Next in importance to habits of order and personal neatness comes the habit of promptness.  The girl who loiters and dawdles and keeps people waiting, who is behindhand with her work as well as in keeping her appointments, who is never ready at meal-time, but who is always ready with some excuse for such annoying conduct, is a household nuisance, a really painful trial to all who are brought into intimate relations with her.  How often have I wished it were possible to arouse the consciousness of daughters in comfortable homes to the pain and inconvenience they give their parents and friends by a habitual lack of promptness!  For my own part, I remember how my conscience was first aroused, in my youth, on this point.  I was reading a book written for young girls by Jane Taylor—­a writer I wish were in print now—­when I came across this instruction:  “When you hear the bell ring for meals, rise immediately, leave whatever you are doing, and at once go to the table.”  Just as I was reading this sentence the bell rang, and I immediately obeyed the summons.  I noticed that my mother needed my help in seating the younger children at the table and attending to their wants, and I gave her my assistance.  Somehow the meal seemed to pass off more pleasantly than usual, and I felt my conscience prick me that I had so often given my mother trouble by loitering and delaying at meal-time.  I resolved that henceforth I would be promptly on hand to help her.  From that time there was a marked change for the better in the ease with which our family meals were served, and all because I was always promptly on hand to help my mother.  I do not know that she or any of the family knew or noticed the reason, but I was very well aware of it.  It was really a kind of turning-point in my habits of life and usefulness at home.  To this day I never hear a bell ring for meals, without the injunction of Jane Taylor coming into my mind:  “Rise immediately, leave whatever you are doing, and go at once to the table.”  I can assure you, my child, it would add greatly to the comfort and happiness of many houses, and greatly relieve many an overtaxed mother, if this good old-fashioned direction were heeded not only by daughters but by other members of the family also.

And if now, in addition to these good habits, you cultivate the habit of cheerfulness and earnestly guard against temptation to fretfulness, moroseness, or impatience, you will be well started on the way towards a useful and lovely womanhood.  A good daughter in a home is a well-spring of joy, an ever-fresh source of delight and consolation to her parents.  Especially is she the stay and support and strength of her mother, the happiness of whose life depends so largely upon the respectful and affectionate conduct and attentions of her children.

LETTER V.

Society—­conversation.