Mundane Musings

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 5

Mundane Musings

A Plea For Mothers

I thoroughly dislike the pawky assumption that mothers must be mothers all the time, and never human beings with independent rights of their own as separate entities. Most particularly do I dislike it when applied to hardworking mothers of selfish grown-up children, who pursue their own course, become wrapped up in their own interests, and regard “Mother” as a useful figure in the background, to be ignored most of the time, but to be remembered when their own small children want looking after while their young parents trot out to have a good time.

Frankly, I wonder that some mothers can even feign the smallest interest in their adult brood. When you come to think of it, they are the only maternal creatures in Nature who do! It is a miraculous human business, this love which survives an indifference, a casualness, a neglect that would put the finishing touch to any other sort of relationship on earth. But mothers, because they are mothers, are expected to put up with any and every filial sin of omission and commission, and still put into daily practice the gospel of “tout comprendre e’est tout pardonner.” The peculiarly rich joke is that so many mothers, poor souls, have to forgive without understanding. They have not had their sons’ and daughters’ chances to acquire a philosophical outlook. They are incapable of weighing up the nice psychological pros and cons that facilitate the working of the “understand all, forgive all,” creed. They have been too busy washing and scrubbing and cooking and mending, all their starved lives, to give their mental processes a look-in. They forgive with their golden hearts the cold indifference to their grey lives, and the hurts that they must endure without understanding. It is time someone put in a plea for mothers as women first and mothers second. Women who can still rejoice in their feminine heritage if they are given half a chance. Who can still blush adorably at a tribute paid to thfeir silver hair, to the brave brightness of old eyes that have their own dim beauty. For whom a gift of flowers still holds a thrill of gladness. For whom a seat at the play would mean a glorious hour of crowded life. And by whom not one of these gestures of grace would be so poignantly blessed as when coming from a grown-up son or daughter!

“THE TEMPESTUOUS PETTICOAT”

HOME DRESSMAKING HINTS There are numerous ways in which amateur dressmakers may bring originality and beauty to the extremely full flouncings which characterise the latest and smartest frocks. The bodice of the gown, whether it be for day or for evening, may be as simple as you please so long as the full skirt be very full! For the black dinner frock, a Spanish lace scarf, if you happen to have one, forms an ideal basis for the “petticoat flounce,” which must be sprinkled freely with silk flower appliques—the last word from Paris. These appliques are made in the form of flowers and little green leaves, and to apply them to the lace with invisible stitches takes very little time. Gold or silver tissue for a full skirt need not be very costly if you use but half its width and to the selvedge edge stitch a double hem of coloured net to match the taffetas bodice. You can have the two joined with picot at a very small outlay, thus securing quite a professional touch. Wool flowers and leaves, crocheted in various colours and sewn on to black chiffon velvet, form a wondesrful flounce at a cost of time rather than of money. The robe de style with the skirt nearly touching the ground looks particularly handsome decorated in this fashion. Get any book on Irish crochet and follow the instructions, making the roses of two tiers of petals only, since they will work out to a much greater size in wool than in cotton.

MAKE USE OF YOUR VACUUM CLEANER

When you buy a vacuum cleaner—hand or power—be sure you have a demonstration; and be sure also to make a note of the various attachments and their uses. Some makers charge extra for attachments; even so it is worth while to go into the cost to see if money will not be saved through the economy effected. A vacuum used only to clean rugs, carpets and mats is being only half employed. FOR THE FURNITURE Given the right attachments, a vacuum will do wonders for your piano. U’ used on the instrument once in three months, it will clean the front and top of dust and grit, and will rid the felt of the hammers and the strings and sounding board of dirt and moth. Books and bookcases, coiled bed springs, mattresses, upholstered furniture —all can be made to yield up every particle of dust. Varnished floors and newly painted woodwork will dry in half the usual time with the aid of the vacuum; in this case remove the dust bag and allow the motor to run a few minutes, to be sure that all the dust is worked out; then fix the electric cleaner and let the moving air play on the wet varnish or paint. This same moving air will dry your hair after a shampoo, or even the home washing on a wet day. With the use of the vacuum flies and mosquitoes may be made to disappear with extreme rapidity. CLOTHES AS WELL When you take out your clothes to overhaul them, give them a taste of the vacuum. Hose and brush attachments will make them young and fresh again. Furs may be cleaned in the same way. And, talking of fur, just experiment with the cleaner on your dog. It will remove from- his coat all the dust which makes you hesitate to have him indoors: moreover, he will really r enjoy his dry shampoo.