p. 22 | DRESSING FOR THE BOYS

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 13, 1881

DRESSING FOR THE BOYS.

"I AM glad of a rainy day once in a while," said Mrs. Lake, "especially when I have some work I want to finish off as we have to-day, Lucia. There will be no one calling to-day, surely, so what is the use of your stopping to dress? Your husband is away for the week, and we can just take our ease in these morning dresses, and keep on with our sewing."

"The boys will be at home at three o'clock," said her friend, taking down her wavy hair and proceeding to dress it in her accustomed graceful fashion. I will just remark that it was not done up in "bangs" or "frizzes" or snarls of any sort, but was arranged in rich, classic style, which gave her the appearance of the noble, beautiful matron she was.

"Dressing for your boys!" exclaimed the other. "No wonder people talk of the extravagance of the times, when mothers make such a parade just to meet their school-boys at the tea table," and practical Cousin Eunice snipped off a thread in a very energetic manner.

"It pays," said the mother quietly, as she took out a fresh pair of cuffs and slipped into them a pair of sleeve buttons Freddie had given her on her birthday. He had saved up his pennies to buy those garnet buttons, and he liked to see her wear them, as she did almost every afternoon, although she had prettier ones.

Cousin Eunice could dress up very richly on occasions, but for the bosom of her family she had a set of "old gears," as William said, which if they were useful were not ornamental. The children did not admire mother as they might in those dresses, though she was quite a good looking woman in good clothes.

"But, Lucia, you can't afford to put on that pretty cambric suit, which it took such a time to iron. What is the use of mussing it this rainy day!"

"I am not going out in the rain, and the duller it is out of doors, the more cheerful I like to have it in the house. The boys always like this dress, and I like to see them pleased. Indeed, I think I care much more for the opinion of the folks under my own roof than I do for those away. I would rather be admired by my own boys than by an indifferent company in somebody's parlor. And, Eunice, I think all these little things help us to keep our hold on our boys when they grow older. When they are just passing out of childhood into youth, I feel that they need a mother almost as much as when in their cradles. Indeed, another might give the baby food and clothing; but boys at their later age need great mother-love and care to keep them from going wrong. Everything that draws them nearer to a mother, and makes them respect her more, is worth attention. My boys never think of a walk in the streets of an evening, but sometimes spend an hour at a friend's house, or ask a few boys here. Mother is always importuned to join in any games or plays and very often takes a hand with them. Oh, it would be dreadful to me to feel that my boys were slipping away from mother's influence, and I hope never to know it, even when my head is gray."

It is such mothers who retain their hold of the children while life lasts, and who are mourned with heart-broken sincerity when they are removed. And the same guiding Hand reaches out still through the mists of time, and helps to shape the child's destiny for ever.—Arthur's Home Magazine.