YOUR CHILD'S ASSOCIATES.
By Eliza Renan
THERE is nothing more foreign to the maternal nature than the distrust of one's own child; so when enlightenment comes, it descends as an arrow from an unerring bow which hurls its dart straight at the unsuspecting victim. When Earl is so very careful in language and deportment in mother's presence, it is natural that she regard him as a model. When Grace speaks so mildly and behaves so decorously, can mother find it in her heart to distrust her? To the loving mother, her child is exactly as it appears. And so long as it loves its home, and wants to bring its friends to that home, no mother need feel uneasy regarding the moral condition of her child. If she is discerning and wise, she will do all in her power to foster that love of home, and she will encourage her child to bring its playmates to its home; she will, without appearing to do so, scrutinize those playmates most carefully, and those whom she considers unfit companions for her child she will certainly not encourage to repeat their visits. If she thinks proper she may tell her son why Jim is no fit playfellow for him, or she may tell her daughter why Belle is not the right girl for her to play with. . . . That mother may well grow distrustful whose children love the street better than the home, and whose children never bring their associates to their homes so that she may become acquainted with them. I remember a sad case of a mother who realized when it was too late that a parent cannot too strictly guard the child. When her children were properly fed and clothed, her duty she thought ended. Good and true herself, she never thought to look for deceit in her children. She never troubled herself as to whom her sons and daughter associated with. Had those associates come from homes like hers she need have had no fear, but their homes were not like hers, and their influences for evil over her children were as is usually the case, stronger than hers for good. The awakening came to her when she learned that a marriage ceremony was necessary to save, as much as it could be saved, her daughter's reputation. Weeping and wailing were of no avail then, but a little motherly interest exerted years before might have averted the trouble. The other day a boy of seventeen, together with several other men, was arrested and lodged in jail for gambling and drinking. The mother of the boy was loud in her denunciation of the officer who caused the arrest of her son. She declared that it was preposterous to think of her boy drinking, and that he knew absolutely nothing about cards. It was not preposterous to other people, who were not so blinded to the boy's habits as was his mother, who was in complete ignorance of the characters with whom her son associated and of the resorts where he passed his evenings. Two of my friends, both noble women, live next door to each other; they have each one child, a son. One of the young men is a gentleman in everything that makes a true man; the other is a perfect rake, familiar with nearly every sin in the catalogue, yet he was one of the noblest little boys I have ever known. One allowed her son to associate only with those boys she knew to be honorable; the other allowed her son the privilege of choosing his own associates. She believed he chose only the best. Alas, for misplaced confidence! This subject of associates for our children is one that should concern every mother. Sooner or later it confronts us in a realistic manner, because it will become a reality in our own homes and our children will be the ones to receive either censure or praise, and the mother will be the one on whom the sorrow or gladness will descend as the outcome of her child's associations.—Housekeeper.