Show TUB TIlE HARDENING G PROCESS fly Ily Ireno Gardner Yesterday morning as ns I rode down own In an open car I sat lt next to a a. roan man and his little liitle girl Judging from her speech I should say tho the child was wa about abou tour our years ears old but if iC I hadn't hoard heard her talk I should have ha said she was not more than two Fo Foshe For Forshe Forshe she was very cry tin tiny arid frail There simply Im ly wasn wasn't t any flesh on her Just her Just skin drawn over n tho tao bones hones In her mea meagre ro face tace her ej eyes es stood out bigand big bigand and plaintive Now you probably remember that it was wai very er cool yesterday morning although tOe sun was shin shin- Ing log I had my coat buttoned up ti tight ht in the car am and even then when it 11 s got t to going fast and the breeze brocz became proportionately strong I regretted I waited for lor a n. clo closed d car The Tho little childs child's father Cather also seemed to reel the weather for after a n. while he buttoned d up tip his hS warm cO coat t. t Then he b bent nt down and kl kissed ed th little HUle one gazing at her in a way that know his hiR heart was wrapped up in his child I Yet wo would Id you believe it That child had a lawn dress io o 0 sheer It could not riot be bc considered an nn any covering at all iii 11 for tor her puny body Instead of stockings stockings stock stock- In ings she h hau hU on socks sock and also algo slippers Instead o of shoes shoe 1 I She was without a wrap of any nm kind hind and hatless The rho wind w whizzed through her brown locks and he her her transparent clothes and made her snuggle close t tHer to Her hor father When hen sho she did this he would laugh a at ather her for Cor it Was was plain he thought she was just jus cuddling up L In n play Probably that little on one will die lie suddenly wit with some ome acute t trouble uble and the heart of or the father wIllbe wIll wll be torn with for tor that ho he loved her dearl dearly no one who saw sav a 1 him him could could doubt Perhaps he he is Is a believer in the hardening process pro pro- ce cess of children childred But nut what right has a n parent t to inflict the practice ce of such a 3 belief belle on a tin tiny chill child who plainly is Holding on to life by a mere mero thread It Its It's all very w 1 ll to harden children if IC one goes goe oes about it in an art Intelligent way but to take a child of ot parents who not themselves e been used altheir all al their lives to such sich exposure and put it to such a test I is nothing hort short of cruel Tho The very ven fact that tha that that father shivered red as he buttoned up his overcoat I proved pro that hi l was not prepared to endure an any such exposure e a as he was subjecting her to I There is ab no excuse to be bo made fo for I that father I he was deliberating making hi his child tho the victim of or his own theories his action L was little short of t criminal If It he was WM simply Imply careless care care- I less ess and did no realize the difference between th the lit clothing he she rc re and that he had consented I she should wea his actions were the same ame When one aces r ees such a parent it almost inclines incline I I Ione one to the ac acceptance of Mrs Charlotte Perkins i Gilmans Gilman's theo theo T which is that children should b be bc brought up b by the state because so few parents ar arIt are arc fit It to bring Ahem khem hem up with judgment She holds hold that hat the mo t mo moat t injurious indulgences are allowed In is Inthe L the he the nar name a 0 of of love This father was wa an illustration L In n favor of yer arguments As for Cor me weil re-weil well when I saw him kissing and caressing U at mite of oC a 3 child I didn't admire hi his ather tather the least least little tittle bit I |