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Hints To Mothers

Hints To Mothers image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
November
Year
1863
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

While a niother needs to guard her children carefully from the rnany temptations to vanity which will beset them from the very'cradle, she eannot be too ehoice and scrupulous in having their surroundings thoso which will refine and cultívate the tastos and feelings. EverythiDg which will do violeuce to gooi taste and refinemont, nnd promote coarseness and carelcssness of manncrs, should be most carefully avoided, even in their most secluded hours. Yet there aro homes whose parlors are highly adorned, where the private apartraents are all in confusioü, and whero convenience and tasteful arrangement are the last things thought of. Chüdren take in, with the atmosphere of such a home, the principio which governs it, and it will run tbrough all their after Iife. " No matter what we are, so that we show off well." Hypocrisy is its foundation, and it pervadea ail departments of the eharacter. It costs little to make a'horae tasteful and cheerful, if only the heart is in it. Abundant pietures on the nursery walls, be they ever so simple, if they only teil so;ne swect story ; a pot of flowers in the window ; a hanging basket or two, eveu if made of a cocoa-nut shcll, with graceful vinca windiug around the etrings that suspend it; a few pretly shrubs in the yard, though the space be ever so scanty; a rosebush or two by the doorway, and, if possiblc, brees about your dwelling; all these are reüning agencies which exert a powerful influence on the hearts of your children. Let them help you in little tasteful vrorks some rainy day when you ean spare the time. Teach them to make a little frame of shcll work, of even acorn cups, pine cones, parti-colored corn, and the like, and see if a little picture set in it will not aiïord thom greater enjoyment than the most costly, gilded work of art you eau buy them. Go into the wild woods with them and help to gather pretty mossesand old gray lichens for a moss basket or home eonservatory. All these simple arts which mako homo beautiful, are well worth cultivation - a thousand times more valuable than the most elaborately embroidcred skirts and braided mantles. llere, as in everything else, " wisdom is profitable to direct." 1 do not doubt but that excellent woman Solomon describes, had a beautiful, tasteful home for those children who " roso up and ealled her blessed," and the husband who praised her. -

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus