient children, brooding ehildren, sensitivo hildren, of' whose interior life it is alniosf mpossible to get a glimpse. What loving, ender, constant, wholesome sympathy such hildren need, hut how often they are lelt o themselves to become morbid, unhealthy, cankered aud epoiled. If some gentle but firm hand - a mother's hana - would insist on opening the closed doors of their hearts, on letting the liglit of sympathy and the sunshine of free communion Dto the hidden recesses of their souls, tho darkness of their thoughts would vanish, perplexing questions would be solved, the spectres of doubt and discouragement that haunt them would be laid. That girl who finds a confidant in her mother is safe. The boy whose hcart is an open book to his mother is safe. More than this, the wise and skillful mother will learn how to possess herself in such a way of the heart of her child that all the secret recesses of that hcart will be opened to her, and it is of infinitely more importance to a pass-key to unlock every inuermost apartment oí' his spiritual nature than tbat tlio uody should be nurtured ever so carefully. "These things ye should have done, and not have left the othersundone." It often happens that the father is to the child what we have idolized the niother as being. It matters littlc which parent comes the custodian of the young, euiotional and intellectual nature. Happy is the son and happier is the daughter who finds in both parents adviser, counsellor, confidant, friend. The parent who wisely improves the opportunitios that daily arise in the ordinary course of Hfe to elicit the opinions, experiences, ideas, hopes, fears, ambitions, of' the children under his or her care will have no diffioulty in reading them as an open page. Cbildrcn should be encouraged to express themselves freely to their parents; to teil thcir dreauis even, both waking and sleeping; to talk about their religioua views and thoughts; to ask God aloud for what they neod with.as littlc shame facedness as they ask thcir parents for bread, or clothes, or toys. Young bearts that thus lie opon to the sunshine of synjpatby and ot' appreciation, will not be corroded by festering cares or griet', and wül readily recover froin thoso wounds which none subject to mortal ills can escepc.