The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 22 January 1920, Page 45

The Family Circle

CHANGED. It is when the babes are'sleeping In their cosy little beds, And I tiptoe to leave kisses On their tousled golden heads, That I get to thinking serious, And I'm scared as I'm gladI tell you its responsible, This job o' beiu' dad. When I tiptoo in beside 'em, And I'm bendin' down above As careful as I can be, So's to give 'em both a love, I'm a-buildin' castles for 'em, Big an' grand as they can be, An 'you bet that I'm a-feelin' My responsibility. Beats all how a fellow changes! Days I used to hope and plan For to get myself a fortune 'Gainst the time I come a man. Now myself's obliterated, „ And I'm mighty proud an' glad To bo plannin' an' a-toilin' For tho babes that call me dad. WOMEN'S NEW SPHERE OF ACTION. At the annual distribution of prizes at the Convent of Notre Dame do Sion, Sale, the Bishop (Right Rev. Dr. Phelan) tendered sound advice to the girls, on the enlarged mission of woman and its attendant dangers. In the course of the address his .Lordship said —■ "During the past five years woman, all the world over, has been brought out from that reserve and retirement which sheltered her and safeguarded her from time immemorial. New fields of activity have opened up beforo her vision, and the exigencies of tho war-time drew her into positions which hitherto were regarded as exclusively belonging to man. On the battlefield, in tho hospitals, and providing funds for tho Red Cross Society, woman was drawn into closer contact with man than she was in past times. Then she had to replace man in tho munition factories, on the motor cars, on the tram cars, and various other works where tho nerve and strength of man were needed. Again, only a few weeks ago wo were told that a lady of title in England fought and won an election, and will be the first woman to sit in tho British House of Commons, while in Ireland, over 12 months ago, an Irish countess was elected as a Sinn Fein member of the coming Irish Republic. "If ten years ago a man ventured to prophesy those events he would be regarded as a dreamer. "But, unfortunately for woman herself, and for mankind in general, the coming in contact with tho world has blunted that fine, .sensitive reserve which was woman's greatest charm, and in too many cases has destroyed that maidenly modesty which is the guardian of virtue. This is plainly evident in tho matter of dress. "And you, girls, going out on the world, with the convent doors closing behind you for the last time, are exposed to dangers unknown to the girls who left those walls ten years ago. "Your position, while sheltered by the rules of this house, and your position for the coming few years, suggest to me the security of a ship . when anchored under the shelter of a harbor and that same ship facing the storms of the open sea. The safety of that ship, battling a fierce storm, depends on the care bestowed on her during tho building period, and the safety of tho young lady facing the storms of early maidenhood life depends on tho character that has been built up within the convent walls. And you will never suffer shipwreck on tho ocean of life if you are faithful to the principles which during your school years have grown to be part of yourselves. "But the one note of warning I would venture to sound is to avoid all indecency in dress, and everything that would bo unworthy of a Catholic girl, particularly of a convent-educated girl. "The flagrant violation of modesty in female dress to-day, in every country in the world, has called forth protests from many quarters. Recently I read of a society of young men being formed in Europe for the purpose of boycotting all young ladies whose dress is unbecoming. Those young men have bound themselves by a promise to refuse to accompany to theatres, balls, parties, etc., any lady who has not respect for herself, for her own maiden

modesty. And only this morning I read a vigorous address delivered by the Pope seven weeks ago on the same subject. "His Holiness was speaking to a league "of: Italian ladies formed for the purpose of combating the evil fashions of the day. He • applauded their : action and encouraged their mission. In the course of that ; address he said: 'We know that certain styles of dress which nowadays have become usual among women are harmful to the well-being of society, as being provocative of evil: and We are filled with amazement to find that those who set the house on fire seem to ignore the destructive force of that fire.' Again, ho says: 'We believe that the league against the evil fashions will be well received by the fathers, husbands, and brothers, and Wo certainly wish that the bishops and priests would promote and encourage this league in every place where the fashions have exceeded the bounds of modesty—and they have exceeded it in only too many places.' "You see, then, girls, the world you are entering, and the atmosphere you will have to breathe in social life. "Woman is the guardian of the world's virtue; she is tho salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savor, with what shall it be salted? are the words of Our Blessed Lord. "It will bo your grand mission, then, to purify the society in which your lot is cast by fidelity to those great principles on which your character has been built during your happy years within thoso convent walls." A HYMN OF LOVE. I love the beautiful bright blue sky, and the smiling earth below; I love the fields and gardens fair, where trees and flowers grow. I love tho shimmering noonday heat, and waving cornfields gay; I love tho sound of the reaping machine, and the smell of new-mown hay. I love the orchard when the trees are blooming pink and white; I love the sea- at sunset all bathed in golden light. I love the fall of kindly rain on earth that's parched and hot: I love the murmuring of a stream in some secluded spot. I love the bees and butterflies, and birds that gaily sing, 1 love tho sights and sounds of life and every living thing. I lovo them all, both great and small, and, loving them, you see, 1 love the God Who made this world for happy you and me. O'CONNELL'S RULE OF LIFE. The following resolutions formed the rule of life of the great Irish patriot and Catholic emancipator, Daniel O'Connell: —■ 1. To begin every day with an unlimited offering of myself to my Crucified Redeemer, begging Him by all'"His infinite merits and divine charity to take me under His direction and control in all things. 2. To meditate and make mental prayer for at least a half-hour every day. 3. To aim at pleasing God in all my actions; striving to be influenced by love of God rather than by hope of reward or fear of punishment. 4. To avoid all voluntary occasions of temptation. 5. To appeal to God and to invoke the Blessed Virgin in all real temptations. 6. To say every day the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity. 7. Every day to say an Act of fervent Contrition. 8. Every day to say the "Memorare" and the "Sub Tuum," adding many ejaculatory prayers to Our Blessed Mother. 9. Every day to pray to God, His Blessed Mother, and the saints for a happy death. 10. To avoid carefully small faults and venial sins. NUTS TO CRACK. Why is a false friend like the letter P?Because, though always first in pity, he is ever last in help. What is tho difference between a teacher and a poor gunner?—One marks the misses; the other misses the mark. What word is there of five letters that, by taking two away, leaves but one?—Stone. Why are the fourteenth and fifteenth letters of the alphabet of more importance than the others? —Because wo cannot get ON without them. What prescription is the best for a poet?—A composing draft. ■ ■ '.- -■ •** If you see a car with torn tyres, what time of the day is it? Time to retire. ..

'- What is the longest word in the ; dictionary?—Smiles, because it has a mile between the first and last letter. " ;--__'. Why are corn and potatoes like Pharisees? Because they have ears, yet they hear not, and they have eyes, yet they see not. •• .' ■ : t! " "-.■ ' What makes more noise than a pig under the fence? — Two pigs under the fence. : What is stronger than one thousand elephants? One thousand and one elephants. SHE HAD NOT THE HEART. A country woman came along the railway platform and sat on" a seat beside a hospital nurse who was waiting for a train. With a sigh of relief sho disposed of her parcels and umbrella. Then she began"to chat. "Ah," she said, looking at the nurse's uniform admiringly, "I don't know what we'd do without the likes of you." "Oh, you are too kind!" protested the muse. "I'm sure you do things as worthy every day." "Not me, miss," said the old lady. "I can kill a duck or fowl with the —that I admit. But when it comes to human bein's, my heart fails me." THE REASON. "Whatever has happened to all you people?" complained the tourist. "Why, last year, when I came here, you were all so nice and friendly, and now everybody's too proud to speak ! The oldest inhabitant solved the problem. "Well, yer see, mister, it's jest village pride. Bill Snuff, 'e found a guide-book wot fell out of a motor car, an' now we know that Winyel's gravel pit's a precipice, t' old duck pond's a mountain tarn, while Jim's pub's a wayside 'ostel, an' the 'ole countryside is full o' 'istorical hanecdotes." THE HANDY HUSBAND. When the husband returned from business he found, to his disgust, that a water pipe had burst. The carpets were in danger of being spoiled. "Well, well," said he, impatiently, to his wife, "why on earth didn't you hammer the pipe up Here, give mo a hammer, and I'll do it in a twinkling." He got the hammer and pounded away at a pipe down in the cellar. When he had finished he paused to examine the result of his labor. Then, to his complete chagrin, he heard the sweetly chiding voice of his wife at the top of the stairs. "Howard!" said she, "the gas has gone out, and the water is still running." Then he sent for the plumber. SMILE RAISERS. "Darling, I cooked dinner for you all by myself, and you've never said a word about it." "I would have, dearest, but I do hate to be always complaining." Patient Parent: "Well, child, what on earth's the matter now?" Young Hopeful (who has been bathing with his bigger brother): "Willie dropped the towel in the water, and he's dried me wetter than I was before." Jimmie giggled when the teacher read the story of the Roman who swam across the Tiber three times before breakfast. "You do not doubt that a trained swimmer could do that, do you, Jimmie?" the teacher demanded. "No, sir," answered Jimmie, "but I wondered why he didn't make it four times and get back to the side his clothes were on." The police say that you and your wife had some words," said tho magistrate. "I had some," replied the prisoner, "but didn't get a chance to use them." »