Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-09-21
I,II Smash Yer Head.y


"Come back hero, or I'll smash YER head for
you-Pm not going to run after you the whole
blessed day-come back, / tell ye."
ltseems hard to believe that mother would
use such language, words not proper to be
spoken to dog; yet 30 it was. The little tod
dier OF scarcely more than two summers had
escaped the din and dense air of the house, and
upon the pavement was enjoying the sunlight
and the fresh air Of heaven. In feature and
gesture no was perfect picture of intense en-
lJoyment. He was intoxicated with delight. Il
seemed that every limb was thrilled and every
pore OF the body was itching with ecstacy. AS
he turned the corner Of the street and passed us,
bis little drum sticks flying about trying to beat
time to the happy music Of his overjoyed heart,
bis arms and every finger extended, his face as
full OF JOY as the full moon In the almanac, and
shouting with each breath, "Goin' see pap"--
"Goin' see pap" we halted and looked after
him, wondering that 30 small boy could con.
tain go much of ecstacy.
The little fellow had every escape pipe open,
and yet he seemed In danger of an explosion,
until he was overtaken by the words of our text;
and the words only served to quicken his ener
gies and hasten him along. Who wondersl
Twas like the terrors of the abyss chasing the
ljoys of light. He seemed to have learned, early
In life, that his mothers words were no more
to be regarded than the idle wind, and from her
herce anger there was nothing go genial as es.
cape. For this the little spirit was willing; but
the tender limbs were unable, and with the col.
llsion there came fearful collapse, which was
full of broken spirit, anger and sorrow.
From the whole appearance Of the excited
mother, we expected TO see the little top-heavy
head all smashed to jelly by the fret blow, and
the little towy ourls all besmeared with brain
and gore; but not GO. The smaehing blows
came thick and fast, mingled with most bitter
words, and II the mothers threats to smash the
head be all executed as this was, we opine that
ero the son Is older he will scarcely know enough
to tell "which end his head is on"
Is this, said | to myself, as the conquerinG
mother dragged the prisoner back to his con
fnement, he at the same time drowning hel
angry threats and upbraidings with the cries o.
his broken spirits dispeasure; is this govern
ment2 The secret Of all government is found
in the respect of the subject for the governing
power. This is the rule In the family, in the
school and in the nation. What respect will Q
child have for such parent-mother though
che may be, and if o mother can bring up O
child thus schooled in falsity, abuse and anger,
what respect can the youth and the grown up
man have for the outside world, for the forms
of society for law and order. The very germ
of his better nature gets the withering blight
of death fixed at its center before he leaves his
cradle. .--
Society may protect itself against the dep.
relations of such men by its police, its jails
and prisons, but they only palliate. The
germ Of the trouble lies further back and
cannot be reached without reaching that power
which bends the twig, and inclines the tree.
When the calm hour comes, aud thoughts o.
life, its duties and destinies steal over Jha
mothers heart, will she not tremble2 Ar,
there not hours when she thinks that she il
responsible for the glimpses of joy and the
clouds of sorrow which will come to the sou
OF the growing mAn--her son, blood of hel
blood, bone of her bone2 Would she have him
like herself7 Will she not make him worse
even than she isl Surely, If she thinks oi
these things-sees them as they are. as she must
see them when her angry souls ftful dream is
over and she awakes In the dawning of reason,
she will tremble. If she would train up a child
in the way it should go, let her pause, lest the
| little "brat" whose head she promised to
"smash," )" who never dreamed thatit was wrong
to enjoy the sunlight and air, may yet live to
crush her heart, and bring psngs which she
never before eknew.-Sandusky REGISTER. y