Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-06-14
THE STEPMOTHER'S DREAM.
a STORY FOR PARENTS.

Martha Howett had succeeded, after
much trouble and confusion, in getting the
children started for school. There were
four of them under the age of ten years.
Martha was not their mother; she had died
two years before and for eighteen months
these children had been left to the care of
such persons as the father could get to
keep his house. During this time all fam
| lily government had been subverted and
the children, naturally active, restless, and
impatient Of restraint had acquired habits
/ of disobedience, and contempt for all
authority, which rendered their future
| training extremely difficult. Martha had
entered the family as the wife of their fa-
/ ther, with the determination to be a good
mother to these little orphans. They were
I pretty and interesting, and she thought
| she could love them, and that it would be
pleasant task to train their young and do
/ cile spirits in the paths of wisdom and no.
illness. But she had no conception of the
task on which she had entered. She was
unacQuainted with the children, and knew
little Of the cline upon line and precept
upon precept," which is necessary in train
ing them; and when she found them dis
obedient, self willed and ungrateful, she
/ felt like giving up in despair.
She had succeeded, said, in getting
the children started for school. William,
the oldest, had refused to go, prefering to
join party of boys who were going fish
ing and it was not until he had been Sc
yerely punished, that he had submitted to
her authority. 1t was during this encoun-
ter, that the boy had told her that she was
like all stepmothers, a tyrant, and that he
meant to run away when he should be a
/ little older.
This remark had wounded her most
( deeply. She seated herself in large arm
chair, covered her face with her hands,
and wept the bitterest tears which had
ever been wrung from her heart. Gradu-
ally she grew calm, and then she resolved
to examine herself closely. She looked
back over the few months during which
she had the care of these young immor-
tails, and enquired if she had always min.
gled firmness, wisdom, and tenderness il
all her conduct towards them Had she
shown mothers foIbearance toward:
their faults, and the warm and overflow.
ing tenderness, by which mother con
quers and controls the heart of her child
Her heart accused her of many things
Not of an intention to do wrong ; but sht
had neglected, in prayerful confidence, tc
seek help from God in this great work
She had not guarded her own spirit, bu
had suffered the impotence she felttc
manifest itself in her actions.. She Tel
afraid that she had especially failed in re
gard to the oldest. HsWas warm heart
ed, but impatient and ksh spirited child
and gave her more trouble than all tn
rest, She sometimes felt something lik,
aversion to him in her heart, and she ac
knowledged to herself, that this Nigh
have often shown itself in her manner anC
tone, if not in words. With bitter sci
abasement, she knelt and prayed fo
strength and wisdom from above Sht
rose up with new purpose to devote he
life to the work before her, but will
many misgivings, lest, when she had done
all her labor should be in vain. Exhaus
ted by the intensity Of her emotions, sh'
threw herself on a bed, and soon went t.
! sleep. She seemed to be standing at tht