Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-10-25
.LIPoLIs, OHIO, OCTOBER 25, 1866.

them nowf''
And ten stitches after,
What sulky expression you
wear. 1t is really very unbecoming
Why are you not moro pleasant ans
cheerful
And when she had nearly compile
ted the garment,
mamma, put up your work." sait
the fairy, suddenly.
Il have only ten stitches more. =
urged mamma.
"Bnt put it away at once" com
mauded the dame; II require instant
and perfect obedience"
Mamma folded away the frock
sticking the needle in it venonously
as if il had been the fairy
"And how has our mamma heenf
said rspa, coming in just then-
The fairy shook her head
"We have bad report to-day.
am afraid. Mamma has been sull1y,
disobliging, irnpertinent and REBEL
ious. | am really panied by her per
versity,'
care you?r cried mamRa "Why
then did you take such pains "a
bring about all these fine resultsi
You commenced the day by disa-
greeable and perfectly unnecessary
restriction about my dress. Because
did no. endure it with smiling
face you proceeded to infict upon
me grieyous and irreparable dissp-
pointment and not satisfied with that,
you called the family attention to my
i'll humor, emitting all mention of the
cause, and forbidding me TO explain.
You have worried me through the
day with ceaseless reproofs and com
mands, and then rebuke me because
did not look cheerful under the
discipline. You spoiled an entire
afternoon by refusing me = moment S
attention. You broke in on my oc-
cupatiens on the most absurd pre-
texts, and then exclaim that am ir-
ritated. You yourself have been the
cause of what YOU SO much dislike.
1ol worry and cross and fret with .
continual and YeXatious supervision,
that would strain to the utmost the
principles and patience of saint
You acknowledge, then, said the
fairy, ''that you, grown woman.
would be fretted out Of amiability
and selfcontrol by my system; but
pray, Madam, is it not your own? and
when did you ever iLd fault with it
before! When you inflicted on your
son disappointment as unbearable
as the one you yourself have suffer
ed. YOU never asked what csused the
ill-temper for which you punished
INN, or if tho punishment was not
too great for the offense. When you
follow him about all day, with con
tinual .fault-iiuding about very small
matters, you expect that he will hear
with smiling face and mend his
ways at once, but when you are pur-
sued in the same way, you find that
il only makes one cross, and stirs
up the orst'pari of your nature; and
yet he is little boy, and you are !
grown woman. When Willie's game
or project is spoiled, because little
boys must not Interrupt, and you
will not hear him TILL il is toe late,
you are shocked that he is sulky and
aggrieved; and yet how intolerable it
was to sit, while your pudding was
spelling. for want Of an answer to a
simple question! Snd you grown
mamma and he is only y little boy
Tou insist that he. little boy, must
leave his most delightful occupation,
at the height Of his interest, without
even q lIok OF dissatisfaction; and
yet how hard you, 3 grown woman,
found il to practice what you preach!
You say am the cause Of yonr short
comIngs of today. If that is so.
then. in limited degree, you are the
cause of much of your sons naugh
tiness; for thought / could not 10
better than imitste the system OF
such an experienced and sensible
mamma as yourself, and | have sim
ply copied you to the letter; and if
the system works so Ill when tried
en- yourself. is it not just possible
that though rules and a steady and
firm system of discipline, are abso-
lutely required in family, that 4
system Of discipline, enforced with
an utter disregard Of the tastes and
feelings OF its object, is tyranny,
even when enforced by 4 mamma
that few guiding rules are rs in
dispensable as boundary fence. but
that restrictions and regulations,
thick set all through the day. are so
many traps and stumbling blocks for
unwary little Willies; and that a nam
ma ought not TO require more pa.
tience, self control and fortitude of a
little child than she could nse herself
in precisely similar circumstaneesT'
Papa smiled, mamma pouted: and
1 Willie, having heard it all, have
written it all down for the benefit of
those poor grown people, who have
been so busy all their lives in teach
ing us, that they have never had any
time to teach themselves.
n