Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-04-17
mr. ana MRS. Bettywinkre.

hon Two nunureu tnOusanu lnilaDltdilts ~ haSSa-
chusetts; but we have chosen it because we do
not wish to be personal, and because the hair is
getting thin on the summit of our cranum.
Mrs. Bettywinkle spoke in swapping, snarly
tones, something like the barking of a small
puppy that has not the remotest intention of
biting anybody,-in those high, sharp tones
which encourage children to dsobey parents and
teachers and which are the capital stock of the
confirmed scold.
The children did not stop their noise; on the
contrary, the din became more intense and Mrs.
Bettywinkle began to grow desperate
"Will you stop that noise, childreng You are
enough to wear out the patience of Jobi II some
everlasting racket from morning till night. !
can't have moments peace of my life while you
are in the house. except when you are asleep. 1t
is tip over the table, tip over the chairs, tip over
everything. Ii is, run, stamp, scream, and yell
every moment of the time. When you are not in
one kind of mischief, you are in another. / am
almost discouraged. You are wearing tise life out
of me-"
Mrs Bettywinkle, having discharged these
spleeny words at the offending juveniles evidently
felt little better, and resumed her sewing, very
much as a dsparing slave might be supposed to
resume his oar after a momensary respite from
his thankless toll. The noise was not in the
slightest degree abated, however, for Johnny
still whooped, Susie shrieked, and Tommy tum
bled the cricket off the table for the tenth time,
just to see how much noise it would make.
The poor mother desperately piled her needle
for the full space of five minutes, notwithstand-
ing the hideous racket around her. At the end
of this time, Mrs. Bettywink!e feelingly re-
marked, "fesh and blood could endure no more
The din was too dreadful for mortal nerves, and
the martyred lady suddenly jumped out of her
chair, and stamped her foot with terrific force
upon the floor.
"Will you stop your noise children?" almost
screamed Mrs. Bettywinkle. 81 can't stand it
any longer, and won'tl You'll kill mel''
| The children did stop this time They were
evidently awed by the dramatic action of the lady
Mrs. Bettywinkle seemed to be surprised that the
din ceased; it was clearly unanticpated result,
but none the less grateful on that account. She
seated herself again, and the look of dispar
which she had worn seemed for a moment to be
suppanted by a glow of triumph. As she re-
sumed her work, Mr. Bettywinkle entered the
room, and seated himself in the corner to read
the evening paper. He was soon entirely alb
sorbed in the --latest news from the South;" so
entirely, indeed, that he did not heed the in
creasing uproar among the juvenile members of
| the family.
| In about seven minutes from the time that Mrs.
Bettywinkle lad gone through with that success.
| full tragic maneuvre, its impression had entirely
evaporated from the minds of the children. If
possible Johnny whooped louder than before,
Susie shrieked forcibly enough to have done
honor to the heorine of a continued story, and
Tommy pitched the cricket over the top of the
door.
Mrs. Bettywinkle looked terribly forlorn again.
and Mr.. Bettywinkle was completely buried in
| secession" and compromise" besides he had a
little private theory of his own. He seldom med
died with the children, being prudent man; and
seldom meddled with the lady's system of paren
| tai government, being peaceable man.
"Oh, dear mel sighed the lady at last, drop
ping her sewing into her lap, and looking for all
the world as though her last friend on earth had
deserted her. For mercy's sake stop that noise,
children; / am almost crazy. This house is worse
than Bedlam.'
But this was altogether too tame to have any
effect upon the turbulent little ones, and there
was not the slightest Improvement in the aspect
of affairs.
"John"-Mr. Bettywinkle's name was John,
after one of the Evangelsts-'John, ,oiH you
speak to those chldrenf"
"Stop your noise, children" said Mr.. Betty
winkle, in rather quiet tone, and even without
raising his eyes from the paper.
Though there not even any "shoot'' in -
II eye at the time, his words wrought miraculduV
, result Jonny's mouth closed rs tight as the
shells of oyster threatened with the knife, and
Susie and Tommy applied themselves to picture
book as zealously as though order had always
reigned in Warsaw.
"Those children will be the death of me- .
sighed Mrs. Bettywinkle.
al think not" replied her liege lord, with a
pleasant smile.
"They certainly WIN, persisted she
"Oh no, | guess not" suggested he. at i:
your bed time, children" continued he, turning
; to the little ones.
"Let me sit up a little while longer, father.
said Susie
, mo, child, it is seven o'clock Call Jenny
and let her put Tommy to bed"
, Susie called Jenny, and all Of them kisset
: "pa" and then kissed "na"-the little torments-
the murderers of her peace-the c0nspiratori
; against her happiness-that promised to be th'
death of herI
Mammals pet,'' exclaimed she, as she lifted
little Tommy from the floor, and printed som,
. sixteen twenty kisses upon his rosy cheek.
They were gone, land the sitting room was quie
as the wales of Paradise. 1t was a sweet calm
, a blessed lull in the tempest-which in few mo
ments elevated the spirit of the poor mother abov
the and trials, the din and uproar of this-t,
= her-noisy world. Still the memory Of the con
fusion that had reigned during the preceding hou
: was upon her-it was that which made the quie
OF the present so grateful to her sense; for as d.
Quincy truly says, happiness is only compare
. tive state.
. "These children won't mind me" Mrs. Betty
/ winkle remarked, after she had enjoyed the caln
. repose for short time.
won't they?"
a "They pay no more attention to what sa
d than though didn't speak. They mind you tn
r. instant you speak"
% "They ought to mind you," calmly suggeste
Mr. Bettywinkle, lowering his paper; for, after
I moments reflection, he had resolved to ventilat
his little theory to a prudent extent.
l. They won't; can't make them mind me.
a scold, and storm, and threaten, till my throat
d sore, and it don't do bit of good"
k That's the very reason why it don't do an
q good
W "What is9"
ys "That's you scold, and storm and threate
of them. Don't you know that sailors get used I
NJ the noise of the tempest, and soldiers to the ros
n. Of the cannon? They don't mind such things.
re never scold, nor fret at them--they mind m
he You scold and fret half your time-they won
ne mind you. Why, Mary, should think, to he
ng nuisance to you-that you wished them all at Il
II bottom of the seal know you don't"
er "How can body help it? They vex me a
day long"
ot ''But your snarling and fretting makes Il
nd matter worse. The children know that the dc
o which barks loudest, never bites. Talk calm
% and gently to them. If they don't mind, NAL
hictn Whch lou ectt tcui W uo diiN tllln
,sl see that they do it the first time you require it
"Well, don't know. sighed Mrs. Bettywinkl
She really did not know. She had acquir
as the habit of frettng and snarling at her chidre
MI though there never was more loving and devo
at cd mother, and consequently her authority hi
ito become a broken reed. We are sorry to ad
nm that her husbands excellent solution of the ch
ar dren's disobedienee, produced no marked effet
of but we hope a second lecture will be more efes
he ual.
,us Fretting and snarling in the school-ruom or
my the firesde worse than useless; they are pc
ed, itively demoralizing. Wherever we find the
he the children, from the nature of the case, mt
ish be disobedient. They can't help it. A child m
love, but can not, TO proper degree. respect r
my rent who is continually fretting and snarlir
at Love alone, will not always produce obedien,
er- Rcspect-uot awe nor fear-makes will
ee child.
ion We beg Mr.. and Mrs. Bettywmkle's pardon
Dor exposing their domestic affairs to the public
if they feel aggrieved, we implore them to CHI
My sh the spirit of the patriot, and feel that III
vas suffer for the public egationalist.