The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-01-28
Self-COntrol.
A FAMILY INCIDENT.

= Sne were III great pam.
:, The lady's face reddened, instant
ly, and the book fell from her hand
to the floor. Starting up, she went
hurriedly from the room. There was
anger in her heart against John, and
in the blindness Of her sudden indig-
nation, she resolved to punish him
with severe cbastlsement. Bnt ere
lshe reached tho apartment in which
her child had been playing, she
paused suddenly and stood STILL.
A timely thought glancing through
her mind, had arrested her steps.
This will not do. | must control
myself she said, speaking half aloud
Then, after n resoluto strife with her
angry feelings, the mother went back
to the room where she had left her
weeping child, and sitting down in
her old place. said, with as calm and
steady a voice as she could assume:
\ Agnes, let mo see your cheek
'Oa dear! How it hurts!' sobbcd
Agnes. as she came to her mothers
side, her hand still pressed to her
face.
The lady gently removed the
hand, and examined her little girls
cheek. There was red mark as if
n blow had been received; but no
evidence of bruise.
Agnes said the mother, now
speaking very calmly and gently, yet
with firmncss that at once subluoJ
the excitement of her child's mind,
i want you 10 stop crying, and tell
me all about this trouble with john
The child's tears ceased to flow;
and she looked up into her moth RS
face.
Agnes, who gave the first pro.
vocation in this matter, you or Johnn
'John struck me in the iacc!' re-
piled the child, evincing great deal
of angry feeling towards her brother.
/ why did be strike youi'
Agnes WAS silent.
'Whn saw the trouble between You
and John! inquire the mother.
Why, Mary saw it. She'll tell
Won that John struck me in the face
: with ali his might
Tell Mary that | wish to see her.
Agnes went ior lis sister. When
:hcy :...rnc! TO a.o;hor sail.
Now, Mary. tell me all about this
trouble with John and Agnes
'Iou saw him strike me, didn't
you, Mary:' said Agnes, with the
rugcrnass Of resentment.
i will question Mary, said the
mother, 'and while | do so, you,
Agnes, must have nothing to say
After Mary has finished, then yon
can correct her statement, il you
wish to do so. Now, Mary, say on
wei, mother, I'll tell You just
how it was.' sail Mary Agnes
was teasing Joha, and John got an
gry.'
And struck his sistcr!' There
vas tone Of severity in the IN TIERS
voice.
i think the blow was accidental
said Mary. John declared that it
WAS, AMI tried his best to comfort
Agnes; even promising to give her
his pet kitten, il she would stop cry.
ing, and not make trouble by telling
you. But she was angry, and would
not listen TO him.
Tell me just what occurred, Mary,
aud then | shall know exactly how
far both were to blame
We'll. answered Mary, John and
| were playing checquers, and Agnes
would, every now aud then, steal mp
behind John and push his elbow
when he was making move. 1t
worried him, and he asked her over
and over again not to do so. But
she didn't mind what lie said. Att
last John pushed the board from him
and wouldn't play any longer He
was angry. Still Agnes seemed
bent on annoying him. John got a
book and sat down near the window
to read. lie had not been there long
before Agnes stole up behind him,
whipped the book out of his hand,
and ran away. john sprungl after
her, AMI they had struggle tor the
book, in which Agnes got a blow
upon the face. | was looking at
them, and | think the blow was ac-
cidcntal. 1t seemed 80 at the time,
and John declares that he did not
mean to strike her. That is all, mo-
ther.
Gall your brother said the lady,
in n subdued voice. John entered
the room in a few moments. He
was pale and looked troubled.
'My son, said the mother, speak,
ing without apparent excitement, yet
with touch of sorrow in her voice,
did you strike Agnes on purpose?'
The boys lip quivered. but no
answer came through him. lie
looked into his mothers eyes, for a
moment or two, until tears blinded
him. and then he laid his face down
upon her bosom and sobbed. With
loves tender instinct, the mother
drew her arm tightly round her boy,
and then there was silence for the
space Of nearly minute.
1t was an accident, l am sure,
i whispered the mother, placing her
FIlips close to the ear OF her boy.
Indeed ii was!' John answered
back with earnestness. MY hand
lslipped as tried to got my book
away from her, and it struck her in
the face. l was 30 sorryF
| What less could the mother do
than kiss with ardor the fair brow Of
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