Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-01-16
Family Government.

y TepTONlil1 CuiiuTel WHen tueS commit
trivial errors. As the minds OF the latter
are tender. harsh words CRATE upon the
ear; and just in the proportion as their
judgments see that the punishment for
any offence is more severe than the occa-
sion demands. will they feel aggrieved.
and indulge in bitter feelings agains, the
parent The fault of too severely cnasii-
sing children. however. lies mainly with
the father. As God has implanted the
finest and keenest sensibilties in woman,
she is the most fitted to govern and cor
rect the faults of youth; and perhaps the
fact that she was thus endowed, is the
great reason why children generally love
the mother more than they do the father.
| Man. being endowed with strong nerves
and ndomltable will and energy. gener-
| ally looks upon faults with an uniorgying
severity: while woman. being the reverse.
easily overlooks errors, and pardons those
who commit them.
| We have an anecdote to relate by way
Of illustration, which a gentleman told US,
the facts of which occurred TO him when
he wasa boy.
The father had sen, his son to turn his
two cows into the pasture. and stood
watching the boy, while he was obeying
the command. One of the cows was
black and the other was red. When the
boy returned, the father asked him which
COW went into the pasture first. The boy
thought this very uni,nportant matter,
as it really was, and though,lessly re-
piled.
'.The black one'
No, my son. it was not the black one
that entered the pasture first, but the red
one; for saw them they entered. You
must not tell falsehood, my son; if you
do, | shall severely punish you.
! Now, which COW entered frst?"
The boy knew as well as the father did,
that the red one entered first; but as he
had stated that the black one was the first
to enter. and as he thought the father was
questioning him very closely upon trivl-
al affair, he would. to use his own lam
guage, .'stck to it, as he first stated it,
and so he replied, second time,
''The black one"
"My son, asked the father, do you
mean to tell falsehood!"
No. sir: the black one entered first, for
| saw her,
81 will see if you are going TO tell
falsehood with impunity." said the father.
"Now go to wedding those beds in the
garden; YOU shall not have a morsel OF
food until you come to he and acknowl-
edge that you have told a lie"
| The boy did as he was bade to do: but
long before the dinner hour came he was
exceedingly hungry. and was trying TO
think Of some plan whereby he might get
knowledge MS falsehood. The father
seeing him toll away, called and asked
him which COW entered first. ''The black
one," was the reply, and he was told TO
return to his labor, and there remain un-
til he could tell the truth.
lie returned. and toiled until long after
dinner. and with no prospect of having
any. for he knew his father would be as
good as his word. Finally, in the after
noon, he saw some visitors drive up to
the house, and by the preparation he
shortly after saw going on, he knew that
an excellent supper was preparing. and
knowing that he should be excluded from
the table. he watched an opportunity when
his parents were in another part Of the
house. and entered the pantry. took all
the niceties his mother had prepared Sor
the company. and hid them in the garden.
He then returned, broke up some pies
and cakes. had took the cat and buried
her feet in the fragments. SO that he should
not be suspected. He then ate at his
leisure and worked very cheerfully.
! At the usual hour for tea, he saw his
father take the cat and gun. and go a
short distance from the house, and he
knew that poor puss was to be victim
to circumstantial eridence. and the re-
port Of the gun soon told him that puss
had breathed her last.
| At the supper hour the boy was again
called. and his father again asked him
which COW entered first; but not feeling
hungry. and being little proud to think
that he had played successful ruse, he
gave the same reply. and was told to re-
the day had been suspended. he walked
quietly into the house and retired for the
night, without seeing any one.
| About midnight he heard some one ap-
preaching. and on looking, his mother
knelt in prayer beside his couch. brlngiD z
some refreshments for her, as she suppo-
sed, hungry boy. This was too much for
him as the mother did not dare let the
father know her errand. and the boy gave
vent 10 his feelings in tears. and freely
confessed to the mother that he had not
told the truth The mother did not leave
. the boy ,ha, night until she made him
promise to beg pardon Of his father in the
morning. which he did; but years had
| transpired before the father knew that it
vas the mother who made her boy re-
pent, and i, was not until the boy had
/ grown 10 manhood. and earned imperish-
| able fame. tha, ne knew the ca, died a
victim to circumstantidl cri9ence.
This is one Of the MANY instances Of
obstinate persistence in children. and the
result Of too great severity. for small Of
fence.-f Home Journal.
| n--IVanrr Ror Brown the reurO that