The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-06-26
Mothers and Children.

The manners OF the mothers mould the
child. There is no disputing this fact; it
shines in the face of every little child. The
coarse, bawling, scolding woman will have
coarse, vicious, bawing, fighting children.
She who cries on every occasion-''Ill slap
your jaws-Il break your neck, is known
as thorou lilly through Ler own children as if
her unruly manners were openly displayed in
the public streetsl
These remarks were suggested by the con-
versation in an omnibus-that great institu-
ton for the students of men and masters
between friend and school-master. Our
teacher was caustic, mirthful, and sharp. His
wit flashed like the polished edge Of dia-
mond, and kept the ''bus" in ''roar"
The entire community of insiders-and
whoever is intimate with these conveyances
can form pretty good idea of our number
inclusive of TIE 's1ne more" so well known to
the fraternity, turning their heads, eyes and
ears one way, and finally our teacher said =
II can always tell the mother by the boy
The urchin who draws back with doubled
fist and lunges at his playmate if he looks
at him askance, has very questionable
mother. She may feed him and clothe him,
cram him with sweet meats, coax him with
promises, but if she gets mad she tights
She will pull him by the jacket she will
give him knock in the back she will drag
him by the hair; she will call him all sorts
of wicked names, while passion plays over
her red face in lambert flames, that curl and
writhe out at the corner of her eyes"
And we never see the courteous little fell
low with smooth locks and gentle manners
in whom delicacy does not detract from
courage or manliness, but we say that boys
mother is a true lady. Her words and ways
are SOFT, loving, and quiet. If she reproves,
her language is ''my son"-not you little
wretch-you plague of my life you torment
you scamp !"
She hovers before him as pillar of light
before the wandering lslaelites, and her beams
are reflected in his face To him the word
mother is Synonymous with everything pure,
sweet, and beautiful. Is he an artist? In
after life, that which with holy radiance shines
on his canvas, will be the mothers face.
Whoever fits across his path, with sunny
smiles and soft, low voice, will bring "moth-
er's" image freshly to his heart. ''She is like
my MOTHER" will be the highest need of his
praise. Not when the hair turns silver and
the eye grows dim, will the majesty OF that
life and presence depart from him.
But the ruffian mother-alas, that there are
such! will form the ruffian character of the
man. He in turn will become the merclless
tyrant, with tongue sharper than two
edged sword, and remembering the brawling
and the cutting, seek some meek, gentle VIC
tim for the sacrifice, and make her his wife,
| with the condition that he shall be master.
And the master he is for few sad years,
when he wears widower's weed till he finds
victim number two"
! We wonder not that there are SO many
awkward, ungainly men in society-they
have all been trained by women who neither
knew nor cared for the holy nature Of their
| trust
They had been made bitter to the hearts
core, and that bitterness will find vent and
| lodgment somewhere. Strike the infant in
anger, and he will, if he cannot reach you,
vent his passion by beating the floor, the
chair, or any inanimate thing within reach.
Strike him repeatedly, aud by the time he
wears shoes he will have besome bully, with
hands that double for fight naturally as if es-
pecial pains had been taken to learn him the
art of boxing ms YEA
Mothers, remember that your manners
mould the child Who will not say that
mothers ought to be thoroughly educated
whether their sons are or not. F.
A dog lying on the hearth-rug with his