2005-03-10 - 4:25 p.m.

"Gems" from Gabrielle Jackson's A series of don'ts for mothers who may, or may not, stand in need of them, published in 1903:

• Don’t allow your child to become a source of annoyance in a public vehicle.
• Don’t feed your child upon an excess of sweets; a certain amount is a necessity ; an over-supply a poison.
• Don’t take your small child shopping.
• Don’t forget that the words “Mother” and “Good Crony” should be synonymous.
• Don’t give your child a chance to say, “You just got mad yourself; so now!” (I really like the idea of ending my sentences with "so now!")
• Don’t forget that there never lived a “born saint,” and that the average human being would find one rather tiresome.
• Don’t “wait upon” her. Let her have the sweet privilege of serving you.

p.s. "Don'ts" is a really awkward word.

p.p.s. 13th-floor problems. Iffen you can't get email through, mechakoneko "at" yahoo.com or das.unsinn "at" gmail.com.