Confidences

Confidences, by Edith B. Lowry

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Title: Confidences Talks With a Young Girl Concerning Herself
Author: Edith B. Lowry
Release Date: December 24, 2004 [EBook #14445]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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CONFIDENCES ***

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CONFIDENCES

By the same author

TRUTHS Talks With a Boy Concerning Himself 50 cents.
HERSELF Talks With Women Concerning Themselves $1.00.
FALSE MODESTY 50 cents.

CONFIDENCES
TALKS WITH A YOUNG GIRL CONCERNING HERSELF
BY EDITH B. LOWRY, M.D.
CHICAGO 1919

* * * * *
To the daughters of my friends, but especially to MARY LOUISE this
little book is lovingly dedicated.
* * * * *

PREFACE
No one can come in contact with children and young people without
feeling the need of a united effort on the part of the parents, physicians
and teachers to lessen the immoral tendencies, with their degrading
effects, to which the present generation is subjected. Knowledge of the
right sort will prevent many wrecked lives. Ignorance as to facts and to
the best manner of presenting them prevents many a parent from daring
to trespass upon such sacred ground, and the instruction is postponed
from day to day until it is too late.
With the desire to aid mothers in giving the necessary instruction to
their daughters, this little book has been written. The author has tried to

tell in suitable language the facts that should be known by every girl
from ten to fourteen years of age. The book is of such a character that it
may be placed in the hands of the young girl, but better still it may be
read aloud by the mother to her daughter. It is hoped this book will
form the basis of a closer intimacy between mother and daughter, and
that the knowledge herein set forth will forestall that which might be
given in an entirely different spirit by the girl's companions.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
The Secret
II. The Flower Babies
III. The Bird Babies
IV. Mother's Baby
V. The Baby's Nest
VI. Building the Nest
VII. The Sign Language
VIII. Rest and Sleep
IX. Injury of the Nest

* * * * *
In all places, then, and in all seasons, Flowers expand their light and
soul-like wings, Teaching us, by most persuasive reasons, How akin

they are to human things.
Longfellow.
* * * * *
CHAPTER I
THE SECRET
Listen, Violet, I am going to tell you a wonderful secret. And this
wonderful secret is about your namesakes, the violets. Every little
flower that grows is a living being, as you or I--and every plant is a
household. How do I know this? The flowers told me themselves, and
now I am going to let you into the secret.
Of course, I must admit that the flowers do not talk as we do. Unlike
ourselves, they cannot express themselves aloud. They must show their
thoughts by their motions or by their change of expression. When a
flower is thirsty, how does it tell us so? By drooping its head and
looking sad. Then, if we give it a drink, how quickly it says, "Thank
you!" by lifting its head and smiling at us.
If we would have the flowers tell us their secrets, we must watch them
very closely so as to be able to hear what they say. Sometimes,
however, we must learn from others what the plants like, for at first,
until we are better acquainted, we will not be able to understand them,
and might make many mistakes; so I am going to tell you a few things
today.
First, we must learn something about the flower's family, and where the
flower gets its food. The flowers are a part of the plant household just
the same as you or any little girl is only a part of the family. You could
not very well live without the rest of the family--your father and mother,
who do so many things for you and take such care of you, and your
brothers and sisters, who all help to make the home happy.
The flower is like a little girl and needs some one to care for her. Do

you know the other members of the plant household?
First, there are the roots, whose work it is to hold the plant in place so it
will not be tossed about by