The Columbian fountain., 1846-07-03
Rev. }. 1. WARD, Assistant Editor.
PRICE ONE CENT.

| gy dog, As stopped, the man looked up
from his work and turned admirably TO-
wards his little companion, as much as to
say, "See what have got heren'
eyes % thought |, "and if the little lady
ever gets glance from admiring swans as
sincere as that, she will be lucky"
Ah, these children! little witches pretty
even in all their faults and absurdities, win
ming, even in their sins and iniquities See,
for example, yonder little fellow in naueh-
! ty 1.-THE has shaken his long curls over
his deep blue eyes--the fair brow is bent
IN frewn-the rose-leaf lip is pushed up
in infinite defance-and the white shoulder
thrust naughtily forward. Can any one
but child look 50 pretty even in their
naughtness
Then comes the instant change flash
ing smiles and tears, as the good comes back
all in rush, and you are overwhelmed with
protestations, promises and kisses! They
are irresistible, too, these little ones. They
pull away the scholars pen--tumble about
his papers-make somersets over his books,
and what can he do They tear newspa-
pers-litter the carpets break, pull, and
upset, and then jabber unimaginable En-
glish, in self-delence, and what can you do
for yourself?
elf had child" says the precise man,
"you should seeo
He does have child, and his child tears
up his papers, tumbles over his things, and
pulls his nose, like all other children, and
what has the precise man to say for him.
self Nothing is like every body else
-"a little child shall lead him -
Poor little children they bring and teach
us human beings more good than they get
in return How often does the infant, with
its soft cheek and helpless hand, awaken a
mother from worldiness and egotism, to a
whole world Of new and higher feelings
How often does the mother repay this, by
doing her best to wipe of, even before the
time, the dew and fresh simplicity Of child
hood, and make her daughter too soon a
woman Of the world, as she has been.
The hardened heart Of the worldly man
is unlocked by the guileless tones and sim
pie caresses Of his son-but he repay it, in
time, by imparting to his boy all the crook
ed tricks, and hard ways, and callous max
inns which have undone himself
Go to the iail-to the penitentiary, and
find there the wretch most sullen, brutal
and hardened Then look at your infant
son. Such as he is TO you, such to some
poor mother was this man. That hard
hand was soft and delicate-lhat rough
voice was tender and lisping-fond eyes
followed him as he play ed-and he was
rocked and Graded as something holy.
There was time when his heart, soft and
unworn, might have opened TO questionings
Of God, and Jesus, and been sealed with
the seal Of Heaven. But harsh hands
seized it; fierce, goblin lneaments were I'M
pressed upon it-and all is over with him
for ever!
So, of the tender, weeping child, is made
the callous, heartless man-of the all-be
lieving child, the sneering skeptic-of the
beautiful and modest, the shameless and
abandoned-a this is what The worid does
for the little one
There was time when the Divine One
stood on earth, and little children sought
to draw near to him But harsh human
beings stood between him and them, for
bidding their approach, All has it not
been aways' Do not even we, with our
hard and unsubdued feelings-our worldly
and unscriptural habits and maxirns--stand
like dark screen between our little child
and IFS Savior, and keep from it sweet Ia
dance which might unfold it for paradise
"Shfer little children 10 come unto me-"
rs still the voice of the Son of God, but
the cold world still closes around and for
bids. When OF old, the disciples would
question their Lord Of the higher mysteries
of his kingdom, he took little child aud
set him in the midst, as sign of him who
should be greatest in heaven. That gentle
teacher still remains To Us. BY every
hearth and tireside, Jesus still sets Me III
lie child in the midst Of US
Wouldst thou know, 0 parent, wLat IS
that faith which uplocks heaven Go not
to wranglng polemcs, or creeds aud forms
OF theology, but draw to thy bosom ny
little one, and read in that cleal, trusting
eye the lesson of eternal life BE only to
thy God as thy child is to thee, and all IS
done. Blessed shalt thou be, indeed,
when "a lille child shall lead thee -