Her little girl only four years old had seen a dead baby. The sight made a strong impression upon her mind ; she tossed in her sleep, she worried herself by day, she was constantly asking when she must die. At last her mother said : *^ It is probable that you will live a great many years ; I hope you will, but if you should die it wouldn't hurt you." The mother who thus quieted the little child had an almost perfect faith in the mercy and love of the Father of all men. Customs which added terror to all connected with the last offices of the dead haye gradually been done away with. The unsightly mound is hidden with flowers ; the tolling bell which has spoiled the sunshine of a summer day, and stopped us at our childish play as suddenly as if 106 HOUSEHOLD HINTS. an icy hand had been laid upon our burning cheek, is no longer heard in many of our villages. It is a happy thing for children that this is so, and that it is no longer held necessary to dwell upon or regard Christ's death, rather than his life, as the central point in the study of Christian ethics. Another advance whifch has been made of late years is in the relations sustained by mother and daughter, and the increase of confidence between them ; young women now are often helped where once they were left to pilot their own way over unknown roads. This is not even yet as complete as it ought to be, but it is encouraging to know that as education is more general these excellent ideas will reach many who have not hitherto entertained them. It would be a great help to us if we could realize these facts, and not be disheartened by considering that, in bringing up our children, we have a question before us still more difficult to answer than that which our fathers and mothers had to meet. It is true that in one sense the question is greater ; it includes more ; our civilization does demand more of us ; but it also furnishes greater facilities for obtaining that which it demands. Looked at on all sides, it really seems that we may be of use in helping others to appreciate and enjoy the good time which is al-. ready here. A BAD HABIT. There is a practice common in many households and among familiar acquaintances which ought to be thought about and be done away with for ever. It is not only con- trary to good sense, but a due regard for politeness and the observance of good manners require that it shall not be indulged in. It is the practice of remarking upon each other's looks. It is bad enough in the family, where the questions and the searching glance are the expression of kind feeling, unless, indeed, the apparently anxious in- TALKS UPON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, 107 quiries as to how you have slept, or how you are feeling, are about as meaningless as remarks upon the temperature, but it is absolutely insupportable from any one but a very dear friend. Who has not had the experience of going out for a walk, or into a neighbor's house, and being greeted with the assertion that she is not looking well. *^ Seems to me you are pale to-day," or, " How thin you are ! You have been sick, haven't you ? You don't look as strong as you did last summer." The truth very likely being that you are stronger, and weigh more than at that time. It is a confession of weakness, but I have gone home from a walk out of which the sunshine has all been taken by some such thoughtless remark, and have looked in the glass to see if I could discover the sign of some fatal dis- order. "John is not well this summer, and I am troubled about him ; but don't tell him he doesn't look well," said John's wife to a friend ; " he is so nervous that it makes him downright ill to be spoken to in that way." It certainly is not kind, and it may be very injurious. Suppose that he does look wretched, it does not help the matter to force him to dwell upon it.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Her little girl only four years old had seen a dead baby. The sight made a strong impression upon her mind ; she tossed in her sleep, she worried herself by day, she was constantly asking when she must die. At last her mother said : *^ It is probable that you will live a great many years ; I hope you will, but if you should die it wouldn't hurt you." The mother who thus quieted the little child had an almost perfect faith in the mercy and love of the Father of all men. Customs which added terror to all connected with the last offices of the dead have gradually been done away with. The unsightly mound is hidden with flowers ; the tolling bell which has spoiled the sunshine of a summer day, and stopped us at our childish play as suddenly as if an icy hand had been laid upon our burning cheek, is no longer heard in many of our villages. It is a happy thing for children that this is so, and that it is no longer held necessary to dwell upon or regard Christ's death, rather than his life, as the central point in the study of Christian ethics. Another advance which has been made of late years is in the relations sustained by mother and daughter, and the increase of confidence between them ; young women now are often helped where once they were left to pilot their own way over unknown roads. This is not even yet as complete as it ought to be, but it is encouraging to know that as education is more general these excellent ideas will reach many who have not hitherto entertained them. It would be a great help to us if we could realize these facts, and not be disheartened by considering that, in bringing up our children, we have a question before us still more difficult to answer than that which our fathers and mothers had to meet. It is true that in one sense the question is greater ; it includes more ; our civilization does demand more of us ; but it also furnishes greater facilities for obtaining that which it demands. Looked at on all sides, it really seems that we may be of use in helping others to appreciate and enjoy the good time which is al-. ready here. A BAD HABIT. There is a practice common in many households and among familiar acquaintances which ought to be thought about and be done away with for ever. It is not only contrary to good sense, but a due regard for politeness and the observance of good manners require that it shall not be indulged in. It is the practice of remarking upon each other's looks. It is bad enough in the family, where the questions and the searching glance are the expression of kind feeling, unless, indeed, the apparently anxious in- quiries as to how you have slept, or how you are feeling, are about as meaningless as remarks upon the temperature, but it is absolutely insupportable from any one but a very dear friend. Who has not had the experience of going out for a walk, or into a neighbor's house, and being greeted with the assertion that she is not looking well. *^ Seems to me you are pale to-day," or, " How thin you are ! You have been sick, haven't you ? You don't look as strong as you did last summer." The truth very likely being that you are stronger, and weigh more than at that time. It is a confession of weakness, but I have gone home from a walk out of which the sunshine has all been taken by some such thoughtless remark, and have looked in the glass to see if I could discover the sign of some fatal disorder. "John is not well this summer, and I am troubled about him ; but don't tell him he doesn't look well," said John's wife to a friend ; " he is so nervous that it makes him downright ill to be spoken to in that way." It certainly is not kind, and it may be very injurious. Suppose that he does look wretched, it does not help the matter to force him to dwell upon it.

Household hints