Certainly, he said, they should not
interfere in any way with her in acquiring a "liberal education." And
thus she lost the sweet privilege of acting the honorable and useful
part usually assigned to an "elder daughter," and an "elder sister."
To atone for her isolated and unfortunate situation--made unfortunate by
the contracted and selfish views of this ill-judging father--her father
made another mistake under the circumstances, for, instead of sending
her to a good select school, where she would come in contact with
children of her own age, and her intellectual powers might be sharpened
by coming in contact with other minds, he procured for her _private
teachers_, and she had not even the benefit of a good long walk to and
from school in the open air.
Thus was this mere child, day after day, and hour after hour, confined
to the piano, to her drawing and painting lessons, and her worsted work.
She became a proficient in these external accomplishments, and was by
some considered quite a prodigy--possessing a rare genius, which often
means nothing more nor less than a distorted character.
Her health for a time was sadly undermined, and her nervous system was
shattered by too close attention to pursuits which imposed too great a
tax upon the visual organs, and too much abstraction from common
objects.
Who would not rather see a young daughter--the merry, laughing companion
of a group of girls--out after wild flowers, weaving them into garlands
to crown the head of some favorite of the party, making up bouquets as a
gift for mamma, or some favorite aunt--cutting paper into fantastic
figures, and placing them upon the wall to please children, or dressing
a doll for little sister? Who would not rather see their young daughter
a jumping delicate little romp, chasing a bird in mirthful glee, as if
she verily thought she could catch it?
How could this young wife and mother, so differently trained, be
expected all at once to judge and act wisely and impartially about the
grave matter of infant training--a subject she absolutely knew nothing
about, having never contemplated it? What do parents think, or expect
when their young daughters marry and become parents? Do they suppose
that some magic spell will come over a girl of eighteen in going through
the matrimonial ceremony, which shall induct her into all the mysteries
of housewifery, and initiate her into the more intricate and important
duty of training the infant, so as to give it a sound mind in a sound
body, so that it shall possess a symmetrical character?
The father of Louise saw too late his mistake in allowing this daughter
the great privilege, as he thought at the time, of having her own way in
every thing.
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