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THE SUNNY SOUTH, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, DECEMBER 10, 1892.
Our Boys ai?d (jirl^
EDITORIAL NOTES.
Communications for this page
should be addressed to “Boys and
Girls,” Sunny South, Atlanta, Geor
gia.
The Editor requests each individu
al who has contributed to this depart
ment in the last year or two to seud
his or her real name, post office, and
nom de plume.
Denying the Sweet Impeachment.
Dear Editor :
After an absence of almost six
months I come “once more, with a
hearty hand shake to all the old and
hearty welcome to our new members.”
Opal, a word with you. In one of
your recent letters to the L. B., you
said that you “fancied” May Belle
Clyde might be the next one to follow
“Jewel’s” example.
Never, my dear Opal was anything
further from my thoughts at the time
being than “enlisting m the Holy
Bonds of Matrimony.” But since
reading your letter on the subject I
have been thinking—well—n ever
mind what! but whenever I come to
any conclusion I will let you know.
That’s O. K. isn’t it?
I think we have had some splendid
letters of late from “Florida Girl”
“Reinette” and a host of others.
“Spicy” write us a long letter soon
wont you?
I have just finished reading “Owen
Merediths” “Lucile” and its simply
fine. Havn’t time to “tell you about
it” now. With best wishes from,
May Belle C.
An Explanation.
“Zirline” :—I have been compelled
to make a number of explanations
since the publication of my last com
munication in the Household. I don’t
know how it went to that department,
I’m sure it didn’t have my permission
to. I wouldn’t have dared to invade
that Kingdom where the wisest and
most experienced, viz., Mary Wilson,
Musa Dunn, etc., (persons addressed
not excepted) reign supreme.
You see I rightly belonged in the
Letter Box, where jolly boys and girls
(more especially girls) hold high car
nival, and owe my allegiance not to
Mother Hubbard but Aunt Judy.
In regard to exchanging photos
will say I would be delighted to do so
if 1 had one that would do me justice,
but I have not had any taken in sev
eral years. Nevertheless would like
one of yours very much; would esteem
it as a special favor, which would be
duly appreciated.
Will bore the L. B.’s at my earliest
“oppor-chancity.” “Thanks” for com
pliment tendered.
I remain as of yore,
“Reinette,”
Lock Box No. 5.
Coldwater, Miss.
[Reinette in P. S. to the foregoing
says she has compared handwritings,
and believes it was Zirline who sent
he” the Schiller’s poems.]
Wants to Correspond.
Dear Editor :
May I just come inside the door and
listen while you and the whole band
of charming “Cousins talk!” You do
not know how much I enjoy your chat,
nor how I appreciate your kindness
in giving the boys and girls a depart
ment. Dear “Earnest Willie,” may I
sit by you? I aui a new comer and
just a bit timid in finding myself
here, among all of these merry bright
faced boys and girls, I am afraid too
they might laugh when they see my
poor attempt at writing a letter, but
never mind you all had your first one
to write.
My heart is sad today as I write,
“Dear Cousins” did you ever lose a
dear friend? It you have, I can sym
pathize with you, for just one year ago
yesterday it pleased God to enter into
our circle of school girls and summon
one of the brightest there to her
home above. We all parted one Fri
day evening with happy hearts, but
’re another Monday brought us togeth
er one of our member was praising
her Redeemer in her Eternal Home.
How sad our hearts were but we all
rejoiced in the hope of meeting her
again “up there.”
I would like to correspond with
some of the Cousins.“ Au Revoir.”
_ Lovingly,
Croft, N. C., Minnie.
A Bit of Mythology.
I want to tell the boys and girl
(the grown folks being presumed t
know) about nine fabled sisters, the
Muses.
They are said to be the daughters of
Jupiter and Mnemosyne, away back
in the old Grecian mythology, before
the origin of all the folk-lore and fairy
tales of Uncle Remus and Hans Chris
tian Andersen.
They presided over poetry, music,
dancing and all the liberal arts. Their
names were Clio, Euterpe, Thalia,
Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Poly
hymnia, Calliope and Urania. They
were generally represented as beauti
ful girls, dressed becomingly for the
arts and sciences over which they pre
sided.
They were worshipped in Greece,
had regular festivals and dances in
their honor, and while no sacrifices
were ever offered to them, no ancient
poet ever began a poem of any preten
sions without a solemn invocation to
the muse to sing for him the subject
and substance of his work.
Clio was the muse of history. She
is represented as crowned with laurel,
holding a book in one hand and a
trumpet in the other. Her name is
from the Greek word kelos, meaning
glory. Her office was to record the
deeds of illustrious heroes. Atlanta
has honored Clio by naming for her
the elephant in the zoo at Grant’s Park
—distinguished honor that.
Euterpe was tne muse of music—see
the plain derivation of music ? She
is represented as crowned with flow
ers and holding a flute in her hand.
Her name is of two Greek words—eu,
—well, and terpes,—pleasing,—the
well pleasing one. She was considered
the inventress of the flute and other
wind instruments.
Thalia was the muse of pastoral and
comic poetry. To her was also as
signed, later, comedy. She is repre
sented as holding a mask in her right
hand and a shepherd’s crook in her
left, while she leans against a column.
Her name is from the Greek word
thallos, a bloom, or flower, and means
literally the blooming one.
Melpomene wa9 the muse of trag
edy, although Horace addressed to her
some of his finest odes as if to the pat
roness of lyric poetry. She is repre
sented as well dressed, wearing jewels
and the high buskins, holding a dag
ger in one hand and in the other
crowns and a scepter. Her name is
from the verb melpomai, to sing and
dance, and means the songstress.
Terpsichore was the muse of danc
ing. She is represented as a young
girl wearing a garland of laurel and
holding in her hand a musical instru
ment, and in a dancing attitude. Her
name is from terpo, to please, and she
is said to have invented dancing and
she taught her sister muses the sport.
Erato was the muse of lyric poetry
and love songs. She is represented as
wearing a wreath of roses and myrtle,
holding in her hand a lyre and a lute,
the invention of which instruments
was attributed to her. Her name is
from a participle of the verb erao, to
love, and means beloved, or lovely.
Polyhymnia, whose name sometimes
is shortened into Polymnia, was the
muse of singing and rhetoric. She is
represented as veiled in white, holding
a scepter in her left hand, and her
right hand is raised as if to direct the
song or to enter upon a discus
sion ; upon her head there is a
crown of jewels. To her has been at
tributed the invention of harmony, or
rhythm. Her name is from two Greek
words polus many and umnos song—
she of the many songs Calliope was
the muse of epic poetry and eloquence.
She is represented crowned with lau
rels, with a trumpet in her right hand
and books in her left. Her office was
not only to chronicle the deeds of he
roes, as did Clio, but to celebrate them
in song. More duties and powers are
ascribed to Calliope than to any of the
other muses. She was said to be the
mother of Orpheus whose wonderful
music charmed and tamed ferocious
beasts. Her name is from Kallos—
beautiful, and ops—a voice—the beau-
ful-voiced.
Urania was the muse of astronomy.
She is represented as a young virgin
clothed in azure colored robes, wear
ing a crown of stars, seated by a globe
and surrounded by various mathemat
ical instruments. Her name is simi
lar to the old god Uranus or Ouranus,
the most ancient of all the deities, and
is merely the feminine form of it—
meaning the celestial one.
So we have these old stories. They
have lived in the traditions of litera
ture, science and art to this day.
When reference is made to them, and
when one understands the reference,
their ancient beauty and force seem to
be revived. I have explained this to
the boys and girl9 so that their pa
rents and teachers will not have the
trouble.
Now, can you all repeat the names?
Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene,
Terpsichore, Erato, Polyhymnia, Cal
liope and Urania, the nine muses, and
do you know who they are and what
they represent?
W. F. Cbusselli.
EDUCATION OF GIKL3.
THE BEST WAY TO TRAIN UP THE
AVERAGE AMERICAN GIRL.
Bliss Frances Funston, of New York City,
Was Awarded a Prize by tbe New York
Herald for the Following Interesting
and Instructive Article.
The subject of the proper education of
women to meet the problems of the present
century is now a very live topic. When
one looks around and out on the mass of
women who are forced to rely upon their
own efforts, it is amazing how much they
accomplish with the slight equipment for
such exertion that many of them possess.
That women possess all the qualities of
men, except perhaps physical strength, no
one now cares to deny. We all know that
down through the ages of history women
there have been who have held positions of
great responsibility; women who have
risen to the very height of power and in
fluence; but such women have been the ex
ceptions of the age in which they lived.
Had all women enjoyed the mental train
ing that the men of their class and age re
ceived it is difficult to say what result
might not have been accomplished.
That £hey have not had that training ia
evident. We all know the history of the
courageous ones who have at last changed
the current of popular thought, so that all
fields are practically open to women.
How shall she best be trained to meet all
the new requirements? To the question,
What education shall woman have? the
answer now is, All she wishes or can re
ceive.
The problems that confront her today
are varied, and the calls upon her are un
ceasing.
First, she should be taught to take care
of her health, so as to be sound physically;
without that she cannot hope to be sound
and strong mentally.
The only reason why there is any need
to discuss the question placed at the head
of this letter is that she has not always
had the facility for mental training that
her brothers have had.
Look at the great army of noble women
of the past and present. Take our lessons
from those who have made the world bet
ter by living in it. Do we not find in their
lives that they possess the most beautiful
of all traits—self control. This has not
been obtained by an idle life nor by efforts
to assert themselves, to secure for them
selves the greatest amount of comfort, but
rather by quiet self sacrifice and by self
training, first in study and next in inter
course with the world, and by such self
discipline that all her faculties respond to
her wilL
Her perceptive faculties should be well
cultivated, so that she comprehends quick
ly, sees at a glance what is to be done, and
taught absolutely to rely upon her own
ability to do what is required. These
things are innate in most women. They
should be developed to their utmost limit.
Then woman needs to be taught that ac
curacy and attention to detail should not
necessarily result in a narrowing of her
mental horizon.
Systematic regulation of daily habits are
of vast importance, and should be insisted
upon in early life, trained in so thoroughly
and persistently that one is able to arrange
for all calls upon time and effort uncon
sciously. This must be done early in life,
however, and must be judiciously done, or
the result will be fussiness.
The reasoning faculties must not be over
looked; perhaps that can best be done by a
thorough grounding iu mathematics, which
most women dislike. Their intuitive in-
tincts are in the way there, for it is easier
to jump at a conclusion, nine times out of
ten, and jump right, too, than to take the
time to follow out a long chain of to them
useless deductions, only to arrive at what
they knew all the time.
While some contend that mathematics
are the best aids to a broadening of those
faculties that women are supposed to b°
most deficient in, it seems to me that a
general training in the field of literature
will be of incalculable benefit.
History particularly should not be over
looked—not the mere study of events, but
what influences and causes were at work
upon the lives and characters of the people
who have preceded us and are about us
now, and who have controlled individual
and social development.
I think that and kindred subjects tend
to widen the mental scope, and to give a
clearer and sounder judgment. All wom
en should be encouraged in taking up sys
tematically those subjects that tend to lift
them above the routine work which they
are apt to fall into by the constant atten
tion to home duties. It is fully demon
strated now that there need be no fear that
by aiding in an all round culture for wom
en they will give less attention to their
household duties.
It will, I know, help them to a more in
telligent performance of those same duties.
A harmoniously educated woman will
rise to any emergency; will be ready to
meet any problem of this or any other age.
Teach them to use every faculty that
God has endowed them with. A woman
may be taught to care for her house, to do
with her own hands every part of the work
required, for it is only by “doing” that we
are well taught.
She may ride, dance, sing, and in fact
have all the accomplishments that will add
to her attractiveness, which last is of great
importance in this age. If women are to
be earnest workers they must not forget
their claim to beauty, but see always that
the proper attention is given to the adorn
ing of their outward persons as well as to
tfre cultivation of their intellects- Wonasr
je ... "7 ~ 'vaa— 1 .
should be taught to dress well. Personal
presence is an element of power in both
men and women. Iu fact I do not know
that women need be taught or educated so
much as to be given more freedom to use
fully and without harsh criticism what
they know so well howto do without being
taught.
The modern gift of civil rights to woman
Imposes upon her civil liabilities. In many
spheres she does men’s work—all are open
to her save those that demand higher phys
ical strength. In those that call for deli
cacy and quickness of perception, patience
and refinement, she can equal men. Log
ical power of thought is the highest devel
opment of both sexes and few of either at
tain it. Men through generations have had
hereditary practical experience and a cer
tain hardness acquired in dealing with the
world, and to men education is free to
each, after the rudiments, to study for his
work. Give the women the same freedom
and the same practical aptitude and expe
rience and they never fails in their duty.—
Frances Funston in New York Herald.
. ■ — ■» -~w—nc . .
Doing Things Easily.
“Do sit down.” said the wise mother of
a family to the new and ambitious young
housemaid. “I do not in the least approve
of what might be called laziness, or the
habit of collapsing into a chair every time
one turns around, but I do believe in sav
ing one’s strength when it is just as easy
to do it.
“You are standing at the table to pare
your potatoes, when you might just as
well sit down to do it. By and by there
will be cleaning and brushing and scrub
bing to do, when you must stand. If there
is fruit to prepare, vegetables to get ready
or any of the many things where one may
remain quiet while doing them, it is much
better to sit. This gives renewed energy
for the harder part of the work, and while
there is so much about housework that is
necessarily taxing, it seems to me a very
wise thing to do this. I do not know why
economy in /trength is not just as impor
tant as economy in anything else.
“Certainly the ability to make the best
of all of our powers is worth a little study.
People who are well and strong often seem
to enjoy a reckless exhibition of their phys
ical ability, but with these a time almost
always comes when the heavy strain of
wasted energy begins to tell on the consti
tution; then it is too late to prevent the
damage.”—New York Ledger.
Imitating Mother.
“Jack!” screamed a bright eyed, golden
haired, fair faced little girl of no more
than six summers to her younger brother
who had dumped himself under the wall
where he was digging sand with a strip of
shingle. “Jack, you good for nothing little
scamp, you are the torment of my life!
Come right Into the house this minute, or
I’ll take the very hide off’n you! Comein,
I say!”
“Why, Totty!” exclaimed her father, who
chanced to come up at that moment.
“What in the world are you saying? Is
that the way you talk to your little
brother?”
“Oh, no, papa,” answered the child
promptly and with an innocent smile.
“We was playing keep house and I am
Jack’s mamma, and I was talking to him
just as mamma talked to me this morn
ing.”—St. Louis Republic.
Children’* Playmates.
It is an excellent thing to know with
whom your children play and how they
deport themselves. If they are made wel
come at your home you have the best op
portunity of gaining this information.
It need not be very irksome to keep the
number within bounds. In summer our
little visitors like to sit with their play
things in the shady porches or in the door
way. In cold weather they can have the
warm dining room. If disposed to run over
the house, it is sufficient to say decidedly,
“Don’t run up stairs, please; just play in
the dining room,” and I have never known
a child to disregard the request. It is
worth a great deal to make children happy.
They remember little treats longer than
we suppose.
Set out a plate of sandwiches, cookies,
apples or whatever is the handiest in the
pantry, and then let the little girls arrange
them to suit themselves on their little
sprigged tea set. A little coffee and sugar
and milk in their small dishes make their
happiness complete. Be a lady to your
boy’s friends and leave a good impression
upon them, if you wish to retain the re
spect of your own dear boy. It hurts boys’
feelings and mortifies them intensely to
have mother speak snappishly to them be
fore companions, making them feel that
they are not wanted. Such boys are apt to
wander away, with most resentful feelings,
to seek such company as their mother
would dread to have for their associates.
But whom should she blame for it?—Do
mestic Monthly.
A Girl’s Choice.
A girl, if she cannot always choose, can
always refuse, and generally her difficulty
is this: It is evident that this man is mak
ing love to me. I do not love him, but 1
think I might do so if I choose. Shall 1
choose or shall I forbear? It is here that
the power of choice comes in, and it is her*
that the voice of prudence must be heard,
if it is to be heard at all. In such circum
stances a girl will act wisely if she pays
considerable attention to the generaFe**$-
ion that is held of the gentleman in ques
tion by his professional brethren or his
business acquaintances. It is, in short, not
the man who is agreeable among women,
but he who is well liked bv his own sex
who Is the man to choose as a husband.
There are certain persons, however, of
the opposite sex who are almost as good
^udgef of a plan’s disposition as those
— - » —■ i t * ■
can always tell how a man stands with his
sisters. If they are really fond of him, she
may feel almost sure that he will make a
good husband. A mother of course always
speaks well of her son. It is not what she
says of him, but bis behavior to her that
is to be looked to. And a lady may foel
certain of this point—that as a man now
treats his mother and sisters, so he will
treat her six months after marriage.
All this may seem very cold blooded, very
far removed from the tender feeling which
the courtship induces. But, after all, a
girl has a choice to make, a choice upon
which the whole happiness of her life may
depend, and there is always a time, whether
she notices it or not, before she parts with
the control of her heart, at which she ought
to listen to her judgment.—Domestic Mag
azine.
A Boy Barber.
Of all the infant prodigies in New York
city there is probably none more really
remarkable in his own way than little Pe-
tro Gilvani, who enjoys the distinction of
being the youngest professional barber
certainly in New York and probably in the
world. Petro is ten years old. He has
been a barber for over a year. His father
is proprietor of a musty little hair dressing
“parlor,” as be calls it, situated in the
basement of a store on Ninth avenue. The
only assistance he has is given him by his
son Petro.
Petro is a bright little fellow, with big
black eyes and a clear, olive complexion.
He climbs upon a carpet covered box to
reach the faces of his customers, and the
Ninth avenue men declare that he has the
softest fingers and gentlest touch in the
world.
Many of the regular customers of the
little shop prefer being shaved by Petro on
his stool to trusting to the mercies of the
father. With a stranger it is different.
They submit tamely to Petro’s lathering
process, but when be grasps a razor and
begins stropping it vigorously each indi
vidual hair stands on end, and they with
great unanimity object.
The little barber attends one of the pub
lic schools, and only helps his father dur
ing the busy hours each day and on Satur
day evenings and Sunday mornings.—New
York Recorder.
A Half and a Half.
A small pupil in one of our schools stood
before her teacher at recess with the half
of an apple in each hand.
“Which half is the biggest, MissH ?”
Her teacher was in a mood to be critical
and answered:
“A half is a half, whether it’s half of an
apple, or the half of the world. So, you
see, if your apple is cut exactly in halves,
one half must be just the size of the other
half.”
The eyes of tbe little pupil filled with
tears as she heard this scholarly discus
sion, but she still held out the two “halves”
of her apple, although her little hands
trembled.
“I didn’t mean it that way, teacher,”she
said sweetly. “I want you to have the big
gest half.”
“Thank you, my dear,” said the teacher,
who suddenly discovered that it took very
little learning to be generous and thought
ful.—Detroit Free Press.
Tlie Inhabitants of Mars.
We know that the tribes upon our earth
which live under the most unfavorable
conditions ns regards beat—the Eski
mos, for instance, and the Patagonians—
are far behind the inhabitants of the tem
perate regions in civilization, apd there
fore, if we may draw any inferences at all
as to the Martials from our own condition,
the more probable inference is that, if they
exist under circumstances at all like our
own, they are, considering their great dis
tance from the sun, centuries behind us
rather than at the same stage of evolution,
or, still less, centuries before us.
And if we have no right to draw such an
inference, then we have still less to reason
with the smallest confidence from our own
circumstances to theirs. They may ol
course have senses such as we have not
even a dream of; they may be perfectly
well acquainted with all that happens not
only on our globe, but on all the other
planets, and yet quite unable to let us
know that they are familiar with our con
ditions of life and how they have acquired
that knowledge. But if that were so it
would be only too obvious that our condi
tions of life furnish us with no basis for
forming any conjecture at all as to theirs,
and in that case it would not only be san
guine but quite irrational to attempt to
open communications at all.
The only shadow of justification for
making such an attempt rests on the as
sumption that we may reason from the
analogy of our condition to theirs, and on
that assumption we mink it would be only
prudent to assume that, if such faculties
as ours are already developed on the sur
face of Mars at all, they are likely to be
far behind instead of far before oux own.—
London Spectator.