Litchfield enquirer., 1850-06-06
From G0deys Lady's Book.
Gossip about Children.
In familiar Epistle to the Editor.
BY LEWIS GAYLORD oLAHK.

MT DEAR dODEY love children.
| used to think, when was a bachelor,
lit is good many years ago now, )that
there was something rather presuming
IN the manner in which doting fathers
and m others would bring their - wee
things around them, and, for the espec-
i'll edifcation of us, single fellows, cause
them to "mis-speak half-uttered words"
and to go through with divers little lcs~
sons in manners and elocution. But
both parents and children were made so
apparently happy by it, that I never
could think as certain of my irreverent
companions were wont to think, and to
say that it was ga bore" No, never
thought, or said that but I did think, 1
remember, as I have said, that there was
little bad taste, and not little pre-
sumption in such course.
don't think so now.
When father-and how much more
mother--sees for the first time, the
CLEAN Of affection illuminating, with
what the Germans call an ''interior light"
the eyes and features of his infant child
when that innocent soul, fresh from
heaven, looks for the FIRST time into yours,
and you feel that yours is an answeriny
look to that newborn intelligence-then,
I say, will you experience sensation
which is not 'sof the earth, earthly" but
belongs to the correspondence of high
er and holier sphere.
wish to gossip little with you COR
corning children. You are a full grown
man now, friend Cooley. quite full grown
yet you were once boy and am
we'll assured that you will feel interested
in a few incidents which I am going to
relate, illustrative of my theme--inci-
dents which l hope you will Judge to
be not unfruitful Of monitory lessons to
"children Of larger growth" than mere
girls and boys. les
Don't you think chat we parents, some~
times, in moments of annoyance, thro'
pressure Of business or other circun-
stances, forbid that which was bat innu-
cent and reasonable, and perfectly natu-
raj to be asked for? And do not the
best of parents frequently multiply pro-
hibitions until obedience to them becomes
impossible T?
Excuse mo; but all your readers have
been childrea many of them are hap
py mothers; many more that are not,
s0iH be in Gods good time and can
not but believe that many who shall pc
ruse these sentences will find something
in them which they will remember here's
after. s..
"The sorrows and tears Of youth, are
as bitter as those Of age" says Washing
ton Irving, and he is right. They are
sooner washed away, it is true, but oh
how keen is the present sensibility, how
acute the passing mental agony!
My twin>brother Willis-may his ash.
cs repose in peace, in his untimely grave!
and myself, when we were very little
boys in the country, saw, one bright
June day, far up in the blue sky paper
kite, swaying to and fro, rising and sink
ing. diving and curyeting, and flashing
back the sunlight in a manner that was
wonderful to behold. We left our little
tin vessels in the meadow, where we
: were picking Strawberries. and ran into
a a neighboring field to get beneath III and
: keeping our eyes continually upon it,
gazing steadfastly towards heaven" we
presently found ourselves by the side of
! tn, architect of that magnificent creation,
, an saw the line which held it reaching
| into the skies, little white paper mes
Sc gcrs gliding along upon it, as if to
hold communion with the graceful arti.
fetal bird of the air, at the upper end.
am describing this to you as a boy,
and wish you to think oft as a boy.
Well, many days afterwards, and af-
ter various unsuccessful attempts. which
not a little discomfttcd us--for we tho't
we had obtained the " principle" Of the
kite---we succeeded in making one which
we thought would fly. The air was too
still, however, for several days and
never did q becalmed navigator wait for
. breeze to speed his vessel on her voy-
, age more intently than did we for wind
that should send our paper messenger,l
bsdizened With stars of red and yellow
paper, dancing up the sky. @
AT last IL pleased the gentle and
voluble spirit of the ali" TO favor us.---
A mild south wind sprung up. aud so
deftly did we manage our machine, that
it was presently reduced TO mere; min.
iatnre kite in the blue ether above U.S.
Such u triumph! Fulton, when he es-
sayed his first experiments, felt no more
exultant We kept it until " 'twixt tho
cleaning and the mirk," when we drew
It down again and deposited it. in the
barn hesitating long tshsre to place il,
out of several localities that seemed safe
and eligible. but finally decided 70 stand
it endways in . barrel. AN nnfreqnented
corner OF the barn. M 49,
| am now coming TO q specimen Of the
sorrows and tears Of youth. Of which
| Godfrey Crayon speaks. We dreamed
Of that kite IN the night !: and faR up in
tho heaven Of our sleeping vision. Wa
!, saw il flashing in The sun and cleaning
!. ~ k.-sls.rhAs aiP& In the