Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-10-30
family Girelt,
SUCH A TEMPER.
BY 7. S. ARTHUR.


ity. That amusement was a rude at
tempt at castle building. The materials
used on the occasion were books from
the library shelves. His mother in com
pany with an aunt, who had arrived that
day on a visit, happened to come upon
him in the midst of his pleasant sport.
"Dear little fellowl" was on the
aunt's lips, as her eyes fell upon the
child's animated face but ere the words
were spoken his mother had started for
ward and seized him by the arm With
a sudden jerk she drew him several feet
away from his mimic building exclaim
ing as she did so. in angry tones
"You bad boy How dare you do
this :? Just see your fathers books scat
tered all over the hoor!'
A moment or two she held him with
a firm grip then pushing him from her
she added
"Put every book in its place On the
shelves and don't you dare to touch
them again!
Released from his mothers hand John
instead of obeying her, threw himself
upon the floor, and commenced Kicking
in uncontrolled passion.
Just see how he acts, Mary p repeat
ed the mother. "That temper will be
his ruin. John, hush this instant. and
get up as l tell you"
But the child's passion was in a whirl
wind, and subsidized not until its force
was spent. In her blind anger the moth
er stopped over the boy, and was raising
her hand to punish him, when her sister
drew her back and whispered
s"Don't Anna! A blow now viii do
harm"
And she drew the excited mother from
the room.
Mary! This is not right said the
latter, with some severity Of manner, as
soon as they were out of the library
I'You must not come between me and my
children. If, you take their part when
| reprove or punish him, all my control
over them will be gone
Dear sister! 7 replied Mary with much
feeling and tenderness of manner, : for
give me if l have erred and let the
pure love l feel for you and your child
be my apology
There was q silence for nearly a, min
ute. A call, was falling on the mothers
spirit.
He has such a dreadful temper, Maryl
If not subdued now, it will curse his
whole life. You don't know how it
troubles me-
Your duty, it seems to me is very
plain, sister, was the answer.
i must break that temper while he is
a child
you cannot. 1t will only get strength
by conflict replied the sister.
is the case so hopeless? l will not be-
lieve it, Mary
'Oh, no-not hopeless by any means.
How does the oak gain strength and Wig
orous life! Look at its rugged trunk,
it's gnarled and twisted branches, and
read the history of it's strife with temp,
est and tornado through half a century.
So it is, by action, resistance, that our
passions are matured. Do you imagine
that the excitement through which your
child has passed, will weaken the bad
temper of which you complain ;? He had
on the contrary given it increased
strength
The sister paused.
There was not a sign. of evil in his
little face when we entered the library
But he was doing wrong said the
mother.
Had you told him he must not build
houses with books?'
Yes forty times. There isn't an hour
in the day that | don't have to check or
reprove or punish him for some kind OF
mischief or another. He knew it was
wrong 3
Maybe you check, and reprove, and
punish him too much, Anna suggested
the sister. There is danger in this di-
%rection, when the child's mind is unusu-
ally active. The stream that glides
along smoothly enough through level
meadow, will fret, and chafe, and dash
madly forward if rocky instructions
come in the way.
But children must not be permitted
to do as they please. They would soon
be ruined said the mother.
If you put a dam across a stream or
throw huge rocks into the midst of its
gently gliding current you do not stop
its progress ; but only swell its volume,
until it overaows its banks, or distorts
its surface with twirling eddies. More
opposition to- a child,s desires effects
about as little good. 1t only gives them
a morbid force. We should not repress
activity and seek to give it a right d.
~rection. I will venture to affirm, Anna,
that if when we were into the library
just now, we had entered with some
manifestation of interest into what John
was doing, and then pleasantly explained
to him that the use he was making Of his
fathers books were injuring them, and
that he must replace them to the library,
he would have replaced them on the
shelves without a word of objection
There would have been in that case, no
mental injury sustained through excite.
ment of a passionate temper. The SKY
of his mind would have remained clear.
and sweet peace would be in his heart.
instead of a sullen rebellion. Dear sis
ter, a child's immortal soul is a more
precious thing than whole libraries of
costly books, or even the rich furniture
in a kings palace. While we guard his
external surroundings with a due regard
to order, and prevent, as well for his
sake as for others, disorder and blind
destruction, we must never forget that
the jewel is more to be regarded than the
casket. A scratched table, a torn or de-
faced book, or aver a costly thing brok.
~ ona c.1ai N-.f1