Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-04
The Manners of the Mother Mould the
ChsIE


There is no disputing this fact, it shines
IN the face of every little child. This coarse.
brawling, scolding woman viii have vicious,
brawling, fghtingchildren. She who cries
on every occasion, an box your ears--Pll
slap your jaws-Ill break your neck IS
known as thoroughly through lerchildren,
as if her unwomanly manners 1ere openly
displayed in the public streets
These remarks were suggested bye con-
yersatlon an omnibus-that noble inSfdtu-s
ton for the study of men and manners-bs-
tween a friend and schoolmaster. Our
teacher was caustic, mirthfnl, and slfarp.-
His wit flashed like the polished edge of a
diamond, and kept ahe dbuss in a roam
The entire community of insiders-and
whoever IS intimate with those convevan-
ces can form pretty good idea Of our
numbers-inclusive of the zone moren so
well known to the fraternity, their heads,
eyes and ears one way, and finally our
teacher said:
can always tell the mother by the bov.
The urchin who draws back with double.
fists and lunges at his playmate # he looks
at hlm askance, has a very questionable
mother. She may feed him and clothe him.
cram him with sweat-meats and coax him
with promises; but if she gets mad. She,
fights. Shewill pull himby the iaeizet, She 4
will will give him a knock on the back, She.
will drag him by the hair, she will can him
all sorts of wicked names, while passion
plays over her face in lambent flames that
curl and writhe out of the corners of her
eyes.
And we never see the courteous little
fellow, with smooth locks and gentle man
ners, IN whom delicacy does not detract
from courage and manliness,, but We say
that boys mother is true lady. Her
words and ways are soft, loving, and quiet.
If she reproves, her language is, my som
NOT You little wretch-plague of my life
You torment-you scamp"
She hovers before him as apiIlar Of ighs
before the wandering IsraeliUes,, ami hcr
beams are reflected in his face. To him
the word mother is synonymous with every
thing pure, sweet, and beautiful. Is lie an
artist? In after life, the face that with holy
radiance shines on his canvas will be the
| mothers face. Whoever fits across his
1 path with sunny smiles, and soft, low voice,
will bring his mothers image freely to his
breast. She is like my mother, will be the
highest need of his praise. Not even wlelr
the hair turns silver and. eyes grow DIM,
ess1 &c as4aiastaEEa &C tl.at l;ia .ars...,z..
! But the ruffian mother-alas / th,,+ a.
are such will form the ,rufian charaeteA
OF the man. He, In turn, will become =
merciless tyrant, with a. tongue sharpe1
v than two-edged sword, and, rememberine
:, the brawling and the cutting, seek SOM
i meek, gentle victim, for the sacrifice, ane
v make her his wife, with the condition thai
e he shall be master
a We wonder not there are se,nany awk
r ward, ungainly men in society-they b ave
e been trained by women who do not caro
for the holy nature of their trust. They
E have been made bitter to the hearts core
| and that bitterness will find vent and lodga-
f ment somewhere.
Strike the infant in anger, and he will.
/ If ne cannot reach You, vent his passion by
beating the floor, the chair, or any inani-
mate thing within reach. Strike him re-
! peatedly, and by the time he wears shoes
he will become little bully, with hands
that double to fight as naturally as if espe-
cial pains had been taken to teach him he
art of boxing