The Southern journal., 1846-03-07

'oonou auu STinueu, ana WltnOut another
word down went three dollars--all that the
last weeks butter came to; and as they
walked out Of the shop, it is hard to say
which looked the most delighted with the
bargain.
"Ahw thought /, little child shall lead
them!" ass
Another day, as was passing carriage
factory along one Of our back streets, 1
saw young mechanic at work on wheel.
The rough body Of a carriage stood beside
himz-and there, wrapped up snugly, all
hooded and cloaked, sat a little dark-eyed
girl, about year ole, playing with great
shaggy dog As stopped, the man look.
ed up from his work and turned admirine.
ly towards bis little companion-as much
as to say--"See what / have got in
here!''
eyes" thought |, .and ifthe little LADY,
ever got a glance from admiring swains as
sincere as that, she will be lucky.'
All, these children! little witches! pref
ty, even in all their faults and absurdties!
winning, even in their sins and iniquities!
See, for example, yonder little fellow in
naughty ft--he has shaken his long curls
over his deep blue eyes--the fair brow is
bent in frown--the rose-leaf lipis pursed
up IN infinite defiance-and the white
shoulder thrust naughtily forward. Can
any but child look so pretty even in their
naughunesss M
Then comes the instant change--hash-
ing smiles and tears, as the good comes
back all in rush, and you are overwhelm-
ed 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 up
newspapers--litter the carpets break,
pull and upset, and then jabber unimagin-
able English in self-defence, and what can
you 90 Tor yourselr. -''- :
"lfl had Child" says the precise man,
"you should see.'
lie does have a 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
himself? Nothing--hesis like every body
else--"a little child shall lead him!''
Poor little children! they bring and
teach us, human beings, more good thar
they get in return! How often does the
infant, with its soft cheek and helpless
hand, awaken mother from worldlness
and egotism, to whole world of new and
higher feeling! How often does the mo-
ther repay this, by doing her best to wipe
OFT, even before the time, the dew and fresh
simplicity Of childhood, and make her
daughter too soon woman of the world,
as she has been.
The hardened heart of the worldly man
Is unlocked by the guileless tones and
simple caresses of his son-but he repays
it, in time, by imparting to his boy all the
crooked tricks, and hard ways, and CAL
lous maxims which have undonc him~
self
Go TO the jail--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
mother was this man. That hard hand
was soft and delicate--that rough voice
was tender and lisping-fond eyes follow
ed him as he played--and he was rocked
and scradled as something holy. There
was time when his heart, soft and unworn
might have opened to questionings to God,
and been sealed with the seal of Heaven.
But harsh hands seized it---ferce, goblin
lineaments were impressed upon it--and
all is over with him forever! '''
So, of the tender, weeping child is made
the calous, heartless man--of the all-be-
lieving child, the sneering skeptic--of the
beautiful and modest, the shameless and
abandonment--and this is what the world
does for the little one. sdauo
There was time when the Divine One
stood on earth, and little children sought to
draw near to him. But harsh human be-
ings stood between him and them, forbid
ding their approach. All! has it not been
always so? Do not even we, with our
hard and unsubdued feelings--our worldly