The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, March 04, 1899, Page 3, Image 3
.JBIfiltyiTliMllllliHlitlKHIW'OWWWIIHIlllll MU THE COURIER -i - "T doSDg than "Tom Brown" schoolboy stories, or the conversation of hornet? in u Vermont paeturo. Ho has tho moBt vc r tiginoue imagination of his generation, and it is not to bo wu&tod on "Youth's Companion'1 stories. It found its fittest material in lunds near the sun; lands of mjstery, where there aro mountains thut havo not been scaled, rivers thut have not been bridged, deserts that have not been crossed. Surely, tho templo bells aro calling him "on tho road to Manda lay." There aro a dozen men 'who could havo written "Captains Coura geous" very nearly bb well as Mr. Kip ting no, not half bb well but there is only ono hand in ail tho living world that could havo written "Without Bene fit of Clergy" or anything liko it. ' In "The Day's Work" Mr. Kipling's experimental playfulness of mood seems to have affected his workmanship. Sev eral of tho stories exhibit an alarming departure from the single purpose, and awift, vivid execution which has been one of his most meritorious qualities. The opium dream and tho convocation of the Hindu gods in "Tho Bridge Build ers" is an entire departuro from the original theme of tho etory, and bus nothing whatever to do with tho fato of "Findlayson's" bridge. Mr. Kiplioghas dropped tho familiar "but that's unothor eory;" he now tellB two storieB in one. In "William tho Conqueror'' the love story is certainly forced unduly into the foreground to make it a love story at all, and, moreover, it is somewhat conven tionalized. The elaborate discussion of "GeorgioV military career in India is diametrically opposed to tho mystic strain in "Tho Brushwood Boy," and cannot be excused as a moanB of con trast, as can tho recital of his experience at school. "Qeorgio," indeed, smacks a little of "Bobby" in "Only a Subaltern," and yet he has a very different part to play, and is supposed to have a poot ehut up ineido of him somewhere. I could understand tho hero of "Tho Light that Failed" having possessions in a dream rorld and riding the Thirty-Milo Ride with "Masie," but I cannot under stand it in "Georgie Cottar" and tho gill who lisped. In "Georgia's'' Indiac ex periences the writing haB a jocular ring that detracts from the dignity of the main theme, and if Mr. Kipling had sub ordinated "GeoigieV obtrusive virtues to the poetic mysticism of tho back ground, he would have made a better story. It might hav6 been ono cf the greatest stories that bear bis name, and it ia not. When he wished to use worn en for a high end, he used not to make them lisp, though bis attitude toward the gentle sex has never been overly chivalrous. In "Tho Brushwood Boy" I roiBB something of the intense earnest ness and tenderness which were so tor ribly present in "Without Boneflt of Clergy;" eomethlng of tho imperious splendrr of imagination which mado "The Gate of a Hundred Sorrows" ono glorious debauch of color. I miss them, acd I am unconBoled for their Iobs. Plumbers were at work in Marjorie'a home, and they conversed in their nativo tongue. "Mamma,'" questioned tho four-yoar-old, "why can't I toll what thoso men aro saying? I'vo listened and listened, and I can't make out a word!" "Ofcoursoyou can't," said mamma; "they are talking in Gorman." That evening Marjorie was drumming on tho piano. "What are you playing?" asked bor brother. 'I'm playing 'Home Sweet Hono."' "That lent 'Homo Swoot Home!' " ho Baid, scornfully. "Ycb it 1b," was the reply; "I'm play- ing it in German!" Subscribo for Thr Coumkk $1 a year. foCH)A I LOUISA li KIOKKTTH. odeoc Tho thiid National Congress of Moth era which convened in Washington Feb ruary 11, 15, 10 and 17, wbb, in spito of tho heavy snow nod bovoto storm, ono of great interest and ono of tho most nota blo in tho history of tho movemont. Nearly all tho railrondH throughout tho oast wcro blockaded, many delegates wero thus provontcd from reaching tho city at all, wbilo othorH wero dolayod. Owing to weatbor conditions tho opon iug session was dolayod until tho Kith' und oven on that day Washington wbb visited with a rain storm which con verted tho deep snow into a sea of bIubI). Tho president, Mrs. Theodore W. Bir noy, called the congress together and at hor request the uudieuco bowed their heads in silent prayer. Then followed tho oponing address of tho president, in the course of which she said: ' With an unaltorablo conviction that in tho homo lies tho only solution to tho problems which confront tho world to day, wo havo striven to roach tho moth ers of our land, und through thorn tho fathers, because it is they who hare in their possession tho priceless material of which future civilization will bo wrought. Aro they building of stono or sand? Thut should bo the question of most consequence before tho world, and yet is it so regarded? "Organization is ono of tho greatest powers of tho world today. It ia very important that all branches of the child etudy movement, which is a compara tively new ono, shall bo closely banded together for thoadvunco of tho cause. In no way except by union and conceited action, can it be successfully demon strated that in truining mothers we moBt truly help the children and protect so cioty from countless social, civic and moral ovils. Such union will greatly in crease the cllicioncy and importance of tho individual club; tho stronger clubs will have tho pleasure of widening their influonco by service to tho weaker; tho weaker clubs will feel tho stimulating contact with the stronger." Tho membership in tho congress con sists of members of mother's clubs and bomemakers' clubs, associate members, life members, contributors, benefactors and ufliliation clubs. Nineteen organi zations havo paid their dues and come into the congress as members during tho pust year. The National Congress of Mothers keeps headquarters in Washington dur ing tho entire year, where those inter ested in this great work will receive all poEBiblo assistance; address, Mothers' Congress, Washington, D. C, Loan and Trust building Thoy have put maty holpful things in circular form which they Bend to clubs or organizations aflillatod with thtin. Their great desiro is to waken public sentiment to a recog nition of the responsibilities of parents und to their need of training to properly discharge these responsibilities. Thoy havo no official organ for us Mrs. Birney says: "Wo have almost tho en tiro press of tho country aa chumpionB of this movement." It iB tho bopo of tho congress, however, to establish u publi cation which will bo a kind of quurtoily review, but it will bo confined strictly to the progress of tho movement through out this country and the world. Tho amount of work accomplished in tho two years existence of tho congress is wonderful. In Chicugo, in New York city, in Philadelphia, Boston, San Fran cisco and other largo cities mothers' clubs have gone into the study of child ethics and the rotation of 6qualid homeB to criminal statistics with an energy thut must bo appalling to evildoers, They have established day nursorioa for tho childron of women who must work to sustiiin life. Thoy havo instituted night reboots, whoso touchers aro bright young women and young mon, w'io take from happy, caro-froo lives filled with social duties tho two or three hours daily that help to enrich their poorer, more ignorant and Iofh unfortunate brothers and eiHtors. Cooking schools havo boon established, sowing schools and schools of domestic science. Thoy havo sot up froo kindergartens for tho childron of tho Blums, started soup hoiiBce in tho saloon infested parts of soiuo of tho largo cities. Tho basic idea is tho "home," und tho hope of each is to help tho weak, encourage tho faint hearted and strengthen tho bond of tho family and tho homo. Mrs. Birney, who was tho originator of tho idea, first put on foot by tho For tunatua purso of Mrs. Phoebo Hearst, haB been tho president for two yenra and sho is tho beet example of a good mother that can bo found. She haB not neglected her children or her homo in hor soul-absorbing work for the advanc mont of tho mother idea, but sho says they havo inspired hor to renowod effort when hor spirits wero sometimes flagging us she saw the enormous task boforo her. Sho further says that tho work ramifies till it has gono boyond anything that was over dreamed for it und beliovoB thut ere muny yourr congross will fool tho subtle influence of tho movement, "It may take a whole nation for our present influonco to bo felt, but a gener ation iB but a short span when it roaches from evil to bettor tires " In connection with the congress in one of tho rooms of tbo church wbb con ducted a fulltiedgod kindergarten, ono that would have delighted tho heart of Frosbel wero he living. Hero the mothers who wished to attend tho meet ings and could not leavo their little ones at home had them carod for frco of cost. It was called tbo "children's room" and here tho neods of tbo little oneB wero catered too in tho shapo of crackers, broad and milk und the like. Thero wub a bureau of information, also a postofllce, ut the church and a hot lunch served to visitors in tho basement. On tho protty programs was printed this sentence: "Delegates and visitors aro requested to remove their hats and bonnets during tbo sessions." Mrs. Mary E.Green, president of the National Household Economic associa tion, was greeted with hearty applause, when 9ho was introduced to deliver an address upon "Some of tho Neods in the Education of Mothers." She began by saying she had been throe dajs trying to reach the city. She spoke of the importance of women knowing all about home hygiene and tho preparation of food9. Sho thought daughters ought lo be trained in do mestico ecienco. In spoakbg of the ig noranco in regard not only to proper foode, but to the cure of the body, tho speaker expressed tho opinion that thero would have been littlo sickness In tho military campB in this country during the war with Spain if the mon had known how to tako caro of themselves. Sho believed, sho said, thut modern women, membors of numerous clubs, aro familiar with about every art except tho art of living. Many women take a lively interest in tho cleaning of tho streets of citieB, wbilo tho sinks at their homes wero neglected. Sho spoko of tho en croachments of boarding house life upon home life, and said thero was a growing ignorance of how to manage a home. In the opinion of tho spoukor, tho du ties of a wifo and mother constituted a profession, and there should be a proper education and training beforo entering upon the life work. At present, tho speaker paid, this profession was entored into without tho slighto3t preparation. Sho advocated tho establishment by Congress of a national hoalth bureau, which should bo used for tho dissemina tion of information about tho euro of childron; about tuberculosis in mon as is now dono in tho ciibo of animals; tho dangers of polluting tho streams with soworago and in general tho hoalth of tho nation. ThiH suggestion about tho health bureau apparently mot with tho favor of tho audience, as it was greeted with tho hearty clapping of hands. This Mother's Congress wbb largely intorsperriod with fathors. It is tho hopo of tho progonitors of HiIb movemont that it will, ut an ourly day, morgo into a father's and mothor's Congress, pre liminary to this sovornl gontlomon wero asked to take promlnont parts on tho program. Mr. Horace Flotchor gave an addresB in fuvor of an effort to im prove tho condition of tho colored child ron. Ho said tho effort to improve so cial conditions ought to begin in tho lower ranks, in tho slums, and especially with tho childron. He referred, ho said, to tho negro population tnoroly ub illustrating his thought. In elaborat ing his argument ho gavo soma statist ics about tho situation in Now Orleans. In that city, bo said, 00 per cent of those urrestod for committing crime aro negroes, while 511 per cent of tho monoy raised by taxation is devoted to tho cor rection of crimo and dii order. Ho urged thut the ('olegutes, upon tho return to their homes, seek to create a sontimont in favor of educating arid caring for tho children of the city, and in this way, ho said, such a revolution would be wrought that in tho courbo of a few years no child would bo noglec'od or al lowed to grow up in ignorunce. Dr. G. Stanley Hull read a carefully prepared paper on tho results of inves tigations as to the development of child ren, especially during the period of adolosconco. Ho described at some length tbo characteristics of thta period of lifo, oneof thn most marked of which is tho craving for excitement. Ho dwelt upon tbo importance that tho child ut this time should have plain food should sleep on hard beds and havo plenty of exercise. He Laid that adol esence wbb tho center of all human in terests, tho church, tho homo, tho school and all other inlluencoB of civilization woro tbo forces by which this period of maturity is brought to its highest prive leges, that in its highest stage it was manifested by its love for the bautiful and good, and in its lowest by dissipa tion. Ono entire session was devoted to papers and discussions of the desirabili ty of a closer relation and co-operation between parents and teacher, and bo many bright, interesting, helpful things were said that 'tie pity lack of space for bids our spreading thia feast before you. The afternoon of February 10th, the la lies were recoivod by Mrs. McKinloy at the White House at ,.') o'clock. At 4 o'clock, Rev. II . H. Hart of Chicago, gavo an ablo address on Environment versuB Heredity, discussion led by Mrs. Roger McMullon EvanBton and Dr. Re becca Cole of Washington. In the evening Dr. Josiah Strong of New York, lectured on the "Supremo Peril of Modern Civilization. The program was long and full of good things, but we have not room to give mcro specific men tion. Our object in mentioning iti de tail some who participated was to show tho general trend of this movement to wards a mixed congress. Many import ant chunges were made in the by-laws, and several important resolutions pass ed, perhaps tho most vigorous, tho one adopted aguinst seating Brigham H. Roberts tho polycramist, which is as fol lows: "Whereas, the election of a poly gamist to Congress threatens the sacred institution of monoaimus mairiage; bo it resolved, that the third national Con gress of Mothers request 'the Nutional Congress of tho United States to repu diate tho result of the November elec tion in Utah, oithor by refusing to allow '.3j t iltlr.'. .1 """"111, ifpwH .0,