The New Woman.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XV, 11 April 1903, Page 1045

The New Woman.

Oh. the End-of-the-Century Girl, What a wonderful thing she will be, She’ll evolve from a mystical whirl, A woman unfettered and free. No corsets to crampen her waist, No crimps to encumber her brain; Unafraid, bifurcated, unlaced. Like a goddbss of old she will reign. She’ll wear bloomers—a matter of course, She will vote not a question of doubt; She will ride like a man on a horse, At the club late at night she’ll stay out; If she chances to love, she’ll propose; To blush will be quite out of date; She’ll discuss politics with her beaux And out talk her masculine mate. She‘ll be up in the science of things; She will smoke cigarettes; she will frown If the servant a dunning note brings, Or the steak isn’t served up just brown. No longer she’ll powder her nose, Or cultivate even a curl, Nor bother with fashions or clothes— This End-of-the-Century Girl. Her voice will be heard in the land: She’ll dabble in matters of State; In counsel her word will command, And her whisper will laws regulate, She will stand ’neath her banner unfurled, Inscribed with her principles new; But the question is—what in the world “The home and the bab> will do?” o o o o o The Young Woman and the Young Man. FROM A TWENTIETH CENTURY STANDPOINT. The horizon of the young woman of the present day is not bounded by the young man. The novels of one bundled years ago show us women to whom hus-band-hunting seemed no disgrace. They wanted to be married, and they frankly and openly followed the chase. Single blessedness was then unblessedness, and few women chose to live alone. Perhaps the women of this century go to the other extreme. Seeing the delights of so-called independence, they pass the outstretched hands of would-be lovers, to find too late that the passage through the dark valley of loneliness has too much for their courage, and they come to the end of the journey tired, faded and cynical. This article, however, has nothing to do with her who chooses the lonely way, but will take up some of the problem that comfort the young woman who his chosen the way matrimonial. If you decide to marry you must study the man and know him as he is. He is, as are you, essentially a twentieth century product. Primarily he is not a sentimental man. To-day we know little of sighing lovers. Of course, the great world stories of passion are still being told, for men and women still love. But the young man whom you will meet is, as a rule, not romantic, however much he may possess of true sentiment. Why the change? One hundred years ago, outside of the family, a young woman knew the young man only as a suitor. To-day she is meeting him as friend, employer, costudent, and co-worker in the professions. Then there was around her the mystery of the unknown. To-day she is

seen in the clear light of every-day contact. Then she coquetted and broke hearts by the dozen. But those days are gone, and while she will always have for him the attraction of the eternal feminine, they meet to-day as man and woman who must work and fight together.

Of course, it goes without saying that you, young woman of the twentieth century, glory in the change. But go softly! You have gained something, but what have you lost? A mart demanded no more of his wife a hundred years ago than that she should have a beautiful face and a loving heart. If she were of the plain people, her ability to brew and bake was called into account, and the making of a certain dainty dish often won a good husband for the expert maiden. But to-day? “My wife,” says the young man of the new century, “must be intellectually able to follow me. I do not care for a beauty, but she must have some style, one of the well-set-up kind. She must be able to manage servants and to cook a meal if the cook leaves. She must be something of a society woman —a man can’t succeed unless his wife knows how to make friends; and then, personally, I like a woman with some ambition for herself, a musician, an artist or a writer —it shows force.” Now, of course, when the young man marries he doesn’t get all those qualities in his wife, nor half of them. But his ideal is formed on extravagant lines, far beyond that of his predecessors, and you will not find it easy to be a scholar, a housekeeper, an occasional cook, a society woman and an artist. o c o o o Hints to Young Mothers. The less noise a baby hears, the less he is carried about and played with for the first six months of his life, the better it will be. It is seldom necessary to take him from his crib, except for Ins bath and meals. The habit of tossing him about and trotting him on the knee makes him nervous and wakeful, and eannot possibly do any good. His undeveloped system calls for rest, yet he is often denied that privilege. Children, as well as older people, are to a great extent creatures of habit, and they cannot acquire habits that are conducive to proper development and health of the body at too early an age. It is during sleep that the building-up forces work without interruption, and the child gains in flesh and strength. Have regular hours for his naps, and see that everything is favourable for sleep at that time. There should be no tight bands to hinder respiration. Place his crib in such a position that the light will not shine directly upon his face—preferably in a cool, quiet corner. Do not cover him too warmly; change his position occasionally, and he will sleep longer. ■ The bottles from which a baby is fed should be smooth inside, so that every part may be easily cleaned with a bottlebrush. It is necessary to scald the bottles thoroughly at least once a day to insure perfect cleanliness. Rinse them in cool water as soon as the meal is finished. Put them in a pan or kettle every morning, cover with cold water,

heat slowly, and boil for ten minutes. 'Hie gradual heating will not injure the glass. After they are cool enough to handle, shake the bottles, rinse them in clear water, ami they will be sweet and clean. The baby’s mouth becomes parched and dry, for although milk is nourishing, it is not refreshing, and a drink of cool water occasionally will often quiet him when every other means fails. If the water has been boiled and kept on ice, it may safely and freely be given.

Don’t provide children with elaborate or a large number of toys. A wellknown doctor says that no child should be allowed to have more than three playthings at a time, and they should be of the simplest description. Another thing of which he emphatically disapproves is the plan of allowing children to dance and recite for the amusement of friends. It makes them self-conscious. “A child’s life,” he says, “cannot be too simple.”

Teach the little ones the value of time. It is wonderful how much they will fritter away if they are allowed to get into the habit of dawdling. They should be taught to dress in as short a time as is consistent with dressing properly, to do everything briskly, anil not to begin one thing and then go on to another without finishing the first. Habits are soon formed, and it is almost as easy while they are young to teach them to be quick as to allow them to dawdle.

'Pry ami check the bad habit of biting the finger nail, as soon as it makes its appearance, or it may result in unshapely finger tips and nails for life. Any chemist will make you up a bitter decoction with which to paint the fingers. But they must be painted regularly if you intend to really cure the little one. It is useless to paint them one day. and then forget to do it the next.

Don’t fancy that as long as the chicks are small it doesn’t matter how they behave at tabl ■. Even the tiniest tot can be taught to behave prettily, and it does make such a difference in one’s comfort! They must be taught some time to use a fork and spoon, and to hold a cup an I glass. So why not let them learn the proper way at once? A child will readily learn how to eonvev food to its mouth daintily, to drink quietly, and to keep its mouth shut while eating. Though these may be little things, they mark the difference between a well or ill taught child.

Never shut out fresh air and sunshine from baby’s living and sleeping rooms. Sleep is more refreshing at night for the flood of sunshine and air let into the room during the day. Never decorate the nursery walls with pictures they cannot understand. Never feed a child the moment it cries; there are other causes of grief besides hunger. Never frighten a child or laugh at its fears; fear is the result of inexperience, and children’s fears are real.